There may be nothing quite as important for your health as a good night's sleep. Yet people around the world have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. Fatigue resulting from poor sleep can be a debilitating state, reducing your concentration and energy and profoundly impacting your ability to function well.

Even with a healthy lifestyle, it can be a struggle to unwind successfully at the end of the day. You can do puzzles, listen to nature sounds or soothing music, or try breathing exercises. Among the variety of apps that can help you unwind and prepare for sleep, one has a fresh approach that incorporates all of these practices. Take a look at what makes Loóna worth trying.

What Is Loóna?

Loóna is a sleep app with a difference. Winner of Google's App of the Year in 2020, it's an app that helps to calm your racing mind and lull you into sleep via soothing interactive content. When you first open the app, the soothing music instantly sets the tone for the Loóna approach to relaxation.

The initial series of questions is unusual for these apps. After you select your reason for using the app, you get to choose your preferred calming color palette, what dream places you'd like to explore from a list including a serene glade and a fairytale castle, and your favorite sleep sounds.

At this stage, you can set up your sleep schedule, and you also have the option to connect Loóna to Apple Health to track your sleep and mindful minutes. You then get your personalized sleep plan, including Loóna time before bed, and you are invited to try a sample Sleepscape based on your answers to the initial questions.

Download: Loóna for iOS | Android (Free, subscription available)

What Is a Loóna Sleepscape?

You spend your time on Loóna in a wind-down zone that can help you calm your restless thoughts and unwind before sleep. Loóna recommends taking one hour for this, but you can adjust the time to suit you.

During this time, you participate in a Loóna sleepscape—an immersive process in which you're invited to color in a rotating diorama. As you color, you're guided by a narrator with a soothing voice while relaxing sounds play softly in the background. The narrator gently tells you a tale to help you relax and leave your worries behind.

Bit by bit, as you complete the art task, you breathe more deeply and enter a more restful state. This may sound a little childish, but it's a highly effective approach for people of all ages. Backed by Loóna's science-based relaxation techniques, the Loóna sleepscapes are wonderfully immersive experiences with beautifully rendered graphics and details.

If you like the idea of relaxing interactive activities, check out these calming mobile games to help you relax.

Explore the Loóna Sleepscapes Catalog

The Loóna catalog is easy to navigate via the Sleepscapes tab, with a series of shorts available at the top of this section if you just need a short break from reality. Choose from the main series according to your bedtime mood. So if you're seeking a calm, optimistic, or even mischievous mind, just tap the category to get more choices. Or browse through all of the categories to find one that suits you.

Another way to navigate the app is through the Stories tab. Here you can access all the stories used in the sleepscapes if you don't want to undertake the whole experience. This would be an excellent option for anyone who likes to fall asleep while listening to tales.

The final tab is Music, which allows you to choose from the sleepscape music tracks or ambient sounds. You can even hit the Random button and see what the app throws up! There are lots more great soundscape apps to explore.

What's Included in Loóna Plus?

Loóna Plus is the name given to the subscription that unlocks the entire Loóna catalog. If using this app for an extended period, it will be necessary to subscribe, as the free material is limited.

Start with the free six-minute sample, and then proceed to the one-week free trial of Loóna Plus. Before you upgrade, look out for the special "pay what you like" pop-up, which offers you a subscription at a greatly reduced rate. There are also options to gift Loóna trials to your family.

Loóna is definitely an app you'll have to experience for yourself to decide whether it suits you. In addition, there are lots more great apps to help improve your sleep.

Enjoy Better Sleep and Relaxation With a Peaceful App

Loóna takes a unique approach to the process of unwinding at the end of a day, and it's great to have the assistance of technology help you to clear your head, relax, and switch off, rather than using it to scroll through social media.