AASM: Sleep trackers on the rise
By HME News Staff
Updated 9:38 AM CST, Thu November 16, 2023
DARIEN, Ill. – More than one-third of Americans have used an electronic sleep-tracking device, according to a 2023 survey from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. A majority of those who have tried a sleep tracker found it was helpful (77%) and have changed their behavior because of what they learned (68%). “As sleep trackers continue to grow in popularity, we have seen more people pay attention to their sleep quality, sleep routine and sleep duration,” said Dr. Seema Khosla, a spokesperson for the AASM and a sleep medicine physician. “It is important to use the information in the context of how you feel. If your sleep is not restorative and your sleep tracker shows low oxygen levels at night, it is best to have this evaluated further by your primary care or sleep clinician.” Although taking the initiative to improve sleep quality by paying closer attention to your habits is beneficial, the survey also found that monitoring sleep can increase anxiety for some, AASM says. “Sleep trackers can help to keep us accountable,” said Khosla. “They can encourage us to maintain a consistent bedtime and rise time and remind us that we should aim to get between seven and nine hours of sleep a night. They also remind us about the importance of regular exercise and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Having access to all this information can be overwhelming, so if your tracker is causing you to lose sleep, it is OK to put it away.”
Comments