--- title: "Smartphones for Superior Sleep: How Useful are Sleep Trackers?" description: Sleep tracking fitness gadgets and smartphone apps monitor the length/quality of your sleep. How accurate are they, and can they improve your health? image: https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/hs-fs/hub/299691/file-2279790979.jpg --- **[![ASMS_logo_shadow_round](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ASMS_logo_shadow_round.png?width=200&name=ASMS_logo_shadow_round.png "ASMS_logo_shadow_round")](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/)** **Advanced Sleep Medicine Services, Inc.** The Sleep Experts`®` (877) 775-3377 ## Sleep Better, Live Better Blog ### *We believe that education is the first step to finding better sleep. Our articles educate people on sleep news, sleep disorders, and sleep care to help them achieve better health and live better lives. * *Thanks for joining the conversation.* ## [Smartphones for Superior Sleep: How Useful are Sleep Trackers? ](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/smartphones-for-superior-sleep-how-useful-are-sleep-trackers) Posted by [Julia Steele Rodriguez](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/author/julia-steele-rodriguez) Find me on: [Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/julia.steele818) [LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/in/juliasteele) [Twitter ](https://twitter.com/juliasteelerod) Jan 1, 2015 8:00:00 AM ![sleep-tracker-phone-app-sleep-cycle](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/hs-fs/hub/299691/file-2279790979.jpg?width=220&name=file-2279790979.jpg) A few months ago we wrote a post on how [electronics in the bedroom](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/sleepbetterblog/three-good-reasons-to-keep-your-phone-out-of-the-bedroom) can disturb and distract you from your sleep. But now, **sleep trackers in phones and health gadgets are offering a way to use technology to monitor and perhaps improve your sleep habits. ** That’s right—popular fitness devices like [Fitbit](http://www.fitbit.com/) and smartphone apps like [Sleep Cycle](http://www.sleepcycle.com/) are now providing functions that let you track, not only the number of hours you spend sleeping, but also how restful your slumber is. How useful and accurate are these devices, and how can they be used to improve your nightly routine? ### **So what exactly is a sleep tracker? ** Sleep tracking functions are included with many multi-purpose fitness devices, like Fitbit and Jawbone Up. Such gadgets are loaded with other health-related capabilities, like exercise monitors, calorie counters, and food logs. Altogether, they emphasize a restful, revitalizing sleep routine and help to incorporate it into a healthy lifestyle. Other programs take advantage of your oft-used, all-in-one smartphone. Apps are as inexpensive as a few dollars or even free. Both methods let you record your sleep on a nightly basis and monitor it over time, which can help you pick up patterns in your behavior. ### **How do they measure sleep quality? **  Many sleep trackers work under the principle of measuring an individual’s movement during the night to assess their sleep quality. They use embedded accelerometers to detect motion and correlate it to the user’s wakefulness or restlessness. For instance, many fitness gadgets are worn clipped near the torso or on the wrist during sleep, so as to measure motions like rolling over or even just moving your arm. iPhone and Android apps require that the phone be kept in close proximity to the sleeping person so that it can measure shifting of the body and bed (this can create added complications, as it presents the temptation to use [sleep-disturbing electronics in bed](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/sleepbetterblog/three-good-reasons-to-keep-your-phone-out-of-the-bedroom)). This method of determining slumber has its drawbacks. It can misinterpret fidgeting as wakefulness or wide-eyed contemplation as sleep. If the user doesn't sleep alone, the machine could mistakenly pick up the movement of a bed partner. At best, the process is inexact because it does not take into account factors like brain waves, breathing, and heart rate. ### **How can I use a sleep tracker to improve my nightly routine? ** Sleep monitors are a great way to get an overall picture of the number of hours you sleep each night. You can then compare your habits to the CDC’s [sleep duration guidelines](http://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/how_much_sleep.htm) to see if you’re catching enough zzzs, or if you should consider hitting the sack sooner. A consistent record of your sleep behaviors over time can also help you discern telling patterns in your routines that might lead you to change your behavior. Do you tend to run on very little sleep for a while and then crash for days once your exhaustion is overwhelming? Does caffeine or a certain food tend to keep you up late into the night? Do periods of stress impact your ability to fall asleep? Gaining insight into your habits can help you correct the less healthy behaviors for a more restful night. Finally, sleep trackers provide a great incentive to change your lifestyle for the better. If you know that you’re going to have to log your evening rest, you might rethink that 2:00 a.m. bedtime! Just the act of using the tracker means that you are becoming cognizant of your sleep practices and how they contribute to your overall health. Anything that inspires people to improve their health and recognize the importance of sleep is good in our book! ### **How *can’t* a tracker improve my sleep?  ** However, sleep tracking phone apps and fitness devices have some serious limitations. They can’t tell you anything about your brain activity during sleep—meaning it’s dubious that they can distinguish certain phases, like REM sleep.  Also, if you have a breath-related disorder the device might not realize exactly how labored your sleep is. Most importantly, such a device **is not a substitute for a professional sleep test**. A much more detailed [polysomnograph (in-center sleep test)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/sleep-studies) or a [Home Sleep Test (HST)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/home-sleep-testing) is needed to diagnose [sleep disorders](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/types) like sleep apnea or [restless leg syndrome](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/sleepbetterblog/restless-leg-syndrome). These tests are conducted by a local sleep center, like [Advanced Sleep Medicine Services](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/). If you think you might have a sleep disorder, feel free to [contact us](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/contact) for more information, or download our 5 Steps to Scheduling a Sleep Study below! **Have you used an app or fitness gadget to monitor your sleep? Comment and let us know what type, how it worked, and what insight it gave you!