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In today’s world, most of us are suffering from sleep disorders. Such as Insomnia, Sleep apnea, etc. Sleep is actually a very important ingredient of a healthy life.
Most of us need at least 7-8 hours of sleep every day to recharge our body and mind.
But the problem is stress, anxiety, office workload, lack of exercise and excess consumption of junk food contribute to these sleep disorders.
And, ultimately we start suffering a lack of sleep which invites life-threatening diseases.
If you are suffering from these conditions then you should track your sleep.
No, you don’t need to wake up several times to track your sleep dude. There is a technology built for it. Thanks to sleep trackers, they can now track your sleep while you are sleeping without interrupting you.
So, do you want to know what are sleep trackers and how they work?
Let’s find out together.
First off,
What is a Sleep Tracking Device
In simple words, a sleep tracker is nothing other than an accelerometer fitted in a device that measures the body movement during sleep and sends this data to a predefined algorithm to evaluate the amount of sleep.
This does not mean they accurately measure the quality of your sleep, nor are most of them approved by the FDA. But, they provide a picture of your sleep duration with the help of an algorithm and make you aware of what steps you should take to improve your sleep.
Sleep trackers can be installed on various devices such as on your smartwatch, smartphone, headband, etc. Even, dedicated sleep trackers are available in the market.
Thanks to wearable technology, you can now wear sleep trackers and they start measuring your sleep duration and quality (not accurately) the whole night.
The data is then available in the respective software to evaluate your sleep.
Do you want to know about different types of sleep trackers?
Here’s the list.
Types of Sleep Tracking Devices
When it comes to tracking body movements, several devices are used for this purpose.
Such as Smartwatch, Smartbands, Wearable Headbands, Smart Rings, and even Smartphones capable of tracking your body activity.
So, let’s take a look at some of them.
Smartwatch
Smartwatches became popular in 2020 and now every second person uses them due to their multipurpose use.
They do not only show you the right time but also track your activity, measure oxygen levels, heart rate, and much more.
But some high-end smartwatches do have sleep tracking such as Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch series, and other big brand smartwatches.
These smartwatches come with an accelerometer that tracks your body movement during sleep and sends the data to software where it’s evaluated and you get the result.
Smartphone
Smartphones also have accelerometers and some free and paid sleep-tracking apps use their accelerometers to track your body movement while you are sleeping and your phone is resting beside you.
This software also uses your snoring activity via the smartphone mic to measure the amount of sleep and show you the data that you can use to improve your sleep quality.
Wearable Headband
In recent years, wearable headbands have gained popularity for sleep tracking. These headbands are specially built for this purpose so you will get more accurate results than the above options.
You just need to wear the headband on your forehead and it’s start tracking your movement. The company also provides software for your smartphone or laptop to synchronize the headband with them and get the data to the software.
This data is used to show you your sleep quality more accurately.
Wearable Smart Ring
Smart rings are also getting popular these days. Even they are very handy as you can wear them on your finger and forget about it.
Right after wearing it, your smart ring starts collecting data via the sensors and gives you the results of your sleep quality.
How Do Sleep Trackers Work?
Most sleep trackers use the built-in accelerometer to track body movement and send the data to a set of predefined algorithms.
This algorithm then evaluates the data and gives a picture of your sleep quality as a graphical representation or in a written format.
However, some more intelligent algorithm uses heart rate sensors and even oxygen sensors to collect these data and get more accurate results.
Does Sleep Trackers Provide Accurate Data?
If you ask me then I would say no.
Most sleep trackers do not provide accurate results however they help you to improve your sleep quality.
Measuring sleep is not the game of a small device. It needs to measure the brain waves which is only possible in a controlled environment. This is only possible in the laboratories.
But, this does not mean that these devices are crap. They provide you with a better picture of your sleep quality and provide you the opportunity to improve it with further practice.
Does Sleep Trackers Have Any Side Effects?
It depends.
If you are so cautious about these devices and the data they provide, you may feel anxious and misunderstand your sleep.
You will also suffer ot Nocebo effect in which you may be demotivated if you see bad results.
But, if you do not overvalue them, they may benefit you.
So, don’t over-depend on these devices to improve your sleep quality.
Is it Really Worth Tracking Your Sleep?
Well, actually in this busy world, we are becoming more careless about our health. When we come home from the office we get tons of work and worries with us which keeps us awake even when it’s sleep time.
As better sleep is very important for our lives, we should track our sleep for better health.
However, it’s not mandatory.
If you are getting proper sleep, then you don’t need to track your sleep.
But if are suffering lack of sleep then these devices will help you get a better picture.
Conclusion
So, here is my view about sleep tracking devices sold around the market. These devices help in getting a better picture of your sleep. But not the exact one.
If you want to really track your sleep then you should walk to the sleep tracking lab.
Otherwise, these devices are good for you.
Look, many diseases originate from lack of sleep so you must take proper sleep every night if you last long forever. Whether you are tracking your sleep to get it better to not you should have to take long 7-8 hours of sleep every day.
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