PORTLAND, Maine — Sleep trackers are becoming more and more popular, with people using devices like Apple Watches and Fitbits to keep track of their sleep. Many people wonder if the information they get from that technological device is safe to rely on when it comes to sleep health.
Dr. Thad Shattuck, director of the St. Mary's Center for Sleep Disorders in Auburn, said these devices are not very accurate. He said they don't actually record sleep because they don't have the capabilities to record brain waves.
Shattuck said this technology is getting better at estimating sleep by keeping track of your movements, but you should not fully rely on it. He said a lot of his patients focus on the sleep score they get from the trackers, and the data it provides can make them anxious about their sleep.
Shattuck said it's more useful to pay attention to how you feel during the day. If you find the data helpful, and it doesn't give you anxiety, then it doesn't hurt to use these devices. But generally people should try and focus more on getting seven to nine hours of sleep each day.
"I think that if you have insomnia, and if you have anxiety about your sleep, then really focusing on that data can be a negative thing and can make and create this unrealistic standard that you are aiming for this sleep score rather than paying attention to how you are really actually sleeping," he explained. "You really should try and pay attention to how you are sleeping based on how you feel but then also look at it longitudinally over the course of a week or two weeks."
"I think using the data, if you can, to go ahead and make sure you are getting adequate sleep because there is an epidemic of insufficient sleep in our country," Shattuck said. "I think it's not bad, however, if you find yourself checking in the middle of your sleep tracker in the middle of the night or in the morning, and then you kind of feel like, 'Oh my God,' anxious about it or feeling like you somehow not slept well, not paying attention to you actually feel, then I think it's a problem."
There are some *other things you can do to improve your sleep. Shattuck said it's important to put away electronic devices at least an hour before going to bed, avoid stressful conversations, don't watch television in bed, get plenty of exercise, stick to a sleep schedule, and pay attention to what you eat and drink.