interesting iphone app

jbuck · Post by **jbuck** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 4:33 pm

I recently downloaded an iPhone app called Sleep Cycle to track how my RLS is during the night. It uses the built in accelerometer to track movements and plot a sleep chart showing when you are awake and when you are asleep and deep sleep. The main purpose of the app is to wake you within 30 minutes of your set alarm when you are more awake, thus not waking up feeling like you got no sleep. You basically place your phone (you can turn airplane mode on if you are worried about placing it right by your head) on your mattress close to your head and it detects the motion during the night and plots it.

I thought I'd post about it here as I've found it very helpful because I can check the nights graphs to see how I slept. Also, it keeps and stores the history so when I have my next dr appointment I can show the results to him. I think it would be best for people that are just starting out with meds (since we typically go through an array of different meds trying to find one that works) to see which ones are working or not.

For me, it has always been extremely difficult to wake up in the morning, thus making me late for work. I have like 3 alarms set to go off, plus the TV, and music..with this app, it has waken me up and I haven't felt like I've been hit by a truck. So far, I'm very impressed with it. It's not going to help my RLS, but it provides a nice record of my sleep patterns for my doctor and I wake up feeling more refreshed.

Anyway, check out this blog about the app. You might find it as useful as I did especially since it only costs .99. I think it will work with iPod Touch too. I'd be interested in hearing what others think of it, or for those that might already use it, what they think of it.

http://brainposts.blogspot.com/2011/01/ ... m-app.html

Post by **ViewsAskew** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 6:04 pm

Fascinating! I don't have an IPhone, so hope to hear more from those who do.

Post by **Polar Bear** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 6:16 pm

Interesting......
I don't have an iphone either.
Hope this helps those who do.

Post by **badnights** » Fri Jun 10, 2011 5:55 am

Well, I recently broke down and got an iphone, maybe I will check it out. I can't understand how it detects if I'm asleep, tho; from the movement of the pillow? What if I move a lot while I'm asleep?

Along similar lines, I use a lightbulb attached to a programmable dimmer called a SunUp, that can be set to gradually grow brighter over however many minutes you choose at whatever wake-up time you set. Like the iphone app, it makes awakening gentle, because the light pulls you out of deep sleep gradually. By the time my regular alarm goes off, my sleep is pretty light.

jbuck · Post by **jbuck** » Fri Jun 10, 2011 4:23 pm

Beth,

The iphone and I believe ipod Touch (later models) and iPad all have a built in accelerometer built into the phone. What this does is detect any type of motion (which includes tilting one way or another). So if you are moving around alot in bed, it will detect that motion from your mattress. When you reach deep sleep and your brain puts you into 'paralyzed mode' (which protects us from acting out our dreams) there is no motion. You don't want to put it under your pillow, you want to place it either on top of the bed sheet by your head or what I do is place it under the mattress sheet (you don't want to overheat the iphone). The app has very good instructions on how to place the phone on the mattress and even has a picture.

I've been using it for about a week now and I have to admit I am quite amazed at how well it works. I used to have an alarm clock go off at 6:45, my TV with the sound at very high volume go off at 7, my iphone go off at 7:20, and finally my music blaring thru the house at 7:30...and STILL had a difficult time getting up. Since I've been using the app, it is set to wake me between 6:30 and 7, and when it does, I'm awake and stay awake. I really can't believe it cause I then lay there thinking wow, I'm not tired and feel like I got sleep and feel refreshed. Everyone at work even has mentioned why I'm coming in so much earlier. So now that I'm comfortable with this working as well as it does, I'm going to try next week to shut off all the other alarms and set it to wake me up at 7:30 which should in effect give me about another whole hour of sleep!

Also, in case anyone is wondering. I have no association with the development of this app. I did not develop it. So I'm not making any money off it. Just found it and thought others who probably are doing the same thing I am would find it helpful to gain another hour or so of sleep since many of us get our best sleep between 4-8am...plus it sure beats waking up in a fog and forcing yourself out of bed every morning!

Post by **badnights** » Sun Jun 12, 2011 7:02 am

yup, anything that makes mornings seem easy is worth a bundle! Do you know if it works on iphone 3g? I imagine there is very little movement in deep (stage 3 and 4) sleep. The paralysis happens in REM (dreaming) sleep, which comes at the end of each approximately 90-minute cycle of stage 1, stage 2, deep, REM that repeats throughout the night (in lucky normal people).

Post by **badnights** » Wed Jun 15, 2011 5:24 am

I downloaded the app, slept that night without using it, read how to use it the next morning, and spilled car dashboard cleaner all over my iphone that afternoon. I can't say anything about it. My phone seems to be toast.

Post by **ViewsAskew** » Wed Jun 15, 2011 10:19 pm

badnights wrote:I downloaded the app, slept that night without using it, read how to use it the next morning, and spilled car dashboard cleaner all over my iphone that afternoon. I can't say anything about it. My phone seems to be toast.

OH!

Post by **Chipmunk** » Thu Jun 16, 2011 3:18 am

I use a Zeo (google it) to monitor my sleep cycles. It has been great for seeing whether or not I am sleeping well or not. There are some negative reviews on amazon, but I can vouch for its accuracy as my sleep study gave virtually the same data. The Zeo has the same smartwake feature, although it costs about 160 times as much. ;-)

Post by **Chipmunk** » Thu Jun 16, 2011 3:27 am

Deleted due to duplicate post.

Post by **badnights** » Thu Jun 16, 2011 9:21 am

Zeo won't ship to Canada

Post by **Chipmunk** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 12:51 pm

badnights wrote:Zeo won't ship to Canada

Zeo is available through Amazon, Brookstone, and at least one other place. Will any of them ship to Canada?

Post by **badnights** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 8:02 pm

Thanks for the Brookstone info! It sounds like they will ship to Canada if I call them (can't do it online). Amazon and Zeo wouldn't do it.

BUT now I have re-checked the zeo site and there is a zeocanada.com site now too! Bonus, I can get it! thanks for mentioning it so that I checked again!

Post by **Chipmunk** » Sat Jun 25, 2011 2:42 am

Sweet! You will have to let me know how you like it.

Post by **badnights** » Sat Jun 25, 2011 5:55 am

The order is placed but I have to wait for Canada Post to go off strike before it's shipped :cry: