Stress Reducer is the latest iPhone app that has switched from a paid model to a free download model.  In today’s economic downturn, the editors of SleepBetterTips.com decided to take a look at the value that Stress Reducer is offering.  Free always piques the interest of our editors.  Stress Reducer doesn’t promise to be an Apple app that helps you sleep; it is developed to help users unwind and relax.  However, the editors of SleepBettterTips.com thought it would be relevant to feature.   According to the Better Sleep Foundation, 65% of Americans indicate they are losing sleep over stress.

PROS: The pictures of the seashells are pretty spectacular.  The seashells are high-resolution and remind me of Georgia O’Keeffe paintings.  The idea of ocean sounds does conjure up relaxation and happy memories of walking on the boardwalk.  The sounds are evocative of summer – waves crashing and seagulls in the background.    Each seashell indicates a different sound.  By popular request, the developers changed the sounds to be one-minute loops (versus the previous 5-second loops).

CONS: You have to hold the phone up to your ear, which defeats the purpose of relaxation. The editors of SleepBetterTips.com would have preferred to be able to play the sounds by either using our earphones or using the speaker function. We like to relax and close our eyes to visualize happier moments.  There are only a handful of sound options.

OVERALL: 3 stars out of 5 stars.   The editors of SleepBetterTips.com would like to be able to customize how long the loops are.  We would have also liked to be able to combine the various seashells to create our own personalized playlist.  If the developer continues to upgrade to the Stress Reducer app, we are confident that more users will like it and continue to use it.