How can sleep trackers actually ruin your sleep?

The technology designed to understand our sleeping habits can actually worsen our insomnia, as per an expert report from Karen Zraick and Sarah Mervosh of the New York Times. Let’s learn the sad reality of sleep trackers and apps.

For many years fitness gadgets have measured basic data like footsteps, calories burned, etc and motivated us to stay active and fit by shedding extra pounds. Sleep tracking is still in the nascent stage that many tech companies are experimenting with- the people who have been sleep-deprived for many years.

One in three people reports regular sleep complaints. People are more concerned about getting enough sleep. This interest has brought a revolutionary explosion in the gadget/app industry of sleep trackers, which measure hours of sleep you get at night. When we sleep, we go through cycles of “deep” “light” and “rapid” eye movements (REM) sleep. The “deep” part of sleep is the one which keeps us feeling refreshed the next day. Majorly, sleep trackers are in the form of watches or belts worn on the wrist and track by determining body movements when you sleep.

It is great to know so many people want to improve their sleep and claims of sleep tracker devices really outweigh the validation of what they show us. Then don’t perform a good job of estimating sleep accurately as per Kelly Glazer psychologist at Rush University in Illinois, US.

How can sleep trackers ruin your sleep?

Despite the popularity of sleep tracker devices, only a few studies have investigated how accurate sleep devices are. So far, researchers have found that sleep trackers are accurate only 78% of the time when identifying sleep vs wakefulness. 38% accuracy rate drop because it depends on participants’ time taken to fall asleep. Polysomnography tests is the actual way to track sleep. It is accurate as it tracks a person’s brain waves, heart rate, breathing, blood oxygen levels, and body & eye movements during sleep through electrodes attached to the skin and scalp.

The only definitive way to know someone is awake or asleep is by analyzing brain wave patterns. Since sleep trackers are worn on the wrist, the measurement of night sleep is done by measuring the body movements and sometimes heart rate data. Activities of the body provide few clues in what stage we are in of sleep. Many tracker devices fail to differentiate one stage of sleep from another based on motions.

Many sleep devices haven’t been compared against polysomnography tests. It is challenging to measure accurate rates. Furthermore, the algorithms that the companies use to measure sleep are unknown. Thus it makes it difficult for scientists to identify whether the assumptions made by sleep devices are valid or not.

In the case of people with insomnia, sleep tracker underperforms. In an attempt to fall asleep, people with insomnia tend to stay still in bed. As sleep trackers track through body movements, they generate false reports. As per the study, watches are unable to differentiate between sleep and wakefulness in people.

Watches that incorporate heart rate are more accurate as heart rate fluctuates during different sleep stages. Researchers still doubt the accuracy of heart rate tracking devices due to less research on it.

Sleep anxiety disorder: sleep trackers consequences

In the end, the question is whether knowing about our sleep is helpful? One of the best ways to stay awake is to try hard to go to sleep. It sounds counterintuitive, but this works with people who have chronic insomnia and because of an excessive preoccupation of sleep causes anxiety and low mood, which further causes sleeplessness.

This effect can be worsened by sleep-tracking watches, as per the study. E.g. As per the survey, participants were given watches to track and keep a complete measure of their mood, thinking processes and sleepiness throughout the day. But the score given by their watches was manipulative, i.e., some showed increased or decreased sleep quality. The amount of sleep taken by participants in both groups were the same.

As per this study, those who were told they had poor night’s sleep show lower mood, difficulties in the daytime thinking process, and increased sleepiness. And those who were told to have a great night’s sleep showed opposite signs.

This data shows sleep trackers can change your emotional state and concentration level during the day- even if the readings are accurate. Sleep trackers can cause concern as they may worsen mental health issues.

Conclusion

According to studies, many patients seek treatment for perceived sleep difficulties because of false feedback from sleep tracker watches. Even when polysomnography tests shun such complaints, watches continue to provide sleep-related anxiety. Overuse of wearable devices increases health anxiety and depression, and the sleep devices are doing the same with our thought process.

Sleep devices might be helpful for those who have a fixed sleep pattern or generally have a good sleep and those who want to establish a better routine. People with poor sleep and mental health conditions should avoid such wearable devices. The best metric to measure your sleep is done by checking how you feel each day or the next morning. If you are tired and struggling to concentrate, then going to bed early might help you feel refreshed and rested in the morning- no device required!

I hope you found this blog helpful. Let me know your views on the same in the comment section below.

Happy reading!

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