Technology can be an ally of your dream

World Sleep Day is celebrated on the third Friday of March to raise awareness and prevent sleep disorders. It has been promoted by World Sleep International since 2008 to combat sleep problems that directly affect physical and mental health. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that sleep disorders (including insomnia, hypersomnia, apnea, narcolepsy, snoring, among others) affect nearly 40 percent of the global population.

The effects of these types of disorders are varied, ranging from cognitive problems and the development of illnesses to social, personal, and work-related issues . Medicine recommends maintaining sleep habits to ensure a restful sleep, such as avoiding screens at least an hour before bedtime, eating light meals, and turning off all lights, among other recommendations.

In addition to applying these tactics to improve sleep quality, if you're curious and want to monitor your rest, technology offers various tools to do so. There are options for every budget, from cell phone apps, smartwatches, smart rings, and bracelets to mattresses.

Each one offers you information such as sleep time, information about snoring or other noises you make (such as sleep talking or bruxing), movement detection (such as bathroom visits), and other data collected in the form of graphs to analyze the quality of your rest. Additionally, some apps give you the option to set relaxing music to help you fall asleep or stay asleep.

Here are some options to help you take control of your sleep.

Sleep Cycle is a smart alarm that analyzes your sleep patterns: snoring, sleep talking, coughing sounds, and other noises. It's designed to wake you up when you're in your lightest phase of sleep, that is, when your sleep cycle is complete. This feature is only available in the paid version. It also features sounds for relaxation and sleep stimulation, which also help combat stress and anxiety. You just need to have your phone near your bed to record all the data. The app also provides feedback on your sleep and gives recommendations to improve your rest. It's available on iOS, Android, and smartwatches with the operating system.

This app monitors sleep and provides statistics about it to understand sleep patterns and generate recommendations for a good night's sleep. In addition to this feature, BetterSleep offers sounds to help you fall asleep, as well as guided meditations and stories. The tool also offers remedies for anxiety and exercises to relax and eliminate stress. All backed by science. It's available on the Apple Store and Play Store, and there's a paid version to access all its features.

Unlike other options, Sleep Town doesn't track sleep, but rather helps you maintain a healthy and regular sleep schedule through a game that promises to combat phone addiction while meeting your sleep goals. Sleep Town asks you to establish routines, such as determining your bedtime and wake-up time. As long as you meet your goals, you can construct buildings; otherwise, they will collapse. Buildings can also collapse if you don't wake up at the specified time. This app can also record your sleep time. It is available on the App Store (paid app) and Play Store.

Using microphones and speakers, SleepScore collects information about your night's sleep and provides recommendations for better sleep. It offers sounds to help you fall asleep, a smart alarm, sleep cycle analysis, and medical reports on the subject, among other options. Thanks to the data collected, the app has published scientific articles and studies on sleep patterns. It is available on the App Store and Play Store, with paid versions to access SleepScore's full potential.

This app is available only for iOS devices and collects information from your phone and Apple Watch to help you improve your sleep. Pillow analyzes your sleep quality and duration, and all data is stored in your iPhone's Health app, which comes built-in by default. The paid option allows you to detect sounds you make while you sleep—such as snoring or talking—and has an alarm clock that works thanks to an algorithm that calculates the best time to wake you up. Pillow also offers recommendations and relaxing music for sleep.

PrimeNap is available only for Android users and is known for being one of the apps that collects the most information about sleep. It connects to your phone or smartwatch to collect data, analyze it, and provide you with statistics on your rest. Unlike other apps, PrimeNap offers a dream diary, cinema mode, screen filters, an alarm, among others. There are paid options.

It's a ring that allows you to track your sleep with heart rate and breathing sensors. It can also detect body temperature. It can record every time you get up during the night or if you move too much. It tracks factors such as time in bed and sleep efficiency, rating your sleep quality, sleep stages, and other features. It has an eight-day battery life.

This is a bracelet that collects data on your sleep and daytime activities, allowing you to check the number of hours you've slept. It analyzes your sleep and suggests the ideal amount of time for a good night's rest. Each day, it rates your sleep and provides information on your heart rate and breathing rate, warning you, for example, when you're not ready to sleep due to stress and anxiety levels. It also offers physical activity tracking.

(*) With additional information.