Sleep Cycle iPhone App

[maroo]

One of my friends recommended that I try the Sleep Cycle iPhone App. I checked it out this weekend and spent $0.99 on it!

I have only used it 3 nights, but I am already impressed with it.

Here is some basic information about it.
http://www.lexwarelabs.com/sleepcycle/

Evidently it is the #1 top paid application position in: Germany, Japan, Russia, Netherlands, Korea, Sweden, Finland, Danmark, Hong Kong, Poland and Taiwan!



It analyzes your movement during the night and tells you how well you slept the night before, but it also has a mechanism to wake you up (with a strangely peaceful alarm) while you are in the lightest stage of sleeping.

I really didn't think it could do that...but so far I have been really impressed with it.

I am just wondering if anyone else has tried it? If so...how did you like it?

PS: If you do try it, remember that your phone has to be plugged in all night - evidently it drains about 30% of your battery during the night and if your phone is not charged up, it could die. I use the iPhone as my main alarm to wake me up - so this is something I took note of before I bought it. It doesn't drain that much of my battery because I keep the brightness down on my phone at night, but it is something to keep in mind.

 

[Nette]

That looks really cool! If I was sleeping at all these days I'd give it a try. I might try it anyway... For a buck, it would be at least entertainment.

 

[SAHDad]

I have a friend who uses it, but I can't, until it is supported for the itouch. Seems like a neat idea though.

 

[DrCavin]

I have a friend who uses it, but I can't, until it is supported for the itouch. Seems like a neat idea though.

It says its available for the touch... http://itunes.apple.com/app/sleep-cycle-alarm-clock/id320606217?mt=8

Reading a review it says it is not - wth

 

[SAHDad]

It says its available for the touch... http://itunes.apple.com/app/sleep-cycle-alarm-clock/id320606217?mt=8

Reading a review it says it is not - wth

I think the app store says that they no longer support it for the touch, and they say so in their FAQ as well:

Do you support the iPod Touch?
No, we do not. This is because of limitations Apple has put on us developers. It is not possible for us to shut down the screen and keep the accelerometer running on the iPod Touch. With the screen being on all night the device can become warm. This is the only problem with Sleep Cycle on the iPod Touch and because of this we do not recommend using Sleep Cycle on the iPod Touch.

We will support the iPod Touch as soon as Apple gives us the possibility to shut off the screen without shutting down the accelerometer. Feel free to contact apple about this and maybe they will fix this problem in a future firmware version.

 

[clutter]

It analyzes your movement during the night and tells you how well you slept the night before, but it also has a mechanism to wake you up (with a strangely peaceful alarm) while you are in the lightest stage of sleeping.

I'm afraid that I'd pay $.99 to confirm that I slept like crap at night.

What if you have to be up by a certain time? How does it wake you? (Sadly, I wake about 1/2 hour before my alarm anyway.)

 

[maroo]

I'm afraid that I'd pay $.99 to confirm that I slept like crap at night.

What if you have to be up by a certain time? How does it wake you? (Sadly, I wake about 1/2 hour before my alarm anyway.)

Well...I had a sleep test a few months ago and they told me I sleep fine. Which was sort of a surprise to me.

The first few nights I used this APP, I had really good nights (my graphs looked "normal"), but I have also had several nights that looked like I slept like crap! And for some reason it makes me feel better during the day to just know that I didn't sleep well and I sort of give myself a break - if that makes sense. And I know that I do sleep really well some nights, which helps me to look forward to those good nights. Not sure if that makes sense at all. But it has helped me - even when I sleep like crap.

Basically you set the alarm...so, I may set mine for 6:30 AM. It will go off anywhere from 6:00 AM to 6:30 AM (it only wakes you up within 30 minutes of your wake up time). It will only go off early if you are in a light sleep patter anyway - and it isn't a blaring alarm, it is a soothing alarm. In fact...for some reason it reminds me of Epcot???

The idea is that it doesn't allow you to go back to sleep to "get that extra few minutes" when you really will just end up going back into a sluggish sleep that isn't restorative anyway.

When you look at your graphs, most people sleep deepest during the first several hours they are asleep and as the morning gets closer we tend to get less restful sleep - at least that is how I understand it.

I am keeping track now of what I eat and drink at night (caffeine, no caffeine, etc) and seeing how that affects the way I sleep - I have lots to learn, but this is a great tool for me. I think a good nights sleep is so foundational - so any tool that helps me get better sleep is worth trying!

Anyway...thought I would share with my DIS friends and see if any of you guys have tried it.