After my surgery, due to pain, I could only sleep with sleeping pills for months.

After an operation, Martina Candido from Salzburg suffered from severe sleep problems and developed a dependency on sleeping pills. Falling asleep without tablets seemed impossible – until she started with sleep². After just three weeks, she was able to sleep through the night without medication.

“I am extremely happy about that,” says Martina. “It has helped me a lot to change my sleeping habits. For example, I got used to not going to bed too early and especially going to sleep at fixed times. I am now much more aware of how important social factors and nutrition are for good sleep.”

The sleep analysis is also interesting for women in perimenopause or menopause: “I just wanted to see how my sleep responds to hormonal changes. I discovered many exciting things there.”

Martina reports that she has completely changed her routines through sleep²: “I used to often fall into bed dead tired by 9 PM. Today, I usually go to sleep around 10:30 PM – and as a result, I sleep longer and better. These guidelines help enormously. Additionally, I find it great to become aware of how many factors play a role – nutrition, alcohol, social activities – and how strongly they affect sleep.”

The insight that you are sleeping even when you think you haven’t slept at all was particularly valuable for her. “I often had nights where I thought: I didn’t sleep at all. But the analysis then shows that you did have sleep phases. This takes a lot of pressure off and makes dealing with such nights more relaxed.”

Martina has also been intensively involved in the further development of the app. “The new versions with simplified questions are certainly ideal for younger people. I found the earlier, more detailed questions almost nicer – but that’s probably a matter of taste. Both have helped me.”

About her sleep problems, Martina says: “Since the end of May last year, I hadn’t slept without sleeping pills. Only with the app was I able to gradually reduce them. After two to three weeks, I only rarely needed the medication, and now not at all. I only achieved this through sleep² – with the rituals, the analyses, and the new awareness of my sleep.”

When asked how long it took before she noticed improvements, she says: "After three to four weeks, the difference was very clear. I realized that I no longer needed sleeping pills. The personal conversation with Manuel and Thomas was also particularly helpful. I could ask questions and got important tips - for example, to stop taking the medication only when I really feel confident."

Today, Martina still uses the sensor regularly: "I use it four days a week. It helps me keep track of my sleep. When I see a really good score in the morning, I'm thrilled. It's positive training for the brain - the feeling of having done everything right."

She adds: "It's great to know that you can always rely on it again if things aren't going so well. Then you just start using the sensor more frequently again. For me, it's an investment in my health that is absolutely worth it."

Martina also considers sleep² beneficial for younger people: "Especially many under 30 have sleep problems - often due to constant use of smartphones and everyday pressure. For this generation, such support would be enormously helpful."

In addition to the app, Martina is also paying more attention to exercise today: "Sometimes I thought to myself: I'll just go for a walk to collect steps. But basically, I'm an active person anyway, who doesn't need to be encouraged to move."

Her conclusion is clear: "With sleep², I learned to change my sleep habits, get rid of sleeping pills, and sleep restfully again. It was the right help for me at the right time - and I am very grateful for it."