Sleep apps for runners

Not sure if you’re getting enough sleep? Sleep is crucial to running performance. Not sleeping enough or not getting good quality sleep can lead to lethargy, decreased energy levels, impairment and sometimes even weight gain. None of those are good for running and keeping active. Want to get more information on your sleep patterns? These apps will help you do that.

Sleepbot

Sleepbot is a fairly popular sleep app. It tracks your sleep by having you punch in at bed time. It goes under the pillow to track movement and sounds and gives you your stats in the morning. The alarm is designed to wake you up during the lightest phase of sleep so you wake up feeling energized. It also silences noises from messages and music but if ambient sounds help you fall asleep, it can do that too.

ResMed

ResMed has several no-contact sleep monitors to help get a better night’s sleep. The S+ in particular is a solid choice. It syncs with tablets or phones to deliver your data through the app after observing sleep habits. It will track breathing, movement, and sound as well well as considering factors like room temperature and light. At the end of the night it gives users a score and also gives suggestions on what they could do better. Many praise it for being incredibly accurate since it doesn’t get taken into the bed with you.

Sleep Cycle

This works similarly to Sleepbot. Sleep Cycle monitors sleep based on body movement. For it to work, the user has to place it under the pillow, close to their body. The app will report regularity of sleep cycles, whether or not the sleep was disturbed, periods or deep sleep and when the user was awake. Before going to bed, set an alarm. Sleep Cycle monitors movement and wakes up the user within a 30-minute window of that alarm during the time when it’s most natural to wake up. That way, you’ll feel rested rather than groggy when waking up.

Up by Jawbone

This is an amazing app and tracking device that’s for the person who wants to track all sorts of stats. Runners have their choice of three devices (two wristbands and one clip-on) which will pair with the app to track diet, physical activity and sleep. With regards to sleep, it will track movement and sound to give suggestions on how to improve sleep quality to get healthy amounts of REM sleep.  This is your one-stop shop to get ideas on how to improve habits to better your health overall.