We all know how important sleep is — it’s the foundation of our health, energy, mood, and even productivity. Yet, most of us struggle to answer a simple question: How well do I actually sleep?
That’s where sleep tracking devices come in. From wearables like smartwatches and rings, to under-the-mattress sensors and even smartphone apps, these tools promise to decode our nights. They can monitor patterns, estimate sleep stages, and sometimes even nudge us toward better habits.
But how accurate are they? Do they truly help us sleep better, or are they just another piece of tech to obsess over? Let’s explore the fascinating world of sleep trackers — and how to use them wisely to support healthier sleep.
What Sleep Trackers Do Well
- Accurately estimate total sleep time
Scientific studies show that many wearables closely match polysomnography (PSG) in tracking overall sleep duration - Highlight patterns over time
These devices are useful for spotting long-term behaviors and trends—like how caffeine or screen time affects sleep—even if the nightly details are not as accurate - Offer health-supportive guidance
Tracking your rest can motivate better sleep routines and promote sleep- appropriate habits, optimizing sleep health overall - Validated by research to boost perception of sleep quality
In a controlled study, simply wearing a sleep tracker was noted to improve participants’ perceived sleep quality – possibly through increased sleep awareness or elevated physical activity.
Where They Fall Short
- Limited accuracy in staging sleep
Distinguishing light, deep, or REM sleep remains imprecise. Scientific studies have noted overall sleep-vs-wake accuracy of 78% and just 38% accuracy in estimating sleep stages. - Likelihood to cause sleep-related anxiety (“orthosomnia”)
Some users become obsessed with perfect sleep metrics—a phenomenon known as orthosomnia—which can ironically worsen insomnia - Potential to cause emotional and cognitive effects
Misleading or overly negative sleep data can impact mood and daytime thinking—even if the actual sleep quality wasn’t poor- consistent with “you are what you believe”. - Privacy concerns
Wearables collect sensitive health data—which in the past has been shared without client knowledge. - Not a substitute for medical evaluation
While trackers can suggest patterns or flag concerns, they cannot reliably diagnose conditions like sleep apnea—this can only be achieved via sleep testing.
To Believe your sleep tracker or not?
- Understanding overall sleep habits- Yes, use over time for trends
- Improving sleep hygiene- Yes, motivational insights are helpful
- Enjoying health tech features- Yes, if you are comfortable with privacy concerns
- Getting clinical precision or diagnosis- No, consult a sleep expert
- Reducing anxiety about sleep stats- No, could backfire and worsen sleep
Recommendations: If You Decide to Use One
- Treat the data only as the guide that it is.
- Track long-term trends more than nightly variations (which can be normal).
- Avoid checking your sleep data obsessively at night- get another hobby.
- Use in conjunction with sleep-appropriate habits (dark room, screen curfew, consistent schedule).
- If data persistently hints at fragmentation or irregularity—and you wake unrefreshed—consider talking to a sleep professional.
Final Verdict
Sleep tracking devices are great coaches—but they’re not the referee. They can shine a light on the part of our lives we’ve been sleeping on! Use them to guide your habits, not diagnose your health.
*Image from the internet – not original to Sleep Coach MD.