Wellbeing

The 7 best sleep apps

Tired of counting sheep and losing sleep? Here’s 7 apps to find that deep rest you’re dreaming of.

Written by Medibank
Young woman is doing morning stretching in bed, arms raised, rear view

1. Relax Melodies

FREE – iOS, Android

Lull yourself to sleep with a custom blend of relaxing music and natural sounds. Relax Melodies gives you a huge selection of high quality, mix-and-match ambient soundscapes, so you can choose your favourite to drift off to – whether it’s gentle ocean waves with soft piano, or calming wind with birds and a flute melody. It also incorporates binaural beats, and has an alarm and timer functionality to help you customise your sleep routine to best suit you.

2. Deep Sleep with Andrew Johnson

$3.79 – iOS; $3.03 – Android

This popular app provides guided meditations designed to help you relax, unwind and get the rest you need at night. Andrew is a Scottish clinical hypnotherapist with over 20 years’ experience helping people cope with stress, anxiety, fears and insomnia. Listen to his soothing voice as he takes you through a range of visualisations and relaxation techniques, and let it send you into a deep, restorative sleep.

3. Sleepmaker Rain

FREE – iOS, Android

If the sound of rain soothes you, this app gives you a wonderfully comforting way to fall asleep. Choose from 20 different rainfall patterns, from a gentle patter against the window, to a steady rain shower over a forest, to a moody thunder storm. This is also a great app to use during the day, creating a calming, ambient atmosphere to help you relax at work, or to escape the bustling noise of city streets.

4. Simply Being

$2.99 – iOS; $2.79 – Android

Take 10 minutes before bed to unwind, release the worries of the day, and get in touch with your breath and body. This app takes you through simple guided meditation exercises to help you relax, so you can go to sleep without those racing thoughts.

Choose your session length and decide if you want relaxing music, soothing natural sounds, or just a calming voice. Perfect for meditation beginners, this simple app makes it easy to create your own mindfulness practice, with an easy to use interface and plenty of customisable options.

5. ReachOut Breathe

Free – iOS

If you have trouble sleeping because you often feel stressed or anxious, simple breathing exercises can make a big difference in getting your mind and body relaxed. By slowing down your heart rate with a few deep breaths, you can reduce the physical symptoms of anxiety and stress, like shortness of breath and a feeling of tightness in the chest.

This fantastic app by ReachOut uses simple visuals to guide you through some slow, deep breaths. It also lets you measure your heart rate, so you can check your baseline and see how you're going from day to day.

6. Yoga for Insomnia

$4.49 – iOS; $3.34 – Android

Stretch out and calm your breathing before bed with yoga moves specifically chosen to help you get to sleep. This app gives you simple graphics and instructions to explain how to do each pose, with options to make it easier for beginners. Create your own yoga routine designed to help you relax and see if it helps you fall into a deeper, more restful slumber,

7. Sleep Cycle

FREE – iOS; $1.49 – Android

This smart alarm clock app has long been a popular choice for waking you up gently, and for tracking your sleep patterns. Simply place your phone under your pillow, and Sleep Cycle analyses your slumber based on your movements throughout the night.

When you’re ready to wake up, the alarm function vibrates, timed with your sleep cycle to wake you in your lightest sleep phase. It’s a more natural way to be roused from sleep, so you open your eyes feeling more refreshed. Then, you can check the graphs and data from your night’s rest, and use the information to help make changes to your routine.

Learn more about how to get a good night's sleep.

Written by Medibank

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