Leah Martin, a 48-year-old lawyer and mother, thought it was normal to get only three to five hours of sleep. But she started noticing the impact it had on her health, including headaches and fatigue.
“I wasn’t happy and I wasn’t healthy,” Martin shared.
As a competitive runner, she had already been using fitness devices like Fitbit and Oura to monitor her activity but became preoccupied with her sleep scores. “I wanted it to be perfect,” she admitted. “I’ve always aimed for optimal sleep, but my drive sometimes wasn’t healthy.”
Throughout the years, she explored various sleep techniques, such as using white noise machines, melatonin, herbal teas, and the like. She even wore an eye mask and installed blackout curtains, all to improve her sleep quality. It was exhausting.
“The tracking felt detrimental,” Martin reflected. “I started checking my device during the day, and it really didn’t help my sleep. I was just worried about how much sleep I was getting and whether I was achieving the right sleep cycles.” Each morning, the first thing she did was look at her sleep stats.
Why do I feel like my sleep is interrupted?
Martin’s experience is not rare. The CDC reports that over one-third of adults don’t get the recommended seven hours of sleep per night.
“We’re spending more time on our phones, and that exposure to light can reduce melatonin levels,” said Dr. Andrea Matsumura, a sleep medicine physician.
This trend, particularly prevalent among Generation Z, often results from late-night social media use. Factors like demanding schedules and mental health concerns, such as anxiety and depression, can also disrupt sleep.
With the rise of health trackers, people are becoming more conscious, and sometimes more anxious, about their sleep quality. “People are just more attentive now that they can monitor it,” noted Dr. Alon Avidan from the UCLA Sleep Disorders Center.
While it may seem logical to do everything to improve sleep, experts warn that the pressure to achieve perfect rest may backfire and lead to what’s termed orthosomnia.
What is orthosomnia?
Coined by clinical researcher Kelly Glaser Barron in 2017, orthosomnia refers to an unhealthy fixation on achieving ideal sleep. It’s not an official diagnosis, but can lead to increased anxiety and strict bedtime rituals, according to Dr. Ashwini Nadkarni from Harvard Medical School.
The popularity of trackers like Oura has inadvertently fueled this obsession, causing users to treat sleep as a task rather than a natural process. “They can feel anxious when their data shows issues, especially when comparing themselves to family members,” Avidan explained.
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, nearly half of Americans will use a sleep tracker by 2025. A recent survey found that 55% have adjusted their habits based on the information these devices provide.
“Sleep is a natural biological function, not an accomplishment to be mastered,” stated clinical psychologist Liz Ross. “When scores become the focus, it can increase anxiety around bedtime.”
What’s the problem and why the data isn’t solid?
Anyone can get trapped in the score-chasing mindset, but those with insomnia are especially vulnerable. “People often treat wearables like definitive authorities on their sleep quality,” explained Molly Eastman, founder of Sleep Is A Skill, who noted behaviors like obsessively checking scores.
Cindy Yang, a 28-year-old wellness entrepreneur, mentioned instances where she would skip social events or forego drinks just to protect her score. “It became almost game-like in deciding when to wear the tracker,” she said.
Eastman emphasized that this rumination is counterproductive. The more one tries to control sleep, the more anxious they become, viewing sleep as a problem rather than a natural occurrence.
Hilary Schoninger, a therapist, pointed out that people’s actual sleep often doesn’t match their device’s data. This disconnect is crucial since home devices generally offer less reliable metrics like sleep stages and don’t directly measure brain activity.
When tracking turns into score tracking
Cindy Yang explained that when committed to health, it’s easy to get swept up in the latest gadgets. “A typical lineup might include various tech, from Oura rings to supplements,” she noted. Initially, she felt validated by her scores, but the demands of her New York lifestyle often prevented her from achieving her desired metrics. Now, she only wears her ring on nights she expects to sleep well.
“Sometimes, I’d even decline plans just to maintain my score,” she said.
Experts like Eastman believe that tracking can be helpful when it shifts from “earning sleep” to understanding overall health. “It can serve as a useful check engine light,” she stated, flagging patterns that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Collaborating with a physician to accurately interpret data is important. Avidan pointed out that clinicians prioritize overall sleep duration and consistency rather than obsessing over specific metrics.
The best approach is to understand the limitations of sleep trackers. Ross noted that metrics are estimates that vary night to night. Consumer devices can often lag in data accuracy, making scores less dependable.
Jackie Samsky, a 33-year-old with a genetic circadian rhythm disorder, pointed out that her Oura ring frequently misreported her sleep. She realized the tracker wasn’t designed for non-traditional sleep patterns and moved toward a neutral assessment of her rest.
For those who recognize obsessive tendencies, it may help to stop tracking altogether, focus on long-term habits, and tune into their actual feelings. Matsumura even suggested abandoning devices and relying on personal awareness of sleep, which can provide a clearer picture.
Schoninger concurred, emphasizing the disconnect between devices and subjective experience. “Ultimately, devices can’t assess how we feel in the morning,” she said. “If we push too hard for certain outcomes, we often create more problems.”
For Leah Martin, the shift came when she stopped fixating on the metrics and focused instead on simply resting. “I don’t worry about that anymore. I know if I feel good, that’s what’s really important,” she concluded.
