Sleep is essential for adults, but many people don’t get enough of it. The market has recently been flooded with sleep-monitoring devices. Is the data reliable? And do they help you get a better night’s rest? Let’s delve more into this.
Sleep Monitoring Devices
The way sleep trackers work and the data they collect differ significantly. The following are the most popular sleep monitors:
1. Wearables
During the night, you sleep with one of these attached to your wrist or finger. They typically monitor your heart rate and movement. Others monitor your breathing patterns as well. The majority of these gadgets serve multiple purposes. You can likewise monitor what you eat and how much exercise you do during the day.
2. Devices for the bedroom
These gadgets go right next to your mattress. They are primarily interested in tracking how you move and breathe. Temperature, humidity, noise, and light levels, as well as other environmental factors, can all be stored in these devices.
3. Sensors in the bed
Under your sheets or mattress, these devices are tucked away. They monitor your heart rate and movement. Temperature and humidity readings can also be tracked by some devices. There are also smart beds, which have sensors built into the mattress.
Another aspect of investing in sleep monitoring devices is dealing with the security and worrying about safeguarding your sleep cycle’s route from curious inquisitors. Many apps available for Android and iPhone use come equipped with their own specific safety protocols. But a good VPN download can double up that security feature by allocating its own unique IP address to your chosen sleep monitoring device. Try VeePN and its robust services.
Understand your Typical Sleep Cycle
Effects of Sleep Deprivation on the Brain
Sleep is essential for a human being’s routine about his or her day. If the needs for a typical sleep cycle are not met continuously, they can have adverse effects of sleep deprivation on the brain and cause:
- Sleep disorders
- Anxiety
- Disrupted Day Routine
This is why it is essential to understand your typical sleep cycle for a healthy and functioning life.
In most cases, you can access your sleep data through an app. Each night’s sleep data is summarized in the sleep monitoring device’s report, along with the number and times of your nighttime awakenings. Light sleep vs. deep sleep is a distinction that can be made by some devices.
In light of the fact that sleep monitors are still in their infancy, medical professionals advise users to proceed with caution when drawing conclusions from their data. Here’s a list of dos and don’ts:
Do: Keep track of how many hours of sleep you get each night by using your sleep tracker
Sleep trackers are an excellent way to ensure that you’re getting the recommended amount of sleep at night.
In addition, a sleep monitor may assist you in improving your sleeping patterns. Bedtime alarms and screen time limits are among the sleep-related features found in many apps. Then there are those who suggest making changes to your sleeping environment, such as turning the temperature down or using a white noise machine. Caffeine, exercise, and other daytime activities can have an impact on your ability to sleep at night.
Don’t: Check the quality of your sleep with a sleep tracker
Tracking your sleeping patterns can help you better understand how well you’re resting. Clinical sleep studies, however, are the only way to accurately determine your current stage of sleep (polysomnography). This type of data is not collected by any of the currently available consumer electronics.
Do: Consult with your physician about the results of your data analysis
It is recommended to consult with professionals to understand reports better and maintaining a healthy and typical sleep cycle is no different. But this goes as far as discussing your sleeping routine with your doctor, he won’t be able to use the data because consumer devices aren’t tested or regulated for clinical diagnostic purposes. However, your doctor may be able to use the data to help determine if clinical testing is appropriate for you to chart out a detailed and customized medical plan or routine for you.
Don’t: Worry too much about your sleep monitor
Using a sleep tracker can cause anxiety in some people. How long do you spend fiddling with your gadget at night? You’re worried that you won’t be able to get enough sleep? Or are you awake in bed thinking about the fact that you can’t get any sleep? Using a sleep tracker won’t benefit you if this is the case. Permit yourself to relinquish the past and move on.
Benefits of Healthy Sleep
As your life progresses, so do the benefits of sleep tracking for maintaining healthy sleep. There are times in the future when an unimportant number can become the most significant one. Despite the fact that these quantified truths are non-judgmental, you decide their relevance. You give them the benefit of the doubt.
Without you, the data has no meaning, and it has no say in determining who you are or how you feel on any given day. However, it helps you better understand yourself. It enables you to make better health decisions. Having some of your doubts cleared up allows you to focus on your subjective experience of rest and what you need to improve it. That’s one of the advantages of sleep monitoring.
