Can your phone help you sleep? These 5 apps and features aim to do just that

Don't let your phone disturb your sleep – try using it to help you relax instead. Whether you’re using Android or iOS, your device has features that can help you get a more restful night.

Smartphones are often blamed for disrupting rest, yet certain apps and features could actually help encourage better sleep. 

Some reduce blue light exposure before bedtime, some play background sounds to help you relax, and others silence notifications that could interrupt your night. Keep reading to find out more.

There are lots of ways to improve your sleep. See our round-up of the 10 sleep essentials for a great night's rest and check out our expert pick of the best mattresses.

5 apps and features that could help you sleep 

1. Do Not Disturb

The simplest way to stop your phone from interrupting your sleep is to put it on Do Not Disturb mode before you go to bed each night. It will silence calls, alerts and notifications so you don’t wake up to buzzes or your screen lighting up. 

You can manually turn on Do Not Disturb, or schedule it to activate every night at a specific time and then deactivate at a set time as well. Explore the different settings to see what will work for you. 

• On an iPhone, go to Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb
• On an Android phone, try Settings  > Modes > Do Not Disturb

What if there's an emergency?

If you’re worried about people not being able to reach you, most phones will let you choose exceptions so you can allow calls from specific contacts. 

• iPhone - select Settings > Focus. Tap Do Not Disturb. On the next screen, select People and under 'Allow notifications from', tap the Add icon. Your Contacts list will appear - select the circle icon to the left of any name you want to add. When you're done, tap the top-right big blue tick.
• Android - How this is set up on your phone depends on which brand you have, but use this as a guide. Open up Contacts, select someone and then tap the top-right star. Repeat for anyone you want to bypass Do Not Disturb. Then go to Settings, select Modes > Do Not Disturb. Tap Calls and then Starred Contacts.

If you're looking to improve your rest, try out these 7 expert-backed tips for better sleep.

2. Focus modes

Think of Android's Bedtime Mode and iPhone's Sleep Focus as an upgrade to Do Not Disturb. They don’t just quiet your notifications, but also give you the space to unplug and prepare yourself for a good night's rest.

Bedtime Mode on Android turns the entire screen black and white, reminding you to put your device down before bed. It also enables dark mode, lowers screen brightness and turns off notifications.

You can have it turn on at set times of day, when your phone is plugged in to charge after a certain time, or when your connected wearable device, such as a Pixel Watch, detects that you're asleep.

Find it on your Android smartphone by going to Settings > Digital Wellbeing > Bedtime mode.

Sleep Focus on iPhone works in a similar way, silencing alerts and simplifying your lock screen by dimming the wallpaper and hiding notifications to reduce temptation. 

It doesn’t have to turn on all of a sudden. You can set a wind-down period where it will gradually dim the screen and offer shortcuts to apps like Calm or Spotify. 

Access it on your iPhone via Settings > Focus > Sleep.

3. Sleepcasts and white noise

If you struggle to quieten your mind or find that background noise helps you sleep. there are several apps you could consider. 

Calm, available on both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store, offers a selection of sleep stories that typically last 25 to 40 minutes and feature a mix of voices, music and other relaxing sound effects. Some are even narrated by celebrities such as Cillian Murphy, Matthew McConaughey and Cynthia Erivo.

Beyond storytelling, the app features relaxing ambient soundscapes – from crashing ocean waves to crackling fires – to mask late-night distractions.

Taking a moment to decompress before bed could be a game-changer for your rest. Apps like Headspace have short guided meditations and exercises specifically designed to help you power down your mind and body before the lights go out.

Sounds built in to your phone

iPhone owners, you have background sounds built in to your phone, including 'Ocean' and 'Rain On Roof'. Check them out via Settings > Accessibility > Audio & Visual > Background Sounds. Then select Sound. Back in 'Background Sounds', you can choose Stop Sounds with a Timer to make your sound of choice stop either at a specific time or after a set duration.

Got an Android phone? Some models have background sounds - check in Settings > Accessibility. Look in the clock app, too. Or just ask 'hey Google' to play you, say, rain sounds for an hour.

Having trouble sleeping? Here's why you shouldn't use a sleep tracker.

4. Podcasts and music

Sometimes, falling asleep and staying asleep feels impossible. 

'Sleep experts often advise you to get out of bed and do something else, like read a book, if you can't sleep. I'm too keen on staying in my warm bed. Plus, if I did get up, I'd disturb my husband and have to deal with a concerned dog. Instead, I listen to podcasts.

'The trick for me is to choose a podcast that's interesting enough to distract me, but not so interesting that I stay awake. And it has to be narrated by someone with a monotonous voice. I used to lie awake, feeling cross that I couldn't sleep, but now I happily nod off again.'

Lisa Barber, Which? Tech editor

 Apps such as Apple Music, Audible, BBC Sounds and Spotify have music, podcasts and audiobooks to help keep you entertained during tougher nights. iPhone owners also have the Apple Podcasts app already installed. 

You could pair your listening choice with a set of the best headphones, so you don't disturb a partner. 

5. Blue light filters

Avoid blue light before bed to ensure a better night's sleep. But if you can't put the phone away, try using the built-in blue light filter on your phone instead. It shifts your screen to warmer tones to minimise eye strain.

On Android, this tool is called Night Light. You can turn it on yourself or schedule it for specific times of day, or even between sunset and sunrise. Find it by going to Settings, then Display, followed by Night Light.

On iPhone, this feature is known as Night Shift. You can quickly toggle it from the Control Centre (swipe diagonally from the top-right to access this) by long-pressing the brightness slider, or access more customisation by navigating to Settings, then Display & Brightness.

A good mattress goes a long way towards helping you sleep. See all of our expert advice on mattresses

What does blue light do to sleep, and should you avoid it?

Which? scientific adviser Jacob Compton has reviewed the available scientific evidence on blue light. 

He says:  'Blue light isn’t inherently "bad" – it’s actually a vital tool for synchronising our internal body clock with the natural day-night cycle. Exposure during daylight supports alertness, cognitive performance and mood. However, because blue wavelengths strongly influence our circadian rhythms, exposure late in the evening can become disruptive.

'Research shows that using devices at bedtime suppresses melatonin, the hormone responsible for making you feel sleepy, signalling the brain to stay awake. This doesn’t just delay sleep; studies indicate it significantly reduces deep sleep, leading to increased fatigue, headaches and irritability the next morning.

'While the specific definition of this window varies between experts, creating a "digital sunset" by turning off screens one to two hours before bed is generally recommended. If that isn’t realistic, using "night mode" features, dimming screen brightness and switching to red or orange-toned lamps can help reduce light stimulation and support healthier sleep patterns.'

Meet our experts

Jacob Compton, scientific adviser at Which?

With more than five years in research and a master's in Automotive Technology, Jacob tests and analyses products, ranging from phones to coffee machines.