Trouble sleeping? Cillian Murphy is here to save the night

The Cork actor is the latest celebrity to lend his voice to calming sleep and meditation apps

Murphy has lent his voice to sleep app Calm.

THE latest season of Peaky Blinders has returned to RTÉ Two, and if the violent escapades of the Shelby family left you turning in your sleep last night, you’re not alone.

The good news is that Cillian Murphy is now here to read you a bedtime story, swapping Tommy Shelby’s menacing grumble for his own soothing Cork brogue on the meditation app Calm.

Murphy is just the latest celebrity lending his croon to apps such as these, with others like Harry Styles jumping on the sleep app bandwagon, or sailboat, whatever puts your mind at ease.

According to a recent study, one-third of Irish adults sleep for less than six hours a night, which is well below the World Health Organisation’s recommendation of between seven and nine hours.

While technology and blue light are often blamed for disrupting sleep patterns, millions are actually putting them to good use by using their smartphones to access sleep apps, watch calming Youtube videos, and stream soothing playlists.

Experts differ about whether sleep apps work or not but research shows that mediation apps do help with mindfulness.

One-third of Irish adults aren't getting enough sleep at night.

Calm is one of the most popular meditation apps on the market with more than 40 million users worldwide and a new one joining every minute. 

Murphy’s new narration on the app is to a fictional ‘sleep story’, one of the app's most used features.

The story, written by Phoebe Smith, is titled 'Crossing Ireland by Train' and is designed to distract listeners from their racing thoughts without keeping them too alert.

“Sleep stories are soothing tales that mix music, sound fx and incredible voice talent to help you drift into dreamland,” the app states.

A piano gently plays in the background as Murphy softly describes to users that Ireland is a land with a smaller population than New York City, that is full of “fantastic folklore” and “storied landscapes” that have inspired poets, artists and writers alike.

The short story brings listeners throughout the island by imaginary train, with Murphy describing serene surroundings. 

“Make yourself comfortable, close your eyes, as our story begins at the waterside railway station on the edge of the River Foyle in Northern Ireland,” he whispers.

Tired yet? 

If not, press record on Peaky Blinders and instead check out one of these top-rated sleep apps. 

Calm 

The premium version of Calm requires a hefty subscription but some sleep stories and other guided meditations are available for free. The app is easy to use with hundreds of features split into different categories, such as stress. A premium subscription costs $70, around €60, annually.

F.lux 

This app, designed to change the light on your device according to the time of day, is completely free and can be used on laptops, tablets, and phones. 

F.lux calibrates to sunrise and sunset for each day of the year and adapts the colour of your screen’s display to the time of day, warming it at night and brightening it during the day to help you to sleep better.

Headspace

Headspace, like Calm, has made a huge name for itself in the meditation app market, and it now has a free version with ‘sleepcasts’ - 55 minute-long audio experiences that help you visualise calming experiences, much like Calm’s ‘sleep stories’. The paid version of the app, €57.99 a year, has a large number of meditation courses and other soothing features.

S+

This sleep-tracker app was created by a professional company that has been in the sleep business for over 30 years, and it tracks your sleep accurately while giving personalised advice.

Moshi 

Moshi is a kids' version of these apps, with illustrated storybooks available, as well as calming audio tracks that can be downloaded for times when you mightn’t have internet, like a car journey or flight.