Sleep Coaching App Found to Assist in Gaining an Extra Hour of Sleep
Sleep Reset, an app that promises to improve sleep quality without the need for medication, has been backed by a study conducted by researchers from the University of Arizona’s Sleep and Health Research Program. The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Sleep, reveals that participants who used the app for 12 weeks experienced an average increase in sleep time of 44 minutes. The researchers, who also serve as medical advisors for the app’s makers, are confident in the effectiveness of Sleep Reset.
Those who slept less than six hours a night increased their sleep time by 85 minutes. It’s possible that some of them improved their time because they were able to fall asleep much earlier: According to the paper, participants who usually stayed awake 30 minutes before dozing off were able to shorten the time by 53 percent. And those who usually spent an hour trying to fall asleep were able to reduce their wake time by 41 percent. At the same time, those who woke up more than three times during the night found that they experienced two times less night awakenings. The researchers also said that nearly half of the participants stopped using sleeping pills after the program ended.
The study involved 564 participants (65 percent women) aged 30 to 60 who followed a standardized approach for three months. They used Sleep Reset the way it’s meant to be used, with sleep coaches giving them personalized recommendations and feedback via in-app text messages. They also used the app’s sleep diary, mindfulness exercises and trackers to track their progress. To use Sleep Reset, the user must answer a series of questions about how they sleep and what they have problems with. They are also asked to state their goals, such as whether they want to feel more rested or look more youthful.
I’ve tried the sleep assessment test and have been told over and over again that Sleep Reset is effective because it “uses the same scientifically proven methods used by top sleep clinics like Stanford and the Mayo Clinic.” He also said Sleep Reset uses “scientific strategies,” such as cognitive behavioral therapy-based techniques to treat insomnia, and trains users on behavior timing, light exposure and relaxation. It only got as far as the site charging me for a seven-day trial that users can get for just $9 to $29. The company said the more expensive option would help it support those who can only pay the minimum amount.
However, the participants’ approach gives us a good idea of how Sleep Reset can help support its users. Each week they received different coaching tips. For example, in the third week they were given nap strategies and advice on caffeine intake, while in the sixth week they received information about the effects of diet and physical activity on sleep quality. Although each week had its own topic, the participants presumably received information tailored to each of them.
“A lot of popular sleep solutions, like Trazadone, Benadryl and Melatonin, don’t even have clinical evidence that they significantly increase total sleep time. They’re not known at all,” said Dr. Michael Grandner, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the university. Arizona College of Medicine and Principal Scientific Advisor for Sleep Reset. Ambien and Lunesta increase sleep time by about 30 minutes, but this is much less than what we’ve seen with Sleep Reset. Even better, Sleep Reset is a non-drug treatment, so it’s non-addictive and free of annoying side effects.”
You can watch Dr. Grandner talk about his research below:
