Sleep experts recommend that we get 8 hours of sleep a day.  I don’t even come close to 8 hours a day.  I also don’t even come close to half the recommended amount of sleep.  Sleep Analyzer is the latest iPhone app that is promoted as a tool to help you figure out whether you have an undisturbed sleep or not; hence, the name Sleep Analyzer (kind of like a well duh!).

Sleep Analyzer works by being turned on before you go to bed.   Sleep Analyzer will pick up and record any coughing, snoring or any other sleep disruptions that may occur.  After using the iPhone app, the user is able to (on the next day)  to examine the number of disruptions and categorize each type of disruption.  Users are able to store up to a month of sleep data.  Save and categorize all the sleep disruptions and share it with your doctor next time you visit. Cost is $1.99

PROS: The iPhone app has a sleep timer — which is great if you have a white noise machine.  You can program the Sleep Analyzer to turn on after your white noise machine is scheduled to go off.  Ingenious!  Shows how well thought out this product is. I used this product for one week. It recorded sounds.  I’m also glad to know that I don’t cough or snore in the middle of the night.  It’s weird, but helpful to hear what you sound like when you sleep. By the way, I did not continue to use this because I have been to a sleep center multiple times; and, I also know what is the root cause of my insomnia.  For the purposes of this review, I decided to try it out.

CONS: No real complaints here.  I do have a suggestion for the developer.  It would be great to have more sound sensitivity.

OVERALL: Four and a half stars out of five.  Sleep Analyzer works as a sleep sound recorder.  The magic behind this app is not that it records, but it can count and track how many sleep disruptions you have (you will have to listen to yourself sleep and classify it yourself).  It is a super helpful tool to have and show your doctor.  Now you have real-time evidence to discuss with your doctor.

NOTES: If you have a iPod Touch, the ‘Apple Earphone with Remote and Mic’ attachment is REQUIRED for this application to work.