We live in a world ruled by gadgets. Everywhere we turn, there is some sort of technological device to help us live our life. One device quickly growing in popularity are trackers. It seems like we track everything — our steps, heart rate, and even sleep.
Sleep trackers are intended to give you a report upon awakening of your sleep activity to help you improve your sleep. But these devices may actually be having the opposite effect.
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A new report published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that individuals obsessed with sleep trackers are at the highest risk of orthosomnia, or lack of correcting sleep. The researchers explained, “The use of wearable sleep tracking devices is rapidly expanding and provides an opportunity to engage individuals in the monitoring of their sleep patterns.”
There are a growing number of individuals seeking help for their sleep problems, as it seems that lack of sleep is becoming an epidemic in America.
The harm of sleep trackers is that people begin to convince themselves that they have sleep problems when in reality they probably don’t. Really, the proper guidance and tracking mechanism you need to determine whether you slept well or not is if you awaken feeling refreshed. If not, then there may be something going on.
The recommended amount of sleep is between seven to nine hours, which is dependent on several different factors. Common sleep disorders include sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, narcolepsy, and insomnia.
If you suspect you may have a sleep disorder, you should see your doctor who will send you to a proper sleep clinic to have your sleep tracked.
Related:
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- Essential oils for sleep: 13 ways to get the best sleep ever
