Sleep trackers have been made to help people with their sleeping problems. However, the devices are seen to be causing more sleeping problems instead. Sleep trackers can actually produce more sleeping problems, as a study shows.
One instance shows why sleep trackers can cause more sleeping problems, as shown when a man received a sleep tracker as a gift. Initially he thought that this would help in his sleeping problems. Soon, however he has found himself having more sleeping anxieties with the sleep tracker.
The sleep tracker has essentially pressured him to get eight hours of sleep. When he cannot get eight hours, this puts more pressure to try and get eight hours the next night. This becomes a cycle wherein more anxiety is added just to get enough sleep with the sleep tracker.
The study has shown that more people are trying to rely on sleep trackers to try and help them sleep. As much as 15 percent people in the US have sleep trackers such as Fitbit. More people are also thinking of getting sleep trackers.
Kelly Glazer Baron, Ph.D., MPH is lead author of the study and a psychologist. She is also researcher as well as a clinician for sleeping disorders at Rush University Medical Center and an associate professor also. She has said that sleep trackers aren't really that accurate in tracking sleep.
People today try to get data as much as possible on their physical health on a daily basis. However, Dr. Baron has said that it can lead to even more stress. The behavior is not only limited to sleep monitoring, but can also be applied in other areas as well.
People who rely too much on data made by devices can begin to be too reliant on them and not on medical specialists, according to the Rush University Medical Center's site. This has been the case with some patients, who trust more on the data given by their devices than on the advice made by doctors.
One issue with sleep trackers is that they do not differentiate in the different sleeping stages, as Science Daily reports. This could then actually help in reinforcing bad sleeping habits instead of good ones. Proper use of such devices has been advised in order to make the most out of them.
Sleep is important for people. A sleep tracker that is properly used can aid in sleeping. However, sleep trackers can actually produce more sleep problems. A study finds that couples might hide emotional problems from each other.
