Check it out: the latest sleep device from Apple — the Sleep Pill for Sense, sits on your nightstand, helps you fall asleep, and helps you wake up at consistent times each day. The device has a mini-device that clips onto your pillow and it tracks your REM sleep, sleeplessness, and overall sleep health. The idea behind the device — and hundreds of others like it — is that it monitors your sleep effortlessly, and provides you with data that will ultimately help you generate seven or more hours of snooze time each night. Supposedly.
So why are there so many sleep devices in the world? Apparently, because we suck at sleeping. It certainly isn't news that millions of Americans struggle to snooze. According to the latest numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 20% of young adults (aged 20-39) have trouble sleeping. And it gets worse with age; roughly one-third of people aged 40 and over report difficulty sleeping. In general, women have more trouble than men. Lack of sleep affects everything we do — from driving to productivity in the workplace. And it certainly be dangerous (falling asleep behind the wheel). It is estimated that disturbed sleep costs the U.S. economy millions of dollars (see loss of productivity).
Though researchers don't have a clear picture as to why many people have trouble sleeping, one hypothesis is the surge in smartphone and smart devices in general. So it should come as no surprise that the very culprits responsible for our late-night social media and general web browsing are the same devices that are now aimed at helping us hit the hay. While some are designed to monitor your sleep habits and eventually get you back on track to a good night's sleep, others focus on sleep exercises and meditation. Other apps provide nature sounds and music to lull you to your dreams.
Companies have certainly capitalized on our sleep woes, but do any of these devices actually work? You can hit the hay and let us know! Here is a list of the top 2016 smart apps that are rated best in tackling insomnia.
