Sleep Cycle alarm clock
By Maciek Drejak Labs
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Description
SPECIAL v2 LAUNCH PRICE FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY - GET IT NOW!
An alarm clock that analyzes your sleep patterns and wakes you in the lightest sleep phase - a natural way to wake up where you feel rested and relaxed.
We are now helping more than 100 000 people to wake up rested!
#1 Top Paid app in Japan
#1 Top Paid app in Germany
#1 Top Paid app in France
#1 Top Paid app in Russia
#1 Top Paid app in Netherlands
#1 Top Paid app in Taiwan
#1 Top Paid app in South Korea
#1 Top Paid app in Sweden
#1 Top Paid app in Norway
...and many more.
"It just works. Period. It does exactly what it advertises which is absolutely amazing."
-- 5/5 stars on 148apps.com
What some of our users are saying:
"I was baffled at how well it worked. Almost every day I used it, I felt refreshed when the alarm started." - Christina Karlsson
"Waking up at the right time is an amazing thing. I couldn't believe the difference it made!" - Michael Palka
"It felt like I was already awake and the iPhone just let me know it." - Anders Hejdenberg
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Sleep Cycle monitors your movement during sleep using the extremely sensitive accelerometer in your iPhone.
Sleep Cycle then finds the optimal time to wake you up during a 30 minute window that ends at your set alarm time.
Look at the screenshots for recommended iPhone placement.
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Sleep Cycle also saves your sleep data and displays a detailed sleep graph and sleep statistics for every night you use it.
Sleep Cycle was developed using proven sleep science and five months of exhaustive testing.
As you sleep you go through different phases that range from deep sleep to light sleep. The phase you are in when your alarm clock goes off is a critical factor regarding how tired you will feel when you wake up.
Since you move differently in bed during the different phases, Sleep Cycle uses the accelerometer in your iPhone to monitor your movement to determine which sleep phase you are in.
Sleep Cycle then wakes you in your lightest sleep phase.
Remember! Do NOT lock your phone when going to bed. Sleep Cycle automatically shuts down your screen and puts the phone into a power saving mode. If you lock your phone Sleep Cycle will not sense your movement and will then only be able to wake you at the end of the alarm time.
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REQUIREMENTS
Ability to charge your phone by your bed
Ability to place your iPhone according to the instructions (see screenshots)
Sleep Cycle does not work with Tempur mattresses
Please note that we no longer support iPod Touch. Please do not buy Sleep Cycle if you have an iPod Touch.
What's New In Version 2.0.2
Version 2.0.2 is a minor release that fixes several bugs:
- Graphs not being displayed after 30-50 days (these graphs will show up once you upgrade).
- Average sleep time is more accurate now.
- Width of alarm spinner fixed for South Korean users.
- Corrected various spelling errors.
- Several other minor fixes.
Customer Reviews
A Scientific Standpoint
As a physiology instructor, I was interested to see how well this app worked and how much of it was just novelty. So if you'll indulge me, let me speak briefly about sleep cycles.
We alternate between "non-rapid eye movement" (Non-REM) and "rapid eye movement" (REM) sleep during the night. Non-REM sleep is divided into four stages. The first two stages account for "light sleep"; the latter two constitute "deep sleep". For the typical person, it takes about 45 minutes to slip through the first two stages of Non-REM and into the latter two. Most physiological processes are greatly reduced. It is very difficult to wake a person in stages 3 or 4. Incidentally, nightmares can occur during this time. After about 90 minutes, we enter into REM sleep in which brain activity changes dramatically, our muscles become inhibited, and our eyes start flicking around (thus the name of the sleep). In fact, brain activity is said to be more awake than when we are actually awake. Most dreaming occurs in REM; the muscle paralysis keeps us from acting out our dreams, even though the eyes are following what is being seen. The typical adult will re-enter REM about every 90 minutes; each time, REM lasts a little longer. Upon completion of REM, the body re-enters the cycle again, and will typically do so 4-5 times per night. Non-REM is thought to help physiological processes "reboot" (if you will), while REM is thought to work through psychological needs. We start out in life spending about half our time in REM sleep, but after about the age of 10, we stabilize to spending about 25% of our sleep in REM. When we are deprived of sleep, we spend a longer amount of time in stages 3 and 4 of non-REM sleep during the next sleep period, which verifies our body's need to "reboot". That also means we'll spend less time in REM sleep, leading to irritability and emotional problems.
Actigraphy is the science of recording motion patterns during sleep. It is generally considered a more accurate means of monitoring sleeping patterns than a sleep journal or devices that can only record in short time frames, but not as useful as polysomnography, which encompasses the use of an EEG. For instance, it is very useful in collecting the night-to-night sleep patterns of patients diagnosed with insomnia or disorders with their circadian rhythms.
So in trying this app out, the graph is a little misleading. Since no motion occurs during REM sleep, the part of the graph that says "dreaming" is a misnomer. Perhaps a better term would be "wakefulness". However, "deep sleep" works okay for the lower portion, but keep in mind that REM is when we are dreaming the most, and true "deep sleep" occurs in the latter two stages of Non-REM. More motion likely means you are not in REM, but for deep sleep you could easily be moving or not. The app builds on ideas that actigraphy utilizes, which is a good test for basic sleep cycle pattern testing, but should be used for novelty purposes only and to get a GENERAL idea of how you tend to sleep. The fact is, you could lay still during Non-REM just as you do in REM, so if you are truly having sleep issues, polysomnograph performed at a sleep clinic is the way to go.
My first night with the app did show fairly consistent time frames for the typical sleeper that I described above. I entered a state of no-motion (which is probably REM) about every 90 minutes. I apparently had two such stages during my 7 hours of sleep, which by the way is arguably not enough cycles through REM, and the second was longer than the first. (I started to enter a third, but about that time my pet woke me up. Ha ha.) Oh and I definitely put it in airport mode...wish there was a button within the app to do that though. :)
Update: Added more information about sleep.
Doesn't work with Touch!!
Really too bad, this sound like a great app. I purchased this based on the assurance, stated clearly on the page above, that it would work with my Touch. It wouldn't sync. I went to the app's support page where it says they do NOT support the Touch. Luckily, I only wasted a buck.
No more snooze button
For as long as I can remember I constantly oversleep and just hit the snooze button and fall back asleep. When I finally did wake up I felt more tired than when I went to sleep. The very first day I got this app that changed. I get out of bed within the same minute of turning off the alarm on this app and I'm alert and awake and feel refreshed. At first I thought it was just a four star app though because I really wanted to see the graphs of my sleep pattern. Now that they added that feature this app is definitely five star.
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$0.99
- Category: Healthcare & Fitness
- Updated:Feb 24, 2010
- Current Version:2.0.2
- 2.0.2
- 4.6 MB
- Language:English
- Seller:Maciek Drejak Labs
- © 2009 LexWare Labs AB
Requirements:Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later.
