What You Need to Know
Sleep tracking technology has improved significantly in recent years, but what you can learn from your sleep stats has its limits. While sleep trackers can offer insights into general sleep patterns, they are not FDA-approved devices to diagnose or treat sleep disorders. In fact, most sleep trackers on the market are classified as “lifestyle or entertainment devices,” not medical devices.
1. Sleep Trackers Are Not Medical Devices
According to a position statement from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), sleep trackers qualify as lifestyle or entertainment devices, not medical devices. This means that they cannot be used to diagnose or treat sleep disorders. While they can be useful tools for monitoring sleep, they should not replace professional medical evaluations.
- Experts warn that relying solely on sleep tracker data can lead to inaccurate results.
- Some sleep trackers may not accurately detect sleep stages or wakefulness.
- Device-free bedrooms are essential for a healthy relationship with sleep.
2. The Data May Not Be Accurate
Michelle Drerup, PsyD, the director of behavioral sleep medicine at the Cleveland Clinic’s Sleep Disorders Center in Ohio, notes that many sleep trackers use an accelerometer to estimate sleep. However, this device may not accurately detect movement, leading to flawed data.
“The lack of movement in bed can register as light sleep, which is not accurate,” says Dr. Drerup. “If you wake up in the middle of the night and stare at the ceiling without moving, the tracker won’t register you’re awake.”
Kelly Glazer Baron, MPH, PhD, a clinical psychologist with specialty training in behavioral sleep medicine and a professor at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, agrees that the data can be inaccurate. “Many sleep trackers use an accelerometer, a device that measures how much you move, to estimate sleep,” she notes. “If you spend time in bed reading or scrolling through your phone, the lack of movement will likely register as light sleep, which is not accurate.”
3. The Most Accurate Sleep Tests Monitor Brain Waves
Polysomnography, the type of test that sleep labs use, is considered the gold standard in measuring sleep. This test monitors brain wave activity, eye movement, muscle tension, movement, and breathing for accurate measurement of the four stages of sleep.
4. Trackers May Encourage Technology Use Before Bed
Wearing a device or using a sleep-tracking app may prompt you to pick up and start using a mobile phone or other screened device before bed, which is a drawback. This can make it tougher to fall asleep due to the light from your phone and other screens.
5. Sleep Trackers May Help You Notice Certain Sleep Patterns
While sleep trackers can offer insights into general sleep patterns, they can also help you recognize patterns in behavior that may affect your health. They can be particularly helpful for people who suffer from insufficient sleep syndrome, in which people don’t spend enough time in bed to get an adequate amount of sleep.
6. Over-the-Counter Sleep Trackers Can’t Diagnose Sleep Disorders
Currently, many commercially available sleep trackers are not designed or FDA-approved to diagnose sleep disorders or other health problems. However, some devices, such as smartwatches, may detect signs of sleep apnea or other health issues.
In some cases, sleep trackers can make insomnia worse if people spend more time in bed lying awake. This can train the brain to associate your bed with not sleeping or unsuccessfully trying to fall asleep. “It may seem counterintuitive, but part of the behavioral treatment for chronic insomnia is to actually spend less time in bed trying to sleep,” says Dr. Baron.
The data from popular sleep tracking devices can present a huge opportunity for sleep researchers to gather larger datasets about sleep and health trends.
Sleep trackers can offer insights into general sleep patterns, but they should not replace professional medical evaluations. It’s essential to be aware of the limitations of sleep trackers and to consult with a healthcare provider for proper diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders.