Colin Snow
Sleep trackers are devices that can be worn on the wrist, clipped to a pillow, or placed on a bedside table. They can also be in the form of a ring or a smart mattress. These trackers can help monitor sleep patterns, duration, and quality. They can also track sleep phases, heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and body temperature. While they do not directly measure sleep, they can estimate sleep by tracking inactivity. Sleep tracking is useful for those who want to optimize their sleep for athletic performance or overall health. However, it may not be suitable for those who tend to get anxious or obsessive about daily health measurements. The accuracy of sleep trackers varies, and they are generally less accurate than medical sleep studies.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type | Wearable, non-wearable, smartphone apps, smart mattresses |
| Data Collected | Sleep duration, sleep quality, sleep phases, heart rate, blood oxygen levels, body temperature, sleep environment |
| Purpose | To increase awareness of sleep, encourage healthy sleep behaviour, help establish a routine, measure and optimise sleep |
| Limitations | Do not measure sleep directly, may increase anxiety about insomnia, may not differentiate between deep and light sleep and being awake |
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What You'll Learn
- Sleep trackers can monitor blood oxygen levels, heart rate, respiration, and more
- They can help establish a sleep routine, but may not be for everyone
- Sleep trackers can be worn on the wrist, finger, or clipped to a pillow or bedside table
- They can be useful for people with irregular work schedules and athletes
- Sleep tracking data can be integrated with other sources, like wearables
Sleep trackers can monitor blood oxygen levels, heart rate, respiration, and more
Sleep trackers can be a useful tool to help you recognise patterns in your sleep habits. They can monitor a range of health data, including blood oxygen levels, heart rate, respiration, body temperature, and sleep duration.
Sleep trackers that monitor blood oxygen levels include the Wellue SleepU Wrist Pulse Oximeter, which also tracks pulse rate and body movements. The Go2Sleep 3 Tracker also monitors blood oxygen levels and heart rate and provides alerts if blood oxygen levels drop. The Oura Ring 4 is another lightweight, stylish option that measures blood oxygen levels, heart rate, and temperature trends. It translates this data into three scores: Sleep Score, Activity Score, and Readiness Score.
Garmin's fitness trackers, such as the Epix Pro, offer Advanced Sleep Monitoring, which includes tracking sleep stages, blood oxygen saturation, respiration, and restlessness. The WHOOP sleep tracker also monitors blood oxygen levels, heart rate, respiratory rate, and skin temperature. It features a smart alarm designed to gently wake you during the ideal sleep cycle stage.
Some sleep trackers, like the Apple Watch, provide useful advice on improving sleep quality. The Pixel Watch 3 is another option that offers excellent accuracy and a compact size. It integrates with Android phones and provides deeper sleep insights with a Fitbit Premium subscription.
While sleep trackers can provide valuable insights, it's important to note that they don't directly measure sleep. They often estimate sleep based on inactivity. For more precise data, a medical sleep study that monitors brain waves is necessary. Sleep tracking may not be suitable for everyone, as it can sometimes increase anxiety about insomnia.
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They can help establish a sleep routine, but may not be for everyone
Sleep tracking devices can be a great way to establish a sleep routine. They can help you recognise patterns in your sleep habits and increase awareness of your sleep. For example, you may find that you feel more sluggish when sleeping from 10 pm to 6 am, but more energetic when you sleep from 11 pm to 7 am. Or perhaps you sleep better when your room is cooler or on days when you exercise.
These devices can also help you to remember to wind down before going to bed and encourage you to go to bed and get up at regular times. They can also be a source of relevant information to share with your doctor if you are having difficulty sleeping. This can be especially useful if you have an irregular work schedule and want to keep an eye on the quantity and quality of your sleep.
However, sleep tracking is not for everyone. For some people, tracking sleep can increase anxiety about insomnia and do more harm than good. If you are someone who gets anxious or obsessive about daily health measurements, you may find that worrying about "hitting your sleep numbers" can generate stress, which is known to harm sleep. Sleep tracking devices can also be inaccurate at times, and they don't measure sleep directly. Instead, they often measure inactivity as a surrogate for estimating sleep. For exact data about your sleep habits, you would need to do a medical sleep study that monitors brain waves to analyse the stages of sleep.
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Sleep trackers can be worn on the wrist, finger, or clipped to a pillow or bedside table
Sleep trackers are available in a variety of forms, including wristbands, rings, and non-wearables that can be clipped to a pillow or placed on a bedside table. Wearable sleep trackers are the most common, with popular options including wristbands and rings. Wristband trackers, such as the Apple Watch, Fitbit, and Pixel Watch 3, are convenient for those who already wear a smartwatch. They can track sleep duration and quality, detect interrupted sleep, and even time your alarm to coincide with a lighter sleep phase, making it easier to wake up.
