THE BASICS
Wake up refreshed every day
A good night’s sleep is the best way to set yourself up for a great day.
These apps will help you slip into sleep, enjoy a restful night and wake the following morning feeling fully rejuvenated. What’s more, they won’t ask you to count a single sheep.
Clear your mind
To sleep well, it’s important to relax before going to bed. Laying your head on your pillow while it’s racing with thoughts will only result in an evening of unrest. Pause helps you relax, centring your thoughts and clearing your mind.
Once you’ve launched the app, place your finger on the coloured dot that appears. Now, slowly trace your finger as the object gently moves across the screen. As the dot grows, maintain your focus on its soothing movements and try to match your breathing to its pulsing rhythm. Make this a habit before going to bed to calm your body and mind and you’ll be drifting off before you know it.
Wake naturally
Having done what you can to ensure a good night’s sleep, an abrupt awakening is the last thing you want, and traditional alarms don’t take into account your current sleep state before shocking you awake. Sleep Cycle, however, ensures you don’t start your day by being startled.
Place your phone on your bedside table and the app will track your sleep throughout the night. It monitors your progress through periods of light and deep sleep, using your phone’s accelerometer sensors and audio analysis of your breathing and movements. Crucially, having told the app what time you need to be up, it will gradually, soothingly wake you across a half-hour window, only nudging you from the land of Nod when it senses you’re in light sleep.
Now you’re ready to tackle the day with renewed energy.