There is a growing interest among Americans about sleep tracking technology that can record the duration of sleep each night, as well as sleep stage, to help them get more rest. <\/p>\n
Nearly half of Americans (48%) have used a sleep tracking device within the last year to monitor their sleep quality, according to the recent results<\/a> of an American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) survey. This is up from 35% in 2023.<\/p>\n More than half (55%) are also adjusting their sleep behaviors based on what they learn. However, there may be an unintended consequence of paying attention. Anxiety over achieving optimal sleep metrics, also referred to as orthosomnia<\/a>, keeps 76% of Americans awake at night, the survey shows.<\/p>\n This anxiety may be due in part to the viral Gen-Z \u201csleep-maxxing<\/a>\u201d trend, which is an umbrella term<\/a> for the variety of influencer tips to get better sleep, such as eliminating caffeine, sleeping in a cold bedroom and using sleep tracking devices. Many<\/a> of the tips are part of expert-based sleep hygiene tips, just rebranded for social media.<\/p>\n \u201cSleep trackers can be valuable tools for raising awareness about sleep health and motivating positive changes in sleep habits,\u201d Shalini Paruthi, M.D., AASM spokesperson and member of the Emerging Technology Committee, said in a news release<\/a> about the results. \u201cHowever, it\u2019s important that tracking enhances sleep and doesn\u2019t cause more stress about it. If you find yourself lying awake worrying about your sleep duration or quality, it may be time to step back and consult with a healthcare professional about your concerns.\u201d<\/p>\n