Ring sleep trackers, such as the Oura Ring Gen3, Ultrahuman Ring Air, and Samsung Galaxy Ring, offer a more discreet and comfortable option. These rings are packed with sensors that can monitor heart rate, respiration, body temperature, and movement. They provide insights into sleep efficiency, sleep stages, and restfulness. Some rings even offer additional features like snore detection and gesture compatibility.
Non-wearable sleep trackers, such as the Eight Sleep Pod 3 Cover, are ideal for those who prefer not to wear a device to bed. These trackers are typically placed on or under the mattress, or they can be clipped to the pillow. They can monitor sleep stages, heart rate, breathing, movement, and sleep quality. While they may be less portable than wearable devices, they offer a comprehensive view of your sleep patterns and can even adjust the bed's temperature to enhance your comfort.
It is worth noting that sleep trackers do not directly measure sleep. Instead, they estimate sleep based on inactivity and movement. For medically accurate sleep data, a polysomnography test or a medical sleep study is necessary. However, sleep trackers can still provide valuable insights and help you recognize patterns in your sleep habits. They can also encourage healthy sleep behaviours, such as maintaining a consistent sleep schedule and establishing a bedtime routine.
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They can be useful for people with irregular work schedules and athletes
Sleep tracking devices can be beneficial for people with irregular work schedules who want to monitor the quality and quantity of their sleep. These devices can help users establish a sleep routine, which is essential for improving sleep quality. They can also be used to determine the optimal sleep schedule for individuals with irregular work hours, helping them feel more rested and energised.
Fitness trackers are also popular among athletes and fitness enthusiasts who want to optimise their performance and overall health. These trackers can provide insights into sleep patterns, allowing athletes to adjust their sleep schedules to align with their training routines and recovery periods. For example, athletes can use the data from sleep trackers to ensure they get sufficient REM sleep, which is crucial for muscle recovery and memory consolidation.
Additionally, fitness trackers can monitor other biometrics that are important for athletic performance, such as heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, and respiration. This data can help athletes make informed decisions about their training intensity and recovery strategies. For instance, if a tracker indicates that an athlete's resting heart rate is higher than usual, it could be a sign of overtraining or insufficient recovery.
While fitness trackers can provide valuable insights, it is important to remember that they do not directly measure sleep. Instead, they estimate sleep by tracking inactivity and movement. For more precise data, individuals can consider participating in a medical sleep study that monitors brain waves to analyse sleep stages.
Despite this limitation, fitness trackers can still be useful for recognising patterns in sleep habits. For example, a tracker might indicate that an athlete sleeps better when their bedroom is cooler or on days they refrain from consuming caffeine. This information can then be used to optimise sleep quality and, consequently, athletic performance.
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Sleep tracking data can be integrated with other sources, like wearables
Smartphone apps can also be used to track sleep, although they are generally less robust than other trackers because they collect a more limited range of data. However, some apps can provide meaningful data or integrate information from other sources, including wearables. The SleepScore and Sleep Cycle apps were deemed the most helpful by the New York Times.
Sleep trackers can be useful for people who want to know more about their sleep habits and want guidance on how to improve their sleep. They can also be helpful for people with irregular work schedules who want to monitor the quantity and quality of their sleep. Sleep tracking can increase awareness of sleep and encourage healthy sleep behaviour. For example, trackers can help people establish a bedtime routine, which is important for improving sleep quality.
However, sleep tracking is not for everyone. Doctors and sleep specialists have warned that tracking sleep can increase anxiety about insomnia and do more harm than good. People who get anxious or obsessive about daily health measurements should not use sleep trackers. It is also important to remember that sleep trackers do not measure sleep directly. Instead, they often measure inactivity as a way to estimate sleep. For exact data about sleep habits, a medical sleep study would be required.
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Frequently asked questions
Sleep trackers can help you establish a sleep routine by encouraging you to go to bed and get up at regular times. They can also help you identify patterns in your sleep habits, such as the ideal time to go to bed, the ideal temperature for your bedroom, and the impact of caffeine, exercise, and stress on your sleep.
Fitness trackers usually have inbuilt accelerometers and gyroscopes, which allow them to track and monitor your movement. By analyzing your movement data throughout the day, sensors can make an estimate of when you're active and inactive (asleep). Some trackers also prompt you to enter information about activities that can affect sleep, such as caffeine intake and stress levels.
While fitness trackers can collect a lot of information about your sleep habits, they don’t measure sleep directly. Instead, they often measure inactivity as a surrogate for estimating sleep. For exact data about your sleep habits, you would need to undergo a medical sleep study, which monitors brain waves to analyze the stages of sleep. That being said, a 2019 study showed that Fitbit offers impressive accuracy given the entry-level cost of sleep tracking, and a 2020 study found that the Whoop 4.0 tracker predicted sleep duration within a precision of 17.8 minutes.
