Getting an adequate amount of beauty sleep per night is not only essential for optimum bodily functioning but additionally assists in the natural healing and repair processes of both the body and the skin. For those who struggle with getting to sleep, staying asleep or waking up in the morning, from bedtime yoga to mindfulness-based sleep meditation, we have selected our favourite apps to provide you with a bit of extra help when nothing else seems to work.

For A Deep Sleep

The pace of life can be overwhelming at times, making it seem impossible to relax and unwind when night comes around. Being still, switching off and falling into a deep lasting sleep can sometimes require practise and dedication when our bodies are overworked or stressed. This is where Scotland-based hypnotherapist Andrew Johnson’s Deep Sleep app can help. Providing listeners with a range of relaxation techniques and visualisations to help you gently drift into a deep, natural sleep, this app helps users to experience emotional and physical benefits of engaging in a regular sleeping pattern. According to Johnson, best results come from listening once a night for three weeks.

To Combat Insomnia

Featuring a series of yoga poses comprised of stress reduction techniques utilised in meditation, the aim of this clever app is to improve sleep patterns and quality. Drawing upon traditional Hatha yoga and ancient yogic methods, the postures featured within this app have been traditionally recommended for sleep disorders due to their calming effect on the mind.  Emphasising depth of breath – an additional factor which can assist in relaxing the mind and body, the Yoga for Insomnia app features the option to change the settings from beginner to advanced making it suitable for all levels of fitness and concentration.

To Wake Up on the Right Side of the Bed

Whilst falling asleep and staying asleep is crucial, waking up on the right side of the bed is just as important for starting your day on a positive note. Whilst conventional alarm clocks are aimed at jolting you out of sleep, this often results in a surge of the stress hormone cortisol, causing our bodies to enter an unneeded state of fight or flight, i-Qi clock & meditation timer provides its users with a peaceful awakening which utilises ‘The Golden Ratio’ to determine your sleep sound-wave, inspired by traditional Tibetan singing bowls. Played progressively to help you wake up peacefully and naturally, the harmonic blend of low frequency sounds are based on the type of sleeper you tend to be.

For A Mindfulness Based Approach

Designed to assist users in both falling asleep as well as getting back to sleep, Headspace’s Meditation app utilises a mindful approach to combat the frustrations of insomnia and sleep problems. According to their website, up to a third of people experience issues such as difficulty falling and staying asleep and one in ten are said to experience insomnia regularly. Whilst psychological  issues such as anxiety, stress and worry over work, relationships, finances and the like all contribute to the inability to get a good night’s rest, these same symptoms can additionally deter you from falling back asleep when you wake at night. Headspace’s Guided Meditation and Mindfulness has been designed to teach you practical and everyday mindfulness techniques that can assist you in alleviating anxiety and provide you with practical tips on how to step back and observe your thoughts and emotions a little more clearly.

A Customized Approach

Described as the Spotify of meditation, Omvana prides itself on the mantra that ‘personal growth should be personalized.’ Omvana allows users to create their own customised playlists and customised meditation blends featuring  vocal tracks from famous speeches, inspirational books, guided meditations and ambient sounds. Whilst we particularly love the sleep-based side of the app, the additional audio sessions help you better your relationships, meditate, focus, de-stress and build your confidence, making this app true to what the founders say:  ‘A must-have for those who believe quality of life is just as important as your party playlist.’

FIND OUT OUR FAVOURITE MINDFULNESS APPS