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Sleep apps

How far apps can help you and the precautions you need to take

If you've made it this far, it's very likely that you've already heard about some apps to help you sleep better. There are several categories:

  • Apps that monitor your sleep
  • Apps that block noise
  • Apps that help you calm down at night

Since there is much debate about how much these apps can actually help with sleep, and studies have even shown that they can have a negative effect, we decided to do a general analysis of each of the major areas, so you can make more informed decisions in the future.

Apps that monitor your sleep

These are the most well-known and downloaded apps in virtual stores related to sleep.

Some of the most well-known apps are:

Each app has its peculiarities, but the main sleep parameters monitored are:

  • Sleep duration
  • Sleep stages
  • "Smart" alarms
  • Snoring sounds (to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea disorder)

How do these apps obtain this information?

Sleep trackers use your smartphone's accelerometer (or linked wristband) to monitor your movement. Based on your acceleration, the device infers whether you are still because you're sleeping, or awake because you're moving. But is this data reliable?

Studies indicate that even apps linked to wristbands (such as Jawbone and Fitbit) can overestimate or underestimate sleep hours depending on the individual 1 2 3. The Vigilantes do Sono sleep monitor also has this characteristic, which is why it's possible to adjust the calculated times after a night's sleep 😉. The monitor can give a good estimate, but the final word is yours!

The biggest problems, however, begin when these sleep apps claim to distinguish between sleep stages. Our bodies make similar movements during light and deep sleep, not to mention when sleeping with a bed partner or with pets. These factors can confuse motion sensors into thinking we're awake when we're actually sleeping deeply. The best way to distinguish between the various sleep stages is by observing brain waves, which you can do through a polysomnography exam.

Okay! Sleep monitoring apps are not the most accurate way to measure sleep compared to medical devices, but the main question is, do these apps help more than they hinder?

Do sleep monitoring apps help more than they hinder?

A study4 with 565 people over a 12-month period evaluated the impact of using devices to monitor sleep, and found that people who monitored their sleep started sleeping more hours per night.

On the other hand, there are studies showing that using these apps can make a person extremely worried about the numbers, leading to greater anxiety about sleep and even worsening insomnia5.

Given these debates, there is not enough evidence to recommend or not recommend the use of these apps, but we don't want to sit on the fence, so we suggest the following reflections:

  • If you would like to speed up capturing your sleep duration data, even knowing they may be somewhat imprecise, using an app can help you.
  • If you believe you're becoming more anxious about the monitored data, stop using it.
  • Don't trust the sleep stages proposed by the app, as they are very different from reality.
  • The snoring recognition features can indeed be used as an initial screening test to evaluate the possibility of snoring and sleep apnea, but if you suspect it, seek a specialist doctor.

Apps that block noise

Several apps try to provide "white noise" to block external sounds and help a person sleep. Some of the most well-known apps are:

This idea was previously discussed in sleep hygiene tips to avoid irritating noises that may disturb your sleep, seen in this post.

Although there are no scientific publications made with apps that promote white noise, there are studies6 showing that dedicated devices generating this type of noise can be useful in promoting better sleep.

Apps that help you relax

If what keeps you awake at night is not external noise, but the fact that your mind is very active, due to worries about events that have already occurred or may occur, then a better alternative would be to use apps to help you relax.

We divided the apps in this category into two major areas.

Some apps want to help you with relaxing music:

Other apps will help you with relaxation exercises like meditation.

Relaxing music

These apps are based on one of the ideas discussed in previous posts, where one of the cognitive techniques (Thought Stopping) provides that auditory distraction can help prevent intrusive thoughts.

There are studies showing that music can help people with insomnia sleep better7.

Meditation apps

Guided meditation apps can also help a person better control their emotions and use physical aspects such as breathing and muscle relaxation to promote a more relaxed mental state, promoting sleep.

Vigilantes do Sono has reviewed some of the main meditation apps available on the market in this post.

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4531402/↩
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26118555↩
  3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21971963↩
  4. https://www.cureus.com/articles/4832-the-impact-of-wearable-device-enabled-health-initiative-on-physical-activity-and-sleep↩
  5. https://jcsm.aasm.org/viewabstract.aspx?pid=30955↩
  6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5742584/↩
  7. https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD010459.pub2/full↩

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