** ** ** Photo Credit: [Doug Belshaw](https://www.flickr.com/photos/dougbelshaw/)     Topics: [Good Sleep Habits](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/good-sleep-habits), [Sleep and Society](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sleep-and-society) ## Share this blog post: [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Fsmartphones-for-superior-sleep-how-useful-are-sleep-trackers%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on LinkedIn](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/linkedin-24x24.png)](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Fsmartphones-for-superior-sleep-how-useful-are-sleep-trackers%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dlinkedin) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Fsmartphones-for-superior-sleep-how-useful-are-sleep-trackers%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Fsmartphones-for-superior-sleep-how-useful-are-sleep-trackers%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Smartphones%20for%20Superior%20Sleep%3A%20How%20Useful%20are%20Sleep%20Trackers%3F%20) [![Share on Pinterest](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/pinterest-24x24.png)](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Fsmartphones-for-superior-sleep-how-useful-are-sleep-trackers%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dpinterest&media=) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Fsmartphones-for-superior-sleep-how-useful-are-sleep-trackers%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Fsmartphones-for-superior-sleep-how-useful-are-sleep-trackers%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ### Subscribe to Email Updates Search our blog Search ### Posts by Topic - [Children and Sleep (1)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/children-and-sleep) - [Coffee (1)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/coffee) - [CPAP Alternatives (2)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/cpap-alternatives) - [CPAP Supplies (9)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/cpap-supplies) - [CPAP Treatment (25)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/cpap-treatment) - [Diabetes (2)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/diabetes) - [Doctor's Opinion (4)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/doctors-opinion) - [Economics of Sleep Medicine (15)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/economics-of-sleep-medicine) - [Good Sleep Habits (59)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/good-sleep-habits) - [Health Insurance (20)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/health-insurance) - [Heart Disease (2)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/heart-disease) - [Insomnia (2)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/insomnia) - [Job-Related Sleep Disorders (7)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/job-related-sleep-disorders) - [Kids and Sleep (20)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/kids-and-sleep) - [Narcolepsy (1)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/narcolepsy) - [Preparing for your sleep study (2)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/preparing-for-your-sleep-study) - [Sex and Sleep (7)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sex-and-sleep) - [Sleep and Exercise (1)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sleep-and-exercise) - [Sleep and Society (41)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sleep-and-society) - [Sleep Apnea (60)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sleep-apnea) - [Sleep Business (3)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sleep-business) - [Sleep Disorders (30)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sleep-disorders) - [Sleep Studies (30)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sleep-studies) - [Telemedicine (1)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/telemedicine) - [Treating Sleep Apnea (29)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/treating-sleep-apnea) - [Women and Sleep (14)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/women-and-sleep) ### Most viewed posts ### Recent Posts **Contact Us:** Advanced Sleep Medicine Services, Inc. Corporate Office 17835 Ventura Blvd. Suite 300 Encino, CA 91316 Phone (877) 775-3377 Fax (877) 855-6227  [info@sleepdr.com](mailto:info@sleepdr.com) ## **Top Links:** [Frequently asked questions (FAQs) ](http://www.sleepdr.com/frequently-asked-questions)[Download Service Request Form (Rx) ](http://www.sleepdr.com/service_request_form)[Request medical records ](http://www.sleepdr.com/request-medical-records)[See a complete list of locations ](http://www.sleepdr.com/locations)[Schedule an appointment ](http://www.sleepdr.com/schedule)[Sleep Better, Live Better Blog ](http://www.sleepdr.com/sleepbetterblog)[Contact us](http://www.sleepdr.com/contact) **About Us:** Our mission is to empower sufferers of sleep disorders, like sleep apnea, to lead more fulfilling lives by improving their sleep. We believe that by caring for and educating our patients and diagnosing and treating their sleep disorders we can help them achieve better health. With 20 locations across California, we are the leading provider of in-center and in-home (HST) sleep studies, PAP therapeutic devices, and replacement PAP supplies. We are contracted with more than 300 medical groups and commercial health plans. We partner with independent physicians who are at the forefront of the field of sleep medicine and together we provide high-quality, affordable, result-oriented and patient-centric diagnostic and therapeutic sleep medicine services. We strive to make all our interactions with patients, referring physicians, coworkers, and others courteous, caring and professional and we consider each interaction with our patients as an opportunity to live up to our commitment to the highest standards of patient care.  ### Subscribe to our blog: [![Twitter link](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/hubfs/twitter-865437-edited.png "Twitter link")](https://twitter.com/mysleepdr)[![Facebook link](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/hubfs/facebook-square-750598-edited.png "Facebook link")](https://www.facebook.com/AdvancedSleepMedicine)[![LinkedIn link](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/hubfs/linkedin-815276-edited.png "LinkedIn link")](https://www.linkedin.com/company/advanced-sleep-medicine-services-inc) ## Original photos by Francisco Crow [www.fc-images.net](http://www.fc-images.net) All rights reserved. Our administrative offices AND sleep centers will be closed on Monday, September 5, 2016 in observance of the Labor Day holiday.