Confession: I’ve never been super into sleep apps, but now I’ll take all the help I can get. Because, well, good sleep hygiene kind of fell to the bottom of my list of priorities these past few months. Understandable but definitely not ideal. On the one hand, there are a ton of reasons why our sleep would be all out of whack, from pandemic-related anxieties that keep us up late to wonky routines that make time (and consequently bedtimes) feel fake. At the same time, sleep is crucial in a million ways, and now isn’t the best time to slack on habits that support our mental health. So I’ve been trying out a lot of sleep apps. 

Don’t get me wrong—there are a lot of factors that go into getting enough good-quality sleep (such as avoiding these sleep mistakes or trying these hacks for falling asleep faster). That said, even if we know the importance of sleep and technically how to get it, it’s often easier said than done. Sleep apps can be useful tools if you’re struggling to put some good sleep habits into practice, whether you need to overhaul your sleep hygiene completely or just keep a closer eye on it. Below, find the best sleep apps to help you build good habits, wind down at night, track your z’s, and wake up feeling refreshed.

1. Calm

On top of guided meditations, music, and nature sounds to lull you to sleep, Calm also has “sleep stories” to bring back the comforts of a classic bedtime story. Some of them are even narrated by celebrities like Matthew McConaughey, Laura Dern, Leona Lewis, and Harry Styles.

Get it: $70/year, iOS and Google Play

2. SleepTown

Building healthy sleep habits can be such a process and SleepTown gamifies it in a way that might actually motivate you to keep it up. Basically, you set sleep-related goals (like waking up at a certain time), and as you stick to them, you construct buildings and expand a mini town within the app. But if you miss your goal, your buildings get demolished. (You might be familiar with the company’s other app, Forest, which grows trees as long as you don’t use your phone to help you stay focused.)

Get it: $2, iOS and Google Play

3. Noisli

Noisli isn’t strictly a sleep app, but it’s perfect for anyone who likes to fall asleep to sounds or music. It allows you to mix and match different sounds (like thunderstorms, wind, fire, or café noise) to create the ideal noisescape for you. If you’re not feeling super creative, it also features premade playlists you can enjoy without fuss, including one for sleep.

Get it: $2 to download, then free for basic use or $10/month for optional premium subscription, iOS and Google Play

4. Twilight

We won’t be the first to tell you how screens can screw with your sleep, but we know it can be so hard to disconnect from your devices before bedtime anyway. A good middle ground is reducing your exposure to blue light, which can suppress the production of a sleep-inducing hormone called melatonin. Twilight tones down blues on your display and shifts instead to a red tone that’s easier on the eyes and helpful for sleep. (Apple users, you can just utilize Night Shift mode for this).