Trouble falling asleep? Here are some apps, devices to help you monitor your sleep or help you get a better one

Whether you have trouble with it, get too much or don't get enough, we can all appreciate the health benefits of sleep.

After decades of research, the medical community has confirmed at least seven hours  of sleep a night promotes better concentration and productivity and results in lower risk of heart disease, a stronger immune system, lower weight gain and fewer instances of depression.

If you're reading this and thinking "Seven hours? I wish!" or "I know all this, but still have trouble falling or staying asleep," you're not alone – especially during a pandemic when more is weighing on our minds.

While there are several factors that could affect the quantity and quality of your sleep – age, diet, stress, room conditions and alcohol consumption, to name a few – tech might be able to help monitor your sleep and/or help you get a better one.

Some ideas:

Apps to help you sleep

Available for both iOS and Android devices, these suggestions are "freemium" options (free to start, but an optional subscription unlocks all content).

• Sleep Cycle leverages your smartphone’s built-in microphone and accelerometer, which picks up your movements as you sleep using sound and vibration analysis. The app then analyzes the data to determine if you are in light sleep, deep sleep or an REM dream state – and then wakes you up at an optimal time (within a 30-minute window that you set). The app attempts to rouse you during your lightest phase of sleep, so that you wake up feeling rested and refreshed.

• The Relax Melodies app helps you fall asleep by letting you choose from a myriad of soothing nature sounds -- like a crackling fire, crashing waves or thunderstorms in a forest – and the option to create your own soundscape on your phone or tablet. It also includes white noise options, meditation sessions, bedtime stories and a section on SleepMoves, a series of body-mind exercises and relaxation techniques.

• As one of the more popular apps for mindfulness and meditation, the Calm app is loaded with guided sessions in varying lengths, ranging from 3 to 25 minutes, and with content designed for all meditation skill levels and that includes full seven- and 21-day programs, too. Simply choose a topic that matters most to you, such as Deep Sleep, Happiness, Managing Stress, Focus, Calming Anxiety, or Breaking Habits – and the desired length of the session. Track your progress, including daily streaks.

• Similarly, the Headspace app is billed as a "gym membership for the mind," and features a clean and easy-to-use interface, and guided lessons for beginners to experts and everyone in between, with several meditation and mindfulness techniques that could help clear your head, reduce stress and improve sleep. Newly added sessions include "The Wake Up," with inspirational short stories and advice, and a "Move Mode" which are guided workouts to exercise your mind and body at the same time.

Gadgets to help you sleep

While the wrong tech could interfere with your sleep, the following might help you get a better night’s rest – or at least analyze why you’re not.

• The all-new (2nd Gen) Google Nest Hub ($99) is a smart display that lets you verbally ask a question and hear – and see – a response from your trusty personal assistant. Or you can use the touch screen to play videos, access recipes and more. On your night table, however, it also uses motion and sound to monitor your sleep, and can detect light and temperature in the room. It can help track when you go to bed, when you wake up and how long (and well) you’ve slept, and then give customized suggestions over time.

• Another bedside companion, the Philips SmartSleep Sleep and Wake Up Light Therapy Lamp ($179), guides you though light-based breathing exercises to wind down. When it's time to rise, the Somneo gradually brightens your room by simulating a natural sunrise, from red to orange to a bright yellow light, and with optional sound effects (or radio).

• By day, the wearable Fitbit Inspire 2 ($79) captures exercise information – such as steps taken, distance traveled, estimated calories burned and heart rate – and shows the info on the watch or wirelessly on a companion app. At night, it smartly monitors your time spent in light, deep and REM sleep, and provides a Sleep Score to better understand your sleep quality each night (which you an also share with your physician).

• Similarly, Apple Watch (from $199 for Series 3 model) has an integrated Sleep app, which lets you create bedtime schedules and track your sleep trends over time. All this info is wirelessly shared to the Health app on your iPhone, for a deeper dive into the data (including charts and graphs). Apple Watch also supports several dozen sleep-related third-party apps, including Pillow, AutoSleep, Sleep++, and Sleep Watch (most are free to try).

• Finally, the Sound Oasis GTS-2000 Deluxe Glo To Sleep Therapy Mask ($39) uses a similar approach to astronauts trying to get a good rest aboard the International Space Station: While blocking out ambient light around you, a red-toned light helps you fall asleep at night, while blue tones wake you gently and effectively in the morning before your chosen alarm time. All the science is discussed on its website.

Follow Marc on Twitter: @marc_saltzman. Email him or subscribe to his Tech It Out podcast at https://marcsaltzman.com/podcasts.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY.