Gina Johnson
Sleep trackers are wearable devices that can help you understand your sleep patterns and quality. They can track metrics such as sleep duration, sleep quality, heart rate, blood oxygen levels, body temperature, and sleep phases (such as REM, light, or deep sleep). This data can be useful in optimising your sleep and improving your overall health. While sleep trackers can provide valuable insights, they may not always be completely accurate, and it's important to take the data they provide with a grain of salt. If you have concerns about your sleep, it's best to consult a health practitioner.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To help people who want to know more about their sleep and optimise their rest |
| Types | Wearables (rings, watches, headbands), phone apps, pillow clips, bedside tables |
| Data Collected | Sleep duration, sleep quality, sleep stages, sleep trends, sleep history, sleep goals, sleep schedules, sleep focus, sleep data, sleep advice, sleep scores, sleep tips, sleep alarms, sleep reminders, sleep notifications, sleep analysis, sleep averages, sleep journals, sleep snapshots, sleep alerts, sleep reports, sleep graphs, sleep studies, sleep experiments, sleep chronotype, sleep napping, sleep tracking, sleep monitoring, sleep detection, sleep optimisation, sleep guidance, sleep schedules, sleep times, sleep disturbances, sleep disorders, sleep breathing, sleep cycles, sleep routine, sleep patterns |
| Other Data Collected | Heart rate, blood oxygen levels, respiratory rate, body temperature, blood glucose levels, caffeine consumption, alcohol consumption, daily activities, steps, brain activity, brain waves, movement, sleep environment, sleep partners, sleep with pets, sleep with children, sleep with snorers, sleep with light sleepers, sleep with heavy sleepers |
| Accuracy | Sleep trackers are not always precise and can be inaccurate. For medically accurate data, a polysomnography test is best. |
| Brands | Apple Watch, WHOOP, Oura Ring, Ultrahuman Ring Air, Withings ScanWatch 2, Muse S Gen 2 Headband, SLEEPON Go2Sleep 3, Bía Smart Sleep Mask |
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What You'll Learn
Wearable sleep trackers
It's important to note that commercial sleep trackers are not medical devices, and their accuracy can vary. While they can be useful for recognising patterns in your sleep habits, they are not as accurate as a medical sleep study, which monitors brain waves to analyse the stages of sleep. Some studies have also shown that sleep trackers underperform in people with insomnia, as they only measure movement and heart rate, which may not fluctuate as much in people who struggle to fall asleep.
Some examples of wearable sleep trackers include the Oura Ring Gen3, the Whoop 4.0, the Ultrahuman Ring Air, the Apple Watch Series 9, the Pixel Watch 3, and the Muse S Headband Sleep Tracker.
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Sleep tracking accuracy
Sleep tracking devices have become increasingly popular, with one in three Americans having used a sleep-tracking device, and 78% of them finding it helpful. These devices are a great way to learn more about your sleep and overall health. They can help you optimise your sleep and improve your overall health.
Sleep trackers collect a lot of information about your sleep habits and provide user-friendly graphs and reports to help you spot trends. They can track sleep duration, sleep quality, and sleep phases. They can also monitor your heart rate, respiratory rate, blood oxygen levels, skin temperature, and body movements. However, it's important to note that these devices don't directly measure sleep. Instead, they often estimate sleep based on inactivity.
The accuracy of sleep trackers has been the subject of several studies. One study analysed 11 commercially available consumer sleep trackers, including wearables, nearables, and airables. The study found that specific trackers showed substantial agreement with polysomnography, indicating their potential for sleep monitoring. However, there was also performance variation across different trackers and sleep stages. Another study suggested that consumer sleep trackers might even outperform actigraphy, a sleep test based on wrist-worn devices, due to their ability to collect accurate data over long periods without inconveniencing the wearer.
Despite the promising findings, it's important to approach the data from sleep trackers with a degree of caution. Their accuracy may vary, and they are not medical devices. If you have concerns about your sleep quality, it's advisable to consult a health practitioner. Additionally, for medically accurate sleep-tracking data, a polysomnography test conducted in a lab setting remains the gold standard.
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Sleep tracking devices
There are two main categories of sleep tracking devices: wearables and non-wearables. Wearable devices, as the name suggests, are worn on the body and can take the form of a watch, bracelet, ring, or even a mask. They typically use actigraphy technology to measure movement and track sleep, although some more advanced devices also monitor vital signs such as heart rate, respiration, and body temperature. Examples of popular wearable sleep trackers include the Oura Ring, WHOOP, Apple Watch, Fitbit, and Sleepon Go2Sleep 3.
On the other hand, non-wearable sleep tracking devices are usually thin gadgets that you place under your sheet or mattress, or on your bedside table. These devices often record environmental factors such as light, temperature, and humidity, in addition to tracking sleep duration and quality.
