As a person who is obsessed with getting a good night’s sleep, I had always been curious about sleep tracking applications and often wondered whether such an app would be beneficial to me. After all, I thought, “What good would tracking my sleep do?”
It was after some time when I started experiencing trouble sleeping that I had truly learned how sleeping apps such as Sleep Cycle could help me sleep better. I am amazed by this app which uses modern technology to help people with their sleep.
Read on and discover what I love about Sleep Cycle. Get to know the key features, cost, how to download the app, and other details and information. See for yourself and decide whether Sleep Cycle will help you feel well-rested every night and ultimately lead you to be healthier and happier!
- A Companion To Better Sleep
- Key Features I Love
- Getting Started With The App
- Premium Features: Get Better Sleep For A Price
A Companion To Better Sleep
I never had trouble sleeping until the time I went to college - from then on, I rarely had rest and barely had the time to enjoy my nights. Luckily, my friend who was suffering from insomnia at that time introduced me to Sleep Cycle. I have never had trouble with sleep since then.
I first researched the app and found that Sleep Cycle has been around for almost 12 years and was designed to utilize the accelerometer in the first Apple iPhone. I learned that the app works by using the iPhone’s motion-sensing technology to identify a person's sleep stage and then wake that person up when they are in the lightest phase of sleep.
I started using the app in 2011, the year wherein the app gathered sleep data and provided statistics to people. While it is true that more data does not translate to better sleep, I was given something to look at which can explain my sleep habits and ultimately take steps to improve my sleep.
In 2017, the app was also made available to wearable devices (such as watches), which made it even easier and more convenient to track my sleep.
How The App Works
Sleep Cycle’s mission is to encourage people to have better sleeping habits and to improve the overall sleep quality of people for the benefit of their health. The app tracks sleep cycles by listening to the sounds and movements I make.
The app tracks my sleep patterns through the five stages of sleep. The app is really helpful in giving me an overall picture of the quality of my sleep and providing some insights into the factors that can influence my sleep. It also provides me with tips and suggestions on how to rest better.
The app’s AI learns from my sleep experience and correlates findings with my daily activities and habits to help me figure out the good and bad influencers on my sleep. Since then, I am able to really focus on getting a good night’s rest and take concrete actions to help me sleep better.
Key Features I Love
I love using Sleep Cycle because it has a ton of unique features that help me improve my overall sleeping experience from the moment I get in bed to the moment I open my eyes and wake up.
Its Smart Alarm is my personal favorite because it uses a natural wake-up call instead of a loud, blaring alarm which immediately ruins my morning. Before I downloaded Sleep Cycle, I was fed up with the alarm I was using because hearing it sounds so stressful and painful, and I wake up feeling tired and restless even if I slept for more than 8 hours or so.
With the app’s intelligent alarm, I feel like I wake up naturally rested, and my mood for the day is immediately improved. Another feature I love is its unique sleep tracking mechanism which does not require me to put my phone right under my pillow but just near the bed. I can even put my phone on the floor to avoid getting exposed to too much radiation!
Another feature that is absolutely useful to me is the Snore Recorder. Before using this app, I was never aware that I snored in my sleep. Thanks to Sleep Cycle, I can track and monitor not just my sleep cycle but also my snoring cycle.
Sleeping Better With Data
After about two weeks of using this app, I was given data and statistics on my sleeping cycle, which made me understand why I feel rested or tired. I was also able to see whether I was well-rested, if the sleep I had was enough and whether the quality of my sleep was great.
With the patterns that I saw, I am able to regulate my sleep better and really have a good night’s rest, knowing that my body is going to thank me if I get enough rest and sleep. I made it a point to try to sleep better after seeing that my sleep cycle was a wreck when I first used Sleep Cycle.
Getting Started With the App
Sleep Cycle is available for download both at the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. When I first downloaded it, I used the basic features before upgrading to the premium version to see if I would like the basic version first.
With the free version of the app, I was able to experience the app’s patented sound technology (or the accelerometer) which convinced me that this app was really worth it. I also had access to detailed sleep statistics and daily sleep graphs.
I was also pleased with the wide library of smart alarm melodies and tones, which really helped me feel rested whenever I woke up. It had been evident in the library of alarm tones that the app had put much effort and thought into the waking experience of every person.
Snoozing the alarm is also made easy and convenient. All I have to do is shake the phone or double-tap the screen (although I rarely use the snooze function anymore because I really don’t need it anymore!). Lastly, I can also customize my wake-up window from an instant alarm clock or up to a 90-minute wake-up window.
A Well-Received App
Sleep Cycle has had over five million downloads on the Google Play Store and has an impressive 4.4-star rating.
Premium Features: Get Better Sleep For A Price
After enjoying the free version, I decided it was time to purchase the premium version of the app to have access to premium features and to really maximize what I was getting from the app. With the premium feature, I had access to long-term sleep trackers, which generated reports and analytics of my sleep.
One fun feature of the premium version is that I was able to compare my sleep data with other users from all over the world. As mentioned, I was also able to track my snore trends. What’s more, all my sleep data and analytics are backed up to the cloud so that I can retrieve them when needed and keep my data safe and secure.
My favorite feature in the premium version, which I haven't stopped using since I started my premium subscription, is the set of sleep aids to help me sleep better. These sleep aids are stories, music, poetry, and relaxing guides that are designed to help me fall asleep faster and easier.
I can also export data in a format that is readable by Excel. I love this feature because I am able to perform a much more detailed analysis with the features of Excel to really help me understand my sleep patterns better.
How Much Does The Premium Version Cost?
The premium version of the app costs $29.99 a year. For me, this is a reasonable price to pay in exchange for better sleep.
I think subscribing to the premium version is an excellent investment for me. It’s a small amount to pay for a good night's sleep, so I don’t really mind the cost of the app.
Conclusion
Sleep is really one of the most important factors that can affect my health; that is why I make it a point to learn and understand what gives me sleep of the highest quality. With better sleep comes better health, productivity, better moods, and overall happy life.
Technologies such as Sleep Cycle are really critical and important to my daily life. I could no longer imagine a life without Sleep Cycle helping me become a healthier and happier version of myself. With Sleep Cycle, I go to bed knowing that in the morning, I am rested and ready to take on a better day.
