Shyft's Sleep Tracking: How Does It Work?

Sleep trackers can be a useful tool for people who want to gain insight into their sleep patterns and quality. While they don't directly measure sleep, they estimate sleep by tracking inactivity. The STYR SHYFT Activity Tracker is one such device that can monitor your sleep, in addition to tracking your motion, activity, and calories. It connects to your phone via Bluetooth and provides customised nutritional recommendations based on your activity and sleep data.

Sleep duration

Sleep trackers, such as the STYR SHYFT, can be useful tools to gain insight into your sleep patterns and help you develop better sleep habits. While they do not directly measure sleep, they estimate sleep by tracking your period of inactivity. By recording the time you are inactive, the STYR SHYFT can monitor when you fall asleep and when you wake up. This data can help you identify trends in your sleep habits and make adjustments accordingly. For example, you may discover that you feel more energetic when you sleep from 11 pm to 7 am compared to 10 pm to 6 am.

Additionally, the STYR SHYFT can track your movement, calories burned, distance travelled, time active, and heart rate. This data can be synced with the STYR Labs app on your smartphone, providing insights and science-based nutritional product recommendations. The app also allows you to input lifestyle factors, such as caffeine intake and stress levels, which can impact your sleep duration and quality.

It is important to note that sleep trackers may not always be entirely accurate, and they are not meant to diagnose medical conditions or sleep disorders. If you have concerns about your sleep, it is advisable to consult a healthcare professional or consider a medical sleep study for more precise data.

Overall, the STYR SHYFT can be a valuable tool to help you track your sleep duration, identify patterns, and make informed decisions to optimize your sleep habits.

Sleep quality

Additionally, the STYR SHYFT tracker connects to your phone via Bluetooth and provides a user-friendly app interface. The app may offer insights and recommendations based on your sleep data, such as suggesting a wind-down routine before bedtime or recommending nutritional products to improve your sleep quality.

It's important to note that sleep trackers, including the STYR SHYFT, may not provide perfectly accurate data on sleep quality. They often estimate sleep based on inactivity and make guesstimates. For exact data and diagnosis of sleep disorders, medical sleep studies conducted in sleep clinics are more reliable. However, sleep trackers can still be useful for recognizing patterns and making general improvements to your sleep habits.

Sleep phases

Sleep is a complex and variable process that differs from person to person. The human body typically cycles through two main phases of sleep: rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. NREM sleep is further divided into three stages, from N1 to N3, with N3 being the deepest stage and the most difficult to wake from.

During the first stage of sleep (N1), individuals are still relatively awake and can be easily awakened. This stage lasts only a few minutes. In the second stage (N2), brain waves begin to slow down, indicating a transition to a light sleep.

The third and fourth stages of sleep (N3) are the deepest and most restorative. During these stages, the body repairs and regenerates tissues, builds bone and muscle, and strengthens the immune system. This is also the stage where individuals experience the most significant physical and mental recovery. The body cycles through all stages of sleep approximately 4 to 6 times each night, with each cycle lasting around 90 minutes.

The REM stage is the final phase of the sleep cycle, characterised by increased brain activity, rapid eye movements, and dreaming. The brain processes information and consolidates memories during this stage. Individuals with narcolepsy, a sleep disorder, tend to enter REM sleep prematurely and may experience muscle weakness or paralysis during this stage.

Sleep trackers like the STYR SHYFT Activity Tracker can monitor sleep patterns and provide insights into sleep quality and duration. These devices can detect interrupted sleep and track the various phases of sleep, allowing users to optimise their sleep habits and wake up during lighter sleep stages. While they do not directly measure sleep, they estimate sleep patterns by tracking inactivity and detecting movements.

Lifestyle factors

The STYR SHYFT Activity Tracker is a fitness band that can track your motion, sleep, activity, and calories. It connects to your phone via Bluetooth and provides insights through its touchscreen UI.

• Lighting — Bright lights, especially in the evening, can suppress melatonin production, delaying the body's readiness for sleep by tricking its internal clock.
• Sleep Environment — A comfortable and safe sleep environment is crucial for quality sleep. Sleeping in a new or unfamiliar place can cause disturbances in falling asleep.
• Jet Lag and Shift Work — Travelling across different time zones or working shift patterns can disrupt the body's circadian rhythm, causing jet lag.
• Medications — Caffeine, nicotine, and certain prescription drugs can interfere with sleep by altering neurotransmitters or stimulating the nervous system, affecting sleep duration and quality.
• Physical Discomfort — Body aches, muscle or joint pains, and headaches can hinder sleep quality and cause disturbances.
• Stress and Anxiety — Psychological factors like stress, anxiety, or depression can trigger hyperarousal responses, making it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. This can lead to an imbalance in sleep stages, resulting in increased REM sleep and reduced deep sleep.
• Exercise — Regular aerobic exercise can improve sleep quality. However, the mechanisms behind this link are still being studied.
• Substance Use — Abstaining from harmful substances like alcohol and tobacco is associated with leading a healthy lifestyle in terms of substance use.

Sleep tracking devices

There are a variety of sleep trackers available in the market, ranging from wearable trackers that you can strap to your wrist, to devices that clip onto your pillow or sit on your bedside table. Some common features of these devices include tracking sleep duration, sleep quality, and sleep phases. More advanced trackers can also monitor your heart rate, blood oxygen level, respiration, and movement. It's important to note that sleep trackers can be inaccurate and are not meant to diagnose medical conditions. They are meant to provide insights and help you develop better sleep habits.

The STYR Labs SHYFT Activity Tracker is one such device that can track your motion, sleep, activity, and calories. It connects to your phone via Bluetooth and has a simple touchscreen interface. The tracker also provides customized nutritional recommendations based on your activity and sleep data. The STYR SHYFT is water-resistant, comfortable to wear, and has a long-lasting battery life.

Other popular sleep trackers include the Oura Ring Gen3 and the Whoop 4.0, which offer accurate heart-rate tracking and easy-to-follow guidance for improving sleep and fitness. These trackers can be worn as rings or wristbands and provide comprehensive data and insights into your sleep and daily activities.

Frequently asked questions