During stressful times like the one we live in, sleep is often the first thing that is sacrificed. If you are looking for a little help reconciling it, Relax Melodies is the app that will get you there.
It has more than 100 ambient sounds and music options, with the possibility of including selections from your own collection. You can also find different stories to listen to, guided meditations to follow, and even exercises to help you feel comfortable before falling asleep.
We tried Relax Melodies ($ 29.99 for a one-year subscription, less than $ 59.99; lifetime subscription $ 124.99, originally $ 250.00; stacksocial.com) for a week and, with its many features, we think it has everything you need to sleep more soundly.
General characteristics
The application interface is extremely easy to use. It is very easy to find what you are looking for, and each of the lower tabs is organized in a different category. If you know that you can relax better with the sounds of nature, just click on the "Nature" tab at the top of the screen and find what you are looking for. The blue highlighted sound icons are ASMR sounds, which require headphones.
Once you have selected your sounds or your mix, you can set a timer for how long you want it to sound. There are suggested timers already programmed (20 minutes, 30 minutes, one hour, etc.), but you can also add yours. There's also a feature to decide if you want the app to quit once its sleep mix has finished playing.
The bottom bar is the way to navigate through the options of "Composer, Meditations, Stories, SleepMoves and More". The top bar slides to the left and shows you all the categories to choose from in each option. On the More tab, you will find the saved mixes and access to your profile, where you can set sleep goals, such as relieving stress, facilitating mornings or improving concentration. These goals help Relax Melodies keep track of what you are looking to improve in your sleep experience. You'll also find options for a bedtime reminder, alarm, and general settings.
Select your sounds
Let's start with the sounds of the dream and the music options. This app has over 100 sleep sounds to choose from. The range of sounds covers everything from science fiction to city to water, and includes the typical white noises you'd expect from such an app.
In addition to having a wide range of sounds, Relax Melodies allows you to combine up to 10 sounds for a personal relaxing soundscape. We found a relaxing combination using the sounds “distant train, cold rattle, city vibe, urban rain, rain on the roof” with an additional 5 Hz sound wave for deep meditation (we will see later). In addition to being able to select multiple sounds, you can also adjust the levels of each sound, essentially designing the perfect set for sleeping. You can save your mixes and adjust them as you go. There are also premixed sound combinations that you can explore if you're having trouble finding the right combination.
The application features isochronous tones, which are sound waves that influence the brain in different ways, depending on the frequency. The application itself explains the isochronous tones and provides information on each sound wave they offer. When paired with other sounds in your custom mix, the isochronous tones mix and stay subtle, helping you sleep without even knowing it. Relax Melodies also features binaural rhythms, which are similar to isochronic tones, but these require headphones, as they use an oscillating sound between both ears.
Meditation and Storytelling
If you feel particularly restless, we recommend that you consult the guided meditation section in the app. Relax Melodies offers multi-night meditation programs, meditations to help you fall asleep, and programs to help you go back to sleep if you wake up at night. This app even features guided meditations for kids.
Most of the meditations on offer are to guide you through the process of falling asleep, but this app also offers morning meditations. These can help you start the day on the right foot, keep you focused throughout the day, and help you when things get stressful. Relax Melodies currently offers a COVID-19: Pause and Retreat meditation, designed to help relieve stress during the current state of isolation. All the meditations can be played on the desired sound mix.
If the guided meditations are not for you, there are stories you can listen to instead. These stories come with their own sound mix, so you get the full experience of a relaxing story and soothing sounds that match. These sounds can also be adjusted. The stories vary in length and theme, providing a wealth of options for users of all ages. Again, there are stories designed specifically for children.
The voices for both the meditations and the stories are extremely relaxing. One voice is a calming female voice, while the other is a deep male voice.
Movement matters
One of the unique features of the app is the SleepMoves tab. There are currently eight SleepMoves series, each helping you relax in different ways. Along with these series, there are different described programs to choose from if you are standing, sitting or lying down. In the previews of each SleepMove program, it shows you how many movements it takes. When you select SleepMove, it shows you how long it waits for you and how many steps. It also tells you if you will be standing, sitting or lying down.
Like the Stories offered, each SleepMoves option has a sound mix already selected, but you can still choose from your saved selections and adjust the selected mix. You can also adjust the steps in each SleepMove, from three, to two, to one. On days when we weren't so active, we found that SleepMoves programs were helpful in helping guide the mind and body to a state of rest.
Ready to relax?
This application is extremely impressive. It offers a multitude of options. Between custom sound mixes, guided meditations, and even guided movements to prepare your body for rest, there really is something for all kinds of users in this app. If you are new to this meditation, this application is ideal to explain the process and provide information about each meditation it offers. If you are a parent looking to help children go to bed earlier, Relax Melodies offers programs to help their children.
We really enjoyed our experience with this app, and the fact that it is currently downgraded on StackSocial is good news. You can purchase the app for $ 29.99 per year (originally priced at $ 59.99 per year) .Exclusively at StackSocial you can also purchase a lifetime subscription, for $ 124.99 (instead of $ 250.00).
Note: The above prices reflect the price at the time of article posting.