What the Tech? App of the Day: ‘Endel’
(ABC 6 News) – Who doesn’t enjoy that extra hour of sleep when the morning daylight saving time ends? Of course, we don’t get an extra hour of sleep, unless we go to sleep at the same hour as usual the
night before. That time change affects nearly everyone’s sleep. If not on the weekend, then the
next day.
For many of us, falling asleep once Standard Time begins is just as difficult as waking up earlier
when DST begins in the spring. Thankfully there is an app for that.
There are many apps to help you fall asleep and wake up on time. Well over 100 sleep aid apps
exist in the Google Play Store and Apple App store and most of them are very similar by playing
sounds to help lull you to sleep.
Endel may seem like just another sleep app but it’s backed by science and creates sounds
especially for the individual.
Endel researchers say the app composes sounds based on the person’s circadian rhythm. It
gathers information from the users smartphone such as their health from the Apple Health and
Google Fit apps and the weather apps.
The sound you hear will be different depending on the weather, the number of steps you’ve
taken and the time of day. If you go to bed at 10 PM, the sounds will be different than if it is
midnight.
If you have a smartwatch it gains even more information such as your heartbeat and breathing
rhythm. You’ll never hear the same sound twice. For people who use apps to help them sleep
you understand what a big deal that is. After a few days of using one app playing ocean waves,
I know when a seagull is about to squawk.
Endel isn’t just a sleep app. If you open it in the morning, it knows you’re probably starting to
work and will automatically play ambient sounds to help you focus.
Endel is more than an app. It has a channel on Twitch called “Insomnia” that plays relaxing
sounds over a black screen and stars. There’s also an Alexa skill. Just say “Alexa, start Endel”
and based on the time of day, it’ll begin playing sounds to either help you fall asleep, focus or
study.
Endel is a free app with in-app purchases in the form of subscriptions. An annual subscription is
$120.