Do phone sleep trackers work?

"One of the first things that Dr. Ravi Aysola often tells his patients is that insomnia, that is, trouble falling or staying asleep, is normal, at least from time to time. There's no need to fear the occasional bad slumber. RAVI AYSOLA: Whether you're particularly stressed or excited, perhaps, or anxious. What we want to avoid is a chronic pattern of insomnia, and I think that has significantly worsened in our society for a number of reasons."

"Aysola says sleep trackers, like the kind on your phone or health ring or smart watch, can be very helpful for identifying patterns in your sleep, especially for people being treated for acute or chronic levels of insomnia. But they can also create a lot of sleep anxiety. AYSOLA: The fear that I'm not going to sleep, and what are the consequences of that going to be the next day? How am I going to perform?"

Insomnia, defined as trouble falling or staying asleep, occurs occasionally and is normal. Chronic insomnia has increased due to over-caffeinating, irregular schedules, and abundant sensory input from the environment and technology. Orthosomnia describes excessive focus on sleep-tracker metrics that provokes anxiety about not getting enough deep or REM sleep. Wearable trackers and phone apps can help identify sleep patterns and support treatment for acute or chronic insomnia. However, reliance on device data can create sleep anxiety, activating the nervous system and worsening perceived sleep quality and daily performance concerns. Managing expectations and avoiding obsessive tracking can prevent worsening sleep patterns.

Read at www.npr.org