We won’t presume to know how you use your bedroom—whether it’s for sleep, reading, relaxation, romance, or more—but here are some worthwhile apps to enhance and accentuate some of the most common bedroom activities.
Apple’s own eReader app is a perfect solution for bedroom reading, as the illuminated screens of the iPhone and iPad mean obtrusive lamp light is not needed to read before sleep. More than 150,000 books are available for purchase and download, including new releases, best sellers, literary classics, and children’s books (a free copy of Winnie the Pooh accompanies the app), and you can grab new books on the fly and read them on any device that hosts iBooks. While we prefer the reading experience of iBooks, Amazon’s Kindle app is another excellent choice, with an even larger selection of books and the ability to view white text on a black background, ideal for reading in the dark.
Sure, the iPhone comes pre-loaded with Apple’s rudimentary alarm function, but the iHome+Sleep app is really dedicated to the art of waking folks up, with a variety of customization options and more friendly (or aggressive) alarm choices. You can set standard nighttime alarms and shorter nap alarms, as well as customize the snooze timeframe, set additional sleep and wake-up reminders, and choose songs from your library or Internet radio (using the extra iHome+Radio app) to fall asleep or wake up to. And if you’re the type that just has to tell the world about every last thing you do, you can also post on Twitter and Facebook through the app!
iHome+Sleep 2.1
iHome
ihomeaudio.com
Free
Dreams can haunt and enthrall us, and often resonate with us far beyond the initial sensation, but you don’t have to let those lingering questions remain in your mind all day. When you wake up, simply load up Way of Dreams - Dream Dictionary, a comprehensive database of dream interpretations accessed either by searching for terms or choosing from a massive list. Whether your dream focused on “feet” or “ice cream” (or one of many other concepts), Way of Dreams has you covered, with easily digestible text descriptions and an automatic diary function that keeps track of all your searched terms. Plus, this universal app works on both iPhone and iPad.
Way of Dreams – Dream Dictionary 3.3
Kismetech
kismetech.com
$1.99
Most of the sexually oriented apps seen in the App Store listings appear hastily assembled, but iKamaSutra XL for iPad is a surprisingly well-manicured option, featuring sharp original illustrations and a fantastic user interface. Of course, the app is all about exposing users to a large number of sexual positions, with 100 included in the premium XL version, and another 40 available via the in-app Pro purchase. As such, iKamaSutra XL is strictly for adults due to the graphic nature of the illustrations, but for those seeking some fresh suggestions to spice up their love life, iKamaSutra is a well-built app, with a smaller-scale iPhone version also available.
iKamaSutra XL 2.0
Naim Cesur
lovekamasutra.com
$2.99
It can be incredibly difficult to rest your mind after a hard day at work or during stressful times, but the App Store includes several meditation options for easing your worries in the comfort of your bedroom. Relax with Andrew Johnson is one of the more notable apps in this category, as the combination of soothing music and Johnson’s distinct Scottish accent aim to ease you into a state of relaxation, from which you can drift away from the day-to-day hassles of modern living. Johnson recommends using the standard 25-minute program daily for at least three weeks, though an optional bonus track can extend the session out another 20 minutes.
Relax with Andrew Johnson
RelaxingApps
relaxingapps.com
$2.99
Here’s an app that uses the unique aspects of the iPhone to create a helpful tool. The Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock lets you track your sleep patterns by logging your overnight movements; simply load up the app and place the iPhone under your pillow, then marvel at the results in the morning. But Sleep Cycle is about much more than simply seeing when you’re waking up at night—it also purports to determine the best time to wake you up within a 30 minute window of your choosing, based on how heavily you’re sleeping. Prompting you to wake up during a light sleep cycle means a more awake and refreshed you in the morning, which strikes us as a pretty good thing.
Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock 2.0
Maciek Drejak Labs
mdlabs.se/sleepcycle/
$0.99
If white noise or ambient sounds are necessary for you to slip into a deep slumber at night, consider Sleep Machine, an app that specializes in both and lets you choose from 80 distinct sounds. Among the included sounds are a running faucet, rainy highway, and the hiss of a fireplace, but if one sound effect isn’t enough, you can blend up to three to create your own personalized soundscape. These sounds can also be used for morning alarms, with the option to fade in gradually over the span of up to five minutes, and you can save your personal combinations for easy access later.
Sleep Machine 3.0
SleepSoft
sleepsoftllc.com
$1.99
Don’t have a television in the bedroom? No sweat! Simply bring your iPhone or iPad into bed for easy access to a wide variety of movies, television shows, and more. Netflix and Hulu Plus are the best portable options for premium video entertainment, but while the apps are free to download, you’ll need a paid subscription to each service to watch the streaming video footage. Netflix has thousands upon thousands of popular films and entire seasons of television series to watch on the fly, while Hulu Plus specializes in current and classic television shows from NBC, Fox, and ABC, among other networks.
Luckily, the App Store offers other subscription-free options for bed-borne video viewers, including the ABC Player for iPad, which includes streaming episodes of current hit series like Modern Family and Wipeout. Another option is the TV.com app for iPhone, which lets you stream full episodes of select CBS series (like Hawaii Five-O and The Price is Right) and watch clips from The CW and Showtime.
