Pzizz app

This app has soundtracks designed to aid sleep in either a nap module (for a shorter daytime sleep) or sleep module (for a longer night-time sleep). These soundtracks change every day.The app plays a mixture of music, sound effects and a male voiceover. The different frequencies in the soundtrack are supposed to soothe and calm the brain - the app developers describe this as "binaural beats that induce theta brainwaves". The user can customise numerous settings including the length of the track, the volume of the soundtrack, the volume of the voice, turning off the voice, setting an alarm, and turning off phone notifications. In the pro version, users have access to more soundtracks including a 'focus' module, more app functions (such as choosing a female voice) and monthly updates.

For a more detailed description of the app, see Google Play(external link) or iTunes(external link) and for a detailed review, see reviews below.

Clinical review

Free version:

Paid version:

Reviewer: Jeremy Steinberg, GP, FRNZCGP
Date of review: March 2018
Comments: This app is useful for people with insomnia who would like to try music and sound-assisted relaxation to improve their sleep. It is a collection of original audio tracks to help with sleep and focus and comes with a built-in timer. It has three sections: sleep, nap and focus.
The developers have attempted to base the app on sound and music-assisted research, and I applaud them for that, however after reading the studies myself I do feel that their claim of being “clinically proven to help you sleep” is overblown. This statement is based on a small limited study done in in 2008. Most glaringly it only assessed the effect of using it for napping and resulting well-being, and it only showed very small improvements in well-being. It did NOT assess whether people succeeded in napping. They compared pzizz it to “relaxation tracks” on iTunes and improvements were similar. 
Overall, I think it is a high quality app but feel it is a bit too expensive for what you get. I suspect that the effect on sleep will be quite variable from person to person. They do have a free trial, and it wouldn’t hurt to give it a go if you feel this is something that could be helpful for you. The free version is too limited to be of much use. 
Safety concerns: None.  

Tech review

The tech review relates to the technical aspects of the app, such as security, privacy, etc.

Reviewer: Unmesh Jyoti Nitin, PGDip Health Informatics
Date of review: March 2017
Security & Privacy: Privacy policy mentions that personal and transaction-related information such as credit card details will be automatically collected after downloading the app and subsequent registering. Information will not be shared with third parties except as required by law and trusted service providers. Users can stop the collection of information by uninstalling the app or contacting the developer on support@pzizz.com. 
Platform Support: Requires iOS 8.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Requires Android 4.0 and up. 
Performance: App is responsive and features are performing as designed.
Impact of app on battery: App doesn’t include online services and offers offline playback. Therefore, it won’t be expensive on data.
Data Sharing : Data can be shared on social media such as facebook and Twitter by the user.

Learn more

The following links provide more detailed information on the technical aspects of apps.

Understanding mobile apps Consumer Information(external link)(external link) Federal Trade Commission
Mobile health and fitness apps: What are the privacy risks?(external link)(external link) Privacy Rights Clearinghouse