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Seen At 11: The Secret To A Good Night's Sleep

NEW YORK(CBSNewYork) -- Discovering the secret to a good night's sleep can mean something different for everybody.

People have been known to use everything from soothing sounds to the latest apps to try to get some rest.

John Harrison told CBS 2's Kristine Johnson that he has been using an armband to track calories, exercise, and sleep quality.

"It's like tuning in to the news of your body," he said. "You wear it overnight while you sleep and you track how well you sleep at night."

Along with other lifestyle changes, Harrison knows that quality sleep is essential to achieving good health. The armband allows Harrison to download information to monitor how long and how soundly he slept.

Sleep gadgets and apps are becoming more popular than ever, one new smartphone app can tell how much you tossed and turned by being tucked into a mattress. Other apps offer soothing imagery and even bedtime stories.

"It's thinking about sleep as not just what we do when you go to bed at night, it's about every minute of the day," Susan Berks explained.

Berks is the creative director of Sleep Studio, a SoHo store dedicated to all things sleep including aroma therapy, white noise machines, and special lights that can help the brain relax or wake up.

For real sleep issues experts suggested a home sleep study.

"There is a large segment of the population not being treated properly and that's where some of the other gadgets come in," Dr. David Volpi explained, "If someone is having trouble with their sleep they're really doing themselves a disservice by not having a real exam."

One gadget is a non-invasive mouthpiece used to treat apnea sufferers.

"It changed my life," Morgan Burkett said, "All of a sudden I slept 8 hours and I could get up."

Some sleep apps are free and others can be had for a small charge. Many insurance companies will also cover the cost of a sleep specialist.

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