Staying Healthy
Bad bedfellows
Sleep trackers have pros and cons, but the devices may also lead to slumber-sabotaging anxiety.
- Reviewed by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
You woke up with a pep in your step, feeling energetic and well rested. But wait: your sleep tracker says otherwise. Does the data change your plans for the day and how you'll approach bedtime that night? Are you now anxious when you'd been feeling calm?
The rise of sleep tracking devices — which monitor physiological factors related to sleep — has made this conundrum increasingly relevant. A 2023 survey by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine shows that more than one-third of Americans have used electronic sleep tracking devices.
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About the Author
Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
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