One of Canada’s most prominent mattress stores is taking their mission to provide a good quality sleep to the next level.
Sleep Country announced Tuesday the launch of their new sleep app: All For Sleep. Its goal is to evaluate and track users' sleep in order to use evidence-based sleep solutions that create a personalized sleep program.
"As Canada's sleep partner, we're thrilled to launch our new sleep app — All for Sleep — to support Canadians in getting the sleep they need to function at their best, both mentally and physically," Stewart Schaefer, president and CEO of Sleep Country, said in a statement.
Sleep Country is partnering with HALEO clinic, one of the largest virtual sleep clinics to provide users with a sleep evaluation that checks for insomnia, other sleep disorders and evaluates the user's sleep environment, such as the age and condition of one's mattress.
According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, 50 per cent of Canadian adults have trouble going to sleep or staying asleep. Among those who are able to fall asleep, one in five do not achieve a restful sleep or find it refreshing.
Lack of sleep can have an impact on your daily life as 36.3% of adults who get insufficient sleep report having chronic stress compared to the 23.2% of adults who get adequate sleep.
Luc Beaudoin, an adjunct professor in cognitive science and education at Simon Fraser University, says that sleep improvement is not one size fits all. His research has been instrumental in developing other successful apps focused on improving sleep such as mySleepButton.
"Doing something that is validated is contingent on actually knowing something about the client or the user. And that was a criticism of a lot of the sleep research and sleep apps is that 'OK, but is it appropriate to the particular user?'" Beaudoin said.
According to Beaudoin, a plethora of factors can affect someone's sleep. These can include caffeine, alcohol intake, and for some, having a phone physically near you while in bed. For those who have sleep apnea, a sleep tracker on your smartphone can represent a lifeline but for others, the presence of a device may be a psychological distraction.
"A medical intervention has and will have side effects and then the user at the end of the day needs to decide if the side effects are worse than the benefits," he said.
Users of the app will be able to utilize a sleep tracker that does not require wearable devices, wellness resources, relaxation guides and a 35-day insomnia treatment if diagnosed.
"We know sleep is a critical pillar of our health and it has a powerful impact on our well-being. Our new sleep app will empower Canadians to focus on their sleep and give them the tools to sleep better and live better lives,” Schaefer said.
