{"id":28332,"date":"2024-03-01T07:00:31","date_gmt":"2024-03-01T12:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/restonic.com\/sin-categorizar\/sleep-tracker-wrecking-sleep-8516"},"modified":"2024-04-09T09:09:42","modified_gmt":"2024-04-09T13:09:42","slug":"sleep-tracker-wrecking-sleep-8516","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/restonic.com\/es\/blog-es\/sleep-tracker-wrecking-sleep-8516","title":{"rendered":"Is Your Fitness Tracker Wrecking Your Sleep? Dig It or Ditch It?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Collecting data about your sleep habits may be a good idea, but experts say take the info with a grain of salt<\/h2>\n

With sales of fitness trackers still soaring, you\u2019d think that we\u2019d all be sleeping better because of their sleep tracking features. That\u2019s not the case for many.<\/p>\n

Keeping a record of snooze time has created a new set of problems, from anxiety to unreliable data. This might be enough to give users pause about whether the technology is smart \u2013 or just another way to spend money.<\/p>\n

So before you plunge ahead, here\u2019s the good, bad and ugly to consider before you try or buy\u2026.<\/p>\n

\"FitnessFitness trackers are good in bed says one expert<\/h2>\n

Dr.\u00a0Michael\u00a0Breus<\/a>, a SleepScore Labs advisory board member, is widely known as The Sleep Doctor. He\u2019s a recent tracker convert now that the technology has improved.<\/p>\n

\u00abHistorically sleep trackers have had many challenges,\u201d he says. \u201cFirst was to create an easy way to measure sleep. Second was to help make this data meaningful for users. Finally, was to give users personal actionable protocols to improve their sleep. Without these issues being solved, a person can get anxiety from the collection and misinterpretation of this data.<\/p>\n

All of these issues have recently been solved with the introduction of the S+ technology from ResMed and SleepScore Labs. This has a high level of accuracy, with a score that is research driven. The users data is compared to others in the same age range and gender, and finally personal recommendations are generated to help people sleep better, not just give them data.\u00bb<\/p>\n

Mixed feelings from a former insomniac<\/h2>\n

Ethan Green, a former insomniac who started the website NoSleeplessNights.com, bed-tested many personal sleep trackers with mixed results.<\/p>\n

While he praised them for their ability to \u201cprovide a fascinating insight into the mysterious third of your life you spend asleep,\u201d he points out that they aren\u2019t 100% accurate and may interpret lying down or not moving much while watching TV as sleep.<\/p>\n

Once you\u2019re asleep, Green says that they do a pretty job calculating sleep<\/a> and non-sleep time you spend in bed.<\/p>\n

\"Insomnia\"Not so helpful says another expert<\/h2>\n

\u201cSleep trackers are basically motion detectors,\u201d says Dr Robert S Rosenberg<\/a>, a board-certified sleep medicine physician and author of\u00a0The Doctor’s Guide to Sleep Solutions for Stress & Anxiety.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cTheir algorithms assume with motion you are awake and without it you are asleep. They tend to overestimate total sleep time. They are very poor at detecting true awakening during the night. They purport to be able to tell if you are in a light or deep sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

He points to studies using simultaneous electroencephalography that show trackers cannot differentiate between light and deep sleep. Some trackers also claim to be able to detect when the user is in a light sleep phase, which prompts the device wake up him or her at just the right time. Dr. Rosenberg says that has also be found to be false.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you understand the limitations of trackers, you can get a reasonable estimate of how long you sleep and when you fell asleep and awoke,\u201d he says. It might help explain to someone why they are always fatigued at work.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe main issue I see is when my patients come to me with their sleep tracking devices<\/a>, and they are concerned about how little or how much deep sleep they are getting, or even worse how much REM sleep they are or are not getting,\u201d continue Dr. Rosenberg. \u201cThese devices are not at all accurate in detecting sleep stages. Once you understand their limitations, they can have a place in your being able to see if you truly get the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Even that can be taken too far. There are many of us who do fine with 6.5 to 7.5 hours of sleep. My recommendation is that you always keep in mind how you actually feel and do not become a slave to the numbers.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re buying a fitness or sleep tracker\u2026.<\/h2>\n

\"TurnAfter you\u2019ve heard what the experts say about sleep trackers, you might be even more curious to try them for yourself. Keep in mind you basically have two choices in terms of gadgets.<\/p>\n

You can go the wearable route and get something you can put on your wrist like a Fitbit or Jawbone. Such gizmos have other health-boosting features to take advantage of, including heart rate monitor, step measurement and calories burned \u2013 ideal for getting a broader picture of your fitness and wellbeing <\/a>level. Some can be synced with your phone so you can get alerts on incoming text and phone calls.<\/p>\n

For some sleepers, wearing anything might be a distracting annoyance. There are better options for devices that monitor your sleep. Many of them still require some sort of physical contact to work. One example is the Beddit 3.0 Smart Sleep Monitor uses a thin strip that runs under your sheets to gather information using a smart phone app. There are less obtrusive for those who like to sleep unencumbered.<\/p>\n

Go ahead and give sleep trackers a whirl and report back to let us know how it worked or didn\u2019t work for you!<\/p>\n

Rest well & wake up ready to go!<\/span><\/h2>\n

Better sleep gives rise to better mornings, bringing your goals into focus and dreams within reach. Hungry for more sleep info? Dig into these posts:<\/span><\/p>\n