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  3. 10 Free Apps to Help You Sleep Better Tonight

10 Free Apps to Help You Sleep Better Tonight

By Renee Cherry and Simon Buckingham Updated September 10, 2019
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Credit: Cavan Images/Getty Images

Fall asleep easier and track your habits with these tools.

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Best Free SleepApps

woman sleeping in a bed
Credit: Cavan Images/Getty Images

Cell phones don't have the best reputation when it comes to their effect on our sleep patterns. But thanks to the seemingly endless number of apps available today, one click can turn your phone into a white noise machine, meditation coach, sleep tracker, or smart alarm clock—and a lot of the apps don't cost a dime. No need to troll the top charts; We rounded up the best free sleep apps available so that you can up your sleep game.

Related: How to Sleep On Any Flight, According to Top Sleep Docs

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Harmony Hypnosis Meditation

screenshots of hypnotherapy app
Credit: Harmony Hypnosis Meditation

Created by one of the UK's leading hypnotherapists, Darren Marks, the Harmony Hypnosis Meditation app features hypnosis sessions for deep relaxation. Marks has created a range of best-selling hypnotherapy apps that simulate as closely as possible what it's like to see a real hypnotherapist. His soothing voice lulls you to sleep with a mild hypnosis, focusing on the rhythm of your breathing, relaxing, and clearing your conscious throughout a 20-minute session.

Available on the App Store and Google Play.

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Pillow

iPhones displaying pillow app
Credit: Pillow

If you have an Apple Watch, downloading Pillow will give you a detailed look at your sleeping patterns. Once you pair the watch to your phone, it will automatically detect when you're sleeping. You'll wake up to a breakdown of your rest, including a heart rate analysis and audio recordings from the night. (So you can find out once and for all just how loud you snore.) The app also has alarm sounds that you can use to wake you up at an optimal point during your sleep cycle. Don't own an Apple Watch? You can still use some of the functions of the app by setting your phone on your pillow.

Available on the App Store.

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Naturespace

screenshots of nature sounds app
Credit: Naturespace

The creative artistry behind Naturespace, a holographic audio app, makes it a valuable tool for getting a great night's sleep. Some of the sounds use binaural recordings. (That's a recording technique that uses two microphones, arranged to create a 3-D stereo sound sensation that makes you feel like you're within the space.)

Naturespace comes with six free tracks: Daybreak Songbirds, Summer Mountain Valley, Infinite Shoreline, Riverwind Dreaming, Rain into Water and a Night at the Lake. Even better? It supports multitasking on your phone and there is no advertising.

Available on the App Store and Google Play.

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Relax & Sleep Well

screenshots of hypnosis app
Credit: Relax Sleep Well

Relax & Sleep Well has hypnosis recordings from the UK's best-selling self-help audio author, Glenn Harrold. Harrold takes you on a relaxing journey into a deep state of self-hypnosis, accompanied by background sounds at frequencies proven to enhance the meditation effect. He uses a post-hypnotic affirmation technique and even-toned suggestions that stay with you in your everyday routine.

Available on the App Store and Google Play.

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Relax Melodies

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Credit: Relax Melodies

Relax Melodies provides personalized relaxation and sleep assistance. Extremely user-friendly, the free app offers over 100 different selections to help you tap your way to the exact sound that resonates with your mood.

Relax Melodies offers ambient and binaural beats, giving you the option to simply relax or tell your brain that it's time for sleep. Reviews even reveal that some parents use the app to help soothe their babies. Use the alarm clock to wake up on time and save your favorite sounds to play again another night. (Related: The Best Sleep Sounds, According to Reddit Users)

Available on the App Store and Google Play.

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Massage Map 3D Light

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Credit: Massage Map 3D

A massage is a great way to reduce stress, help you relax, and make sleep come more easily. Massage Map 3D Light provides an accurate and clear three-dimensional map of all important acupressure points on the human body.

Acupressure is a form of massage based on points along the body. According to Ancient Chinese medicine, stimulating special locations on the human body can relieve certain pain or ailments. You'll discover seven different acupressure points to massage to help fight fatigue, in addition to a variety of stress-relief techniques. The free app includes basic instructions about how to locate acupressure points and perform acupressure that you can share with your friends and family to practice on you. (Related: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Acupressure)

Available on the App Store.

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Apple Books

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Credit: Apple

Reading before bed may calm your mind so that you fall asleep easier, but only if you choose the right book. Go with a book you've already read and therefore know the ending to. With Apple Books, you can download all of your favorite books, read a free sample of any new titles, and browse what's on your bookshelf by title, author, or category.

Available on the App Store.

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iHome + Sleep

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Credit: iHome

iHome + Sleep is the award-winning, feature-rich alarm clock for iOS devices. In addition to your standard alarm clock, you can also set a nap alarm, bedtime and wake up reminder, and gentle wake options with the possibility of starting your day to the soundtrack of your choice. You can even track the amount of sleep you're getting and how many times you're hitting snooze. Keeping a sleep log can help you pinpoint the habits that keep you up at night and help you change them.

Available on the App Store.

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Penzu

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Credit: Penzu

Even before you climb into bed, you get that familiar feeling…worry, stress, doubt that you actually finished everything on your to-do list. Soon your body begins to train itself to stay awake in bed, over-analyzing every little problem.

Writing in a journal before bed can help you process emotions, solve problems, and get your thoughts out of your head and onto paper, where you can wake up in the morning and pick up where you left off. Penzu is an online diary and personal journal that you can access anytime, anywhere. Once you download it, you'll never want to rely on a basic notes app again.

Available on the App Store and Google Play.

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Sleep Orbit

Sleep Orbit displayed on iPhones
Credit: Sleep Orbit

Sound is a useful tool for falling asleep, and Sleep Orbit offers a unique aural experience. The app has hundreds of sounds in categories like rain, whispers, binaural beats, and positive affirmations that are recorded to sound like they're orbiting your head. Mix and match each to create a personalized soundtrack for falling asleep, then set a timer so that it will automatically shut off.

Available on the App Store and Google Play.

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    1 of 11 Best Free SleepApps
    2 of 11 Harmony Hypnosis Meditation
    3 of 11 Pillow
    4 of 11 Naturespace
    5 of 11 Relax & Sleep Well
    6 of 11 Relax Melodies
    7 of 11 Massage Map 3D Light
    8 of 11 Apple Books
    9 of 11 iHome + Sleep
    10 of 11 Penzu
    11 of 11 Sleep Orbit

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