Are you sleep-deprived? Most individuals disregard the importance of getting a good night’s sleep without being aware of its benefits.
The most effective method of keeping track of your slumber quality is by investing in a sleep monitoring device. These devices rely on various factors, such as body movement, temperature, noise, and heart rate to determine quality.
The guide below will help you understand the features and methods of work of these trackers.
What do these devices monitor?
Sleep-tracking devices measure sleep quality in individuals from a variety of aspects. For instance, they keep track of the exact amount of time a person spends sleeping by paying attention to his/her activity levels. Also, these trackers determine sleep quality by detecting any movements of the users while sleeping, such as tossing and turning. Check out this site with useful tips for those tired of tossing and turning.
Moreover, some of the more advanced models track the amount of time a person spends in each sleep phase. The normal sleep cycle occurring during the night consists of five stages, all of which last between 90 and 110 minutes. The initial stage lasts no longer than a couple of minutes, during which an individual is highly likely to wake up.
In the course of the second stage, individuals are also in a slumbering state; only brain waves are gradually becoming slower. During the third and fourth stages, individuals are sleeping like a log, allowing the body to undergo the necessary repairs and enhance the function of the immune system. Throughout the ultimate REM stage, the brain restores its activity, thus inducing dreams.
By calculating the time people spend sleeping in each stage, tracking devices help them determine the time when they are in a state of light slumber. As a result, one can set up his/her alarm to wake him/her up while sleeping lightly. Additionally, these devices evaluate the impact of environmental factors on sleep quality, such as the presence of light and room temperature.
Furthermore, certain models even include the influence of lifestyle factors on slumber quality. The largest part of high-end sleep monitoring devices allows users to enter sleep-related health metrics. On a daily basis, individuals can include the caffeine amount they’ve had, the foods they’ve ingested, as well as their stress levels.
How do these trackers work?
Many people are curious about the methods these monitoring devices use to assess whether a person is asleep or awake. Body movement is unquestionably the main indicator, measured via actigraphy and accelerometry. By assessing one’s rest and activity cycles, these non-invasive monitoring methods determine whether the user is napping or not.
Nevertheless, the body movement of individuals isn’t the only factor considered in the monitoring process. For example, some models are equipped with microphones in order to use noise as an indicator. The absence of noise is generally interpreted as a sign of slumbering. Most microphones are capable of measuring the respiration rate of users for snoring detection.
Moreover, the changes in the heart rate of users are a useful indicator of sleep quality. When a person slumbers, his/her heartbeat, and blood pressure reduces. When an individual is awake or in the REM phase, the heart rate tends to increase.
In addition, sleep monitoring devices equipped with a thermostat feature take room temperature into account when assessing slumber quality. Individuals are recommended to nap in a room with a temperature of approximately 60˚F for the best slumber quality. For further guidance on the effects of temperature on sleep, follow this link https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/cant-sleep-adjust-the-temperature.
What to look for when using one?
These trackers provide individuals with useful data, which they can later use to improve their sleeping habits. Even though most people are aware of being sleep-deprived during weekdays, seeing the data provided by the device is often an eye-opener.
Furthermore, the data might reveal significant changes in one’s cycle, such as increased tossing and turning. Some of these changes might be indicators of a sleep-related problem like apnea or narcolepsy.
The bottom line
Use a tracking device to make sure you get enough sleep.
If necessary, make changes in room temperature, noise levels, and other environmental factors!