[Treatment] Smart Phone App for Insomnia

[Sleepster]

Here's an interesting article I found about an app for your smart phone and a chest belt (total cost about $100) that claims to be able to monitor your sleep patterns. After five nights of collecting data, which includes noises recorded by your phone's mic, it makes recommendations and does things like have your phone remind you when it's time to start "buffering" (winding down) before bedtime.

The article also mentions cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI).

Sleep’s Best-Kept Secret: A Treatment for Insomnia That’s Not a Pill
Why behavior therapy isn't used more, and what your smartphone can do about that

http://healthland.time.com/2014/01/31/sl...ot-a-pill/

[SuperSleeper]

I voted maybe, but I guess if I suffered greatly with insomnia and had already tried several "solutions" unsuccessfully, at that point I suppose I would be willing to try anything new that had a hope of actually working.

I'm lucky I don't have insomnia with all the coffee I drink.

But, I don't drink coffee much in the afternoon or later.

That said, when folks promote a smartphone app to solve sleep problems, my snake oil radar comes up a lot.

[Sleepster]

That said, when folks promote a smartphone app to solve sleep problems, my snake oil radar comes up a lot.

Yup. And this is an article that promotes that app. But it's not a shameless promotion, and it does seem to be written to at least give the appearance that it's not biased.

The thing that gives me pause is that I don't think a chest belt can be used to determine whether or not you're asleep. But I can see how it might be possible.

If the data from a chest belt could be combined with data from an oximeter and a good CPAP machine, well, that could be something useful.

Welcome to the future ...

[Bladskinner]

There are free apps for insomnia at the App Store.

[trish6hundred]

I voted no because I don't do a lot of stuff with my cel phone. I just make calls on it and that's all I want it for. The more they do, the more complicated they are.

[me50]

I do a lot with my cell phone, not as much as others do with theirs, but, I just know me well enough to know that I wouldn't do well with sticking to a strict routine that I would have to not take a nap if I am really tired or that I would have to start winding down to sleep at a certain time, especially if I am in the middle of something that HAS to be done. Some things just end up taking longer than we thought it would take. It sure takes away the option for spontaneity lol

[Sleepster]

Those routines and other sleep hygiene strategies are not fun. But neither is insomnia. I think that people with insomnia are willing to do those things only because it's the lesser of two evils.

[me50]

Don't know if what I have is insomnia but I know that I wake up a lot of times every night. I just am not good with everything being that structured....exactly why I wouldn't have been good as a lifer in the military. Anyway, if people try it, I hope it works well for them.

[SuperSleeper]

Don't know if what I have is insomnia but I know that I wake up a lot of times every night.

I wake up at least once or twice during the night, not because of insomnia, but rather to pee. Maybe due to my diabetes, or more likely, just old age.

Now if they could invent an app to prevent those night-time peeing episodes, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

[Sleepster]

Don't know if what I have is insomnia but I know that I wake up a lot of times every night.

If you don't have trouble falling asleep, and you don't have trouble falling back asleep after waking during the night, then you don't have insomnia.

I sometimes have trouble falling asleep, but my problem is that many times when I wake up in the middle of the night, I can't get back to sleep. The problem is not as bad as it used to be before I started CPAP therapy, and it is fading away. But in recent weeks it has flaired back up again.

I'll just have to wait and see if it starts to go away again. I sure hope so.