Apple Bakes in New Sleep Features

Back in March, Apple took a big step toward helping to solve the problem of light from screens keeping our brains awake by releasing the “Night Shift” feature.  Android phones had similar features available through apps, but this was the first time the function, which removes much of the blue light from your screen in the evening, had been “baked” into the operating system.  With its new release of iOS 10, set to become available soon, Apple is taking more steps to help you sleep better and the proper amount.

According to the Apple Insider website, Apple will launch new alarms in iOS 10 for sleep, reminding users when to go to bed for a full night of rest, and also keeping track of their sleeping habits.

Apple Insider explains how the new alarm clock works:

The new bedtime and wake alarms are found and configured in the native Clock app in iOS 10, within an all-new “Bedtime” tab. The app notes that going to bed and waking up at the same times every day are key to healthy sleep.

Apple offers users a simplified setup process, asking a series of questions to configure the “Bedtime Alarm” and “Wake Alarm” to their liking. These include what time the user would like to wake up, which days of the week the alarm should go off, and how many hours of sleep they need per night.

By prompting a user for bedtime and also waking them up in the morning, the new Bedtime Alarm and Wake Alarm integrate with Apple’s Health app, allowing for sleep tracking data. Within the Clock app is a quick link to the “Sleep Analysis” data logged in HealthKit.

The Clock app also offers a visual representation of the user’s “Sleep History,” challenging them to keep the bars aligned by going to bed and waking up at the same times every day.

We applaud Apple for taking steps to help people sleep the proper amount, but we caution users that it’s inadvisable to keep your phone beside your bed.  If you use your phone as an alarm clock, it’s best to keep it across the room while you sleep, where it’s less likely to tempt you to check emails, texts and social media.

Source: Apple Insider

Man using his mobile phone in the bed

Man using his mobile phone in the bed