![]() The first question to ask is are these devices accurate. Understanding that all these devices attempt to measure sleep using indirect information, not the actual data (brain waves, eye movements and muscle tone) used in a formal sleep study. ![]() We can evaluate the utility of wearable devices that monitor sleep. Continue to do that weekly until you are able to conclude how much sleep you need to be at your best. If you feel that you could use some improvement try increasing your sleep time by 30 min. If you feel well rested now and always feel alert you are getting enough sleep. So how do we figure how much sleep we need to function at our highest level. Missing two hours of sleep compared to what is required can lead us functioning as if we have a measurable alcohol level. Simply, one needs as much sleep as it takes to keeps us from fighting sleepiness during our waking hours, and to function at our best level of alertness. There are studies that quote what the average needs are, but this can be highly individualized. It has been well established that to feel well rested during the day we need a certain amount of sleep. There is no doubt that there are significant and potentially severe abnormalities of sleep that need to be addressed and are best resolved by physicians trained in Sleep Medicine. There is also excellent data that demonstrates that it’s not just the quantity of sleep, but also disruptions to sleep that prevents sleep from being restful. Part of the problem is that what we measure may not truly reflect the biological differences between various levels of sleep. Interesting studies have suggested relationships between sleep stages and certain pathologies, but nothing that is definitive. Research has tried to evaluate the significance of the various sleep stages and quantify the normal amount of sleep time that should be spent in each stage. The definition of sleep and its stages is based on 3 of these parameters, brain waves, eye movements and muscle tone. Normal values for all these parameters have been argued and sometimes established. Analysis requires sleeping at a sleep testing facility and being hooked up to multiple wires that routinely measure brain waves, eye movements, muscle tone, oxygen levels, respiratory effort and rate, electrocardiogram, and leg movements. Sleep began being analyzed in earnest in the 1950’s. Lung, heart, kidneys, and liver functions can all be measured in various ways. Blood pressure, pulse, temperature, body mass, blood levels of hormones, various chemicals, and molecules are routinely assessed. In medicine, we measure everything we can and compare it to what we define as normal. We measure by timing how long things last, we measure speed to assess how fast things go, we measure length, height and width to see how things fit, and we measure weight and mass to assess how big things are. These devices claim to monitor the quantity of sleep and some also claim to monitor the quality and stages of sleep. Over the last several years there has been an array of devices that are available to monitor sleep from the comforts of one’s own bed.
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