Your DNA is basically your own personal blueprint, and now medical and genetics experts have devised an app that uses your DNA information to assist you in getting a better night's sleep. The SlumberType app analyzes your DNA to help you sleep better by using four key measurements: chronotype, sleep quality, sleep onset latency, and sleep duration, according to a press release sent to Bustle about the app, and its parent company Exploragen.
The app, released for iOS Jul. 24, helps you determine whether you're a morning or night person — though you probably already know this — how long it may take you to fall asleep, the duration and quality of your sleep, and how these factors impact other areas of your life.
“Our bodies function at their best when we get the right amount of sleep," Exploragen co-founder and Head of Science Sara Riordan explained. "SlumberType will allow people to understand how their unique biology, combined with their daily habits and activities, affects their sleep patterns, so they can optimize their lifestyle for better sleep."
Sleep is so important that Huffington Post and Thrive founder Arianna Huffington has declared sleep the next feminist issue because not getting enough sleep is adversely affecting women's health and wellbeing.
According to the SlumberType website, the app helps you gain insight into your day to inform how daily activities affect your sleep at night. "Your sleep DNA not only affects your nights, it also influences other aspects of your life. Uncover insights into relationships like those between your sleep DNA and your diet, productivity, exercise, and caffeine consumption."
Additionally, you can use the app to learn how to optimize your sleep by tracking your activities. "Don’t just track your sleep, track the factors that could impact your nights — like exercise, alcohol consumption, and even meditation. You’ll learn how your daily activities affect your nights, and discover new ways to fine-tune your sleep."
You can also personalize the SlumberType app so your body can decide when it's best for you to wake up and go to sleep. Because you likely have a job, and can't always control when you have to get up, the recommendations can help you develop a healthier sleep routine by personalizing your routine with sleep sounds, best practices, and custom alarms based on your sleep DNA and your lifestyle, according to the website.
Exploragen, the company that makes SlumberType, uses established science to help you discover new ways to enjoy life based on your DNA. "All our apps are designed using published, peer-reviewed scientific studies that have established strong associations between particular genetic variants and lifestyle traits and preferences," the company said on its website.
“We have established strong associations between genetic variants, lifestyle patterns and certain preferences,” Ron Andrews, Exploragen co-founder and CEO said in the press release.
If you've tried everything else to improve your sleep, this app might be your ticket to dreamland. By exploring your personal data, combined with daily activity tracking, you can identify small changes in your routine during the day that can have a big impact on your ability to get quality Zzzs at night.
