Sleep Cycle

Price and Platform: $1.99, iPhone

The people that have used this app are constantly singing its praises. When you use this app, you’ll want to place your phone next to you on your mattress. The app works alongside the accelerometer in the iPhone, using a sensor to monitor your movement so that it can accurately determine the phase of sleep you’re in and track your sleep cycle levels. It presents you with a graph that can tell you a lot about the quality of the sleep you’re getting. This data can be incredibly useful. For example, you can see if you don’t sleep as well on nights where you drink tea.

When you’re sleeping lightly, you’ll wake up more easily, and you’ll have more energy throughout the day. When you set an alarm, the app sets a 30-minute window ahead of that time. It will make sure you’ve woken up when you’re in the lightest phase of sleep. Even if you’re woken up 30 minutes earlier, you’ll feel much better when you woke up.

There’s a similar app with fewer features available on Android, known as Sleepbot. This app also keeps track of your sleep patterns so that it can wake you up at the appropriate time.

Earthlapse

Price and Platform: $0.99, Android, Free, iOS

This app does everything it can to help you relax. It plays cosmic-inspired music while showing you time-lapse photos that were actually taken by NASA astronauts. If you touch the views, you’ll be able to set the speed of your images. Thanks to the weather and clock availabilities, it’s handy to have this app on your night table. You can use this app to distract yourself from the stresses of your everyday life.

Deep Relaxation

Price and Platform: Free, iPhone

Deep Relaxation is based around the Silva Method, which teaches you to center yourself while meditating. There are two different options: a 30-minute track for deep relaxation or 20-minutes for quick relaxation The leader of these tracks, Laura, has a voice that’s pleasant and soothing. The app has plenty of positive reviews, and Laura’s relaxing voice is one of the things that people praise. Although the app is free, it’s possible that there are no costs because the app is trying to entice you to pay for another program. Still, you can get a lot out of the free version of the app. On Android, there’s a similar free app titled “Relax With Andrew Johnson Lite.” This is a self-hypnosis app that is designed to encourage relaxation.

Squeeze and Shake Stress Relief

Price and Platform: $0.99, iPhone

This app essentially operates as a stress ball. It looks like a rubber duck, and it makes a fun squeaking noise when you press down on the screen. If you press the sides of the phone and give it a good shake, you’ll be able to get a hand massage. When you shake faster, you’ll get a more intense massage. People have been using stress balls to unwind for a very long time. People often say that repeating the same movement over and over is enough to relax you. Of course, people will notice you shaking and squeezing your phone, which is why you’ll probably want to use that app when you’re at home. When you’re done using the app, you should feel far more relaxed.

Marine Aquarium

Price and Platform: $1.99, iPhone and iPad

Not everyone is a fan of aquariums. It can be creepy to look at fish in this sort of environment, especially if you spot some dead fish in the tank. However, studies have found that watching fish in the water can lower your heart rate, elevate your mood, and even bring your blood pressure down. This is the reason you see fish tanks in waiting rooms. You’ll see videos featuring real fish, not fish that are animated. You’ll be able to select your favorites from 28 different species and even change the lighting in the foreground and the background. Thankfully, you’ll never have to worry that these fish will die.

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