When choosing a sleep tracking device, it's important to consider your specific needs and preferences. If you want a device that you can wear and check regularly, a wearable option might be best. Some wearables can also integrate with other health data, such as physical activity, providing a more comprehensive view of your health. However, if you're primarily interested in sleep tracking without any additional features, a non-wearable device might be a more cost-effective option.
It's worth noting that sleep tracking devices have limitations and may not always provide precise data. Many commercial trackers rely on actigraphy, which measures movement, and may not accurately differentiate between sleep and wakefulness, especially if you tend to lie still while awake. For medically accurate sleep data, a polysomnography test conducted in a sleep laboratory is the gold standard.
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Sleep tracking apps
- SleepScore: This app uses sonar sleep tracker technology to measure your sleep through your breath and body movements. It provides a sleep score between 0 and 100, along with easy-to-understand graphs to help you analyze your sleep data. SleepScore offers additional features and is available for iOS and Android devices.
- Sleep Cycle: Sleep Cycle is a comprehensive sleep tracking app that provides detailed stats and sleep graphs. It utilizes your phone's sound recorder to analyze sounds and track your sleep. The app offers smart alarms, sleep aids, and an audio library of soothing tracks. However, some features require a premium subscription. Sleep Cycle is ideal for those who want to thoroughly examine their sleep patterns.
- Apple Health App: For Apple users, the built-in Health app on iPhones and iPads can be used to track sleep. When paired with an Apple Watch, it can monitor your sleep data, including respiratory rate and sleep history. The app allows you to set sleep goals, create customized sleep schedules, and reduce distractions with the Sleep Focus feature.
- Rise Science Sleep Tracker: This app can be used with wearable devices or on its own. It provides detailed data and helps optimize your sleep by monitoring various factors.
It's important to note that sleep tracking apps provide insights into your sleep patterns but may not always be medically accurate. If you suspect a sleep disorder or experience persistent sleep issues, it's recommended to consult a healthcare professional for a professional sleep evaluation.
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Sleep tracking with Apple Watch
Sleep tracking is an important feature of the Apple Watch, helping users to understand their sleep patterns and improve their overall health. To use the sleep tracking feature, you must first enable "Sleep Tracking" on your Apple Watch. This can be done during the initial setup if your Apple Watch is paired with your iPhone, or you can turn it on later in the Watch app by going to the “My Watch” tab and selecting “Sleep". Make sure your Apple Watch is charged to at least 30% before you go to bed to ensure it has enough power to track your sleep.
Once Sleep Tracking is enabled, wear your Apple Watch to bed and ensure you wear it for at least one hour each night. The watch will then automatically measure and record your sleep data, including the number of times you breathe in a minute (also known as respiratory rate). This data is added to the Health app on your iPhone, where you can view your sleep history and additional details such as the time and percentage spent awake or in REM, Core, or Deep sleep. You can also view your recent sleep data directly on your Apple Watch by opening the Sleep app and turning the Digital Crown.
In addition to tracking respiratory rate, the Apple Watch can also monitor your nightly wrist temperature while you sleep. This data can provide insights into your overall health and sleep quality. To access this information, go to the Settings app on your Apple Watch, then navigate to Privacy & Security > Health. From here, you can turn on or off the Respiratory Rate and Wrist Temperature tracking features.
To enhance your sleep tracking experience, you can create a personalized sleep schedule on your iPhone using the Health app. Set a sleep goal, such as the number of hours you want to sleep, and adjust your wind-down time to receive a bedtime reminder and enable Sleep Focus before your scheduled bedtime. Sleep Focus reduces distractions by simplifying your Lock Screen and limiting notifications. You can also create multiple sleep schedules, such as different schedules for weekdays and weekends.
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Frequently asked questions
Some of the best sleep trackers on the market are the Oura Ring 4, the Apple Watch, the WHOOP 4.0, the Withings ScanWatch 2, the Ultrahuman Ring Air, the SLEEPON Go2Sleep 3, and the Bía Smart Sleep Mask.
Sleep trackers use motion to detect sleep when you wear them to bed. They can also monitor your heart rate, respiratory rate, blood oxygen levels, skin temperature, and sleep duration. Sleep trackers can also detect interrupted sleep, letting you know when you wake up during the night.
Sleep trackers can be inaccurate due to their reliance on actigraphy, a technology that measures movement. For example, a tracker might assume that you are sleeping when you are awake but lying still. For medically accurate sleep-tracking data, a polysomnography test is the best method.
To track your sleep with an Apple Watch, make sure your watch is charged to at least 30% before bed with Sleep Tracking turned on. Wear your watch to bed for at least 1 hour. You can also create sleep schedules to help you meet your sleep goals.
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