By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    HIPPA compliance
    How Medical Office Staff Can Make Your Practice HIPAA Compliant
    October 29, 2021
    Everything you need to know about hyaluronic acid treatment
    Everything you need to know about hyaluronic acid treatment
    February 10, 2022
    Which Mushroom Capsules Are Good for Your Health?
    May 5, 2022
    Latest News
    6 Easy Healthcare Ways to Sit Less and Move More Every Day
    September 10, 2025
    7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
    August 20, 2025
    Hospital Pest Control and the Fight Against Superbugs
    August 20, 2025
    Hygiene Beyond The Clinic: Attention To Overlooked Non-Clinical Spaces
    August 13, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Extending the Frontiers: Working Despite Alzheimer’s and Campus Smoking Bans
    September 1, 2011
    Wall Street Protesters Need a Cause Like Healthcare
    October 6, 2011
    Maps 2.0: Interacting With Our Health Care World
    November 14, 2011
    Latest News
    Healthcare at a Crossroads: Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever
    September 9, 2025
    How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
    August 22, 2025
    How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
    August 22, 2025
    How One Fall Can Lead to a Long Road of Medical Complications
    August 22, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Sleep Monitoring at Home
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > eHealth > Sleep Monitoring at Home
eHealth

Sleep Monitoring at Home

DrTerrySimpson
DrTerrySimpson
Share
6 Min Read
SHARE

 

We are not getting enough sleep and it is hurting us

The evidence is clear: the less sleep you get the more likely you will develop heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and an obsession with fine coffees (Peet’s Major Dickason’s for me)

 

More Read

Healthcare IT Pain Points
What Are Your Health IT Pain Points?
Mobile Health Around the Globe: Operation Smile India Launches mHealth Application in Assam
GlobalMed Introduces Teleaudiology Station
Online Messaging Can Improve Support Group Relationships
4 New Lessons on Patient Experience from Disney

We are not getting enough sleep and it is hurting us

The evidence is clear: the less sleep you get the more likely you will develop heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and an obsession with fine coffees (Peet’s Major Dickason’s for me)

Now wearable devices, and your iphone, are able to monitor your movements at night to see if you have been moving;after you sleep – the activities before it can also measure, but that is another story (sex is about 300 Nike Fuel points).

My cure for a rough night of sleep

 

The wearable devices

I’m a fan of technology and wearable devices. My arm isn’t long enough to wear all the devices that are out there, but after testing a few of them I had to change my mind because of a twitter chat.  That I would change my mind, and that it comes from twitter may signal the end times.

Some of these devices can measure movement while you sleep (the Nike Fuel does not do this)

Measuring Sleep

As a physician if someone is having trouble sleeping on a consistent and chronic basis, they need a physician monitored sleep study. Sleep apnea (narcolepsy) is a treatable sleep condition that afflicts millions of individuals. If untreated it can lead acutely to sleeping while driving, and chronically to a form of heart disease.

That being said there is some useful information you can gleen from your sleep:

(a) Does drinking alcohol before you go to sleep cause you to have a better sleep or a worse one. Is there a difference between one glass of wine and three?

(b) Is the new mattress you had giving you more or less sleep than the old one . Since most mattress stores give you 60 days to figure this out, here is a way to plot that data

(c) Do you sleep better if you go to bed an hour later or an hour earlier?

(d) Is it time to get earplugs because your wife snores

(e) Did that piece of cheese really cause those nasty dreams?

(f) how long does it take to get over jet-lag

(g) Did that melatonin really help you?

(h) Changing to the night shift – how much sleep are you getting?

What you will not get from these devices is also important to note: you will not learn if you have sleep apnea. It cannot diagnose it, it cannot tell from any of the graphs.

Other medical issues affecting sleep include: movement disorders – like restless leg syndrome, epilepsy, parasomnias, nightmares, and more. If you have a chronic sleep issue- if you are falling asleep while driving – you need to get a sleep study and treatment.

If your partner moves a lot, it may affect the device – and none of the devices can tell you if you need a new partner.

What I learned

I’ve tried the major wearable devices – and they all do a passable job of telling me that I don’t sleep well.  Here are a few things that I learned from them:

(a) it takes me three days to get a good night sleep after going 3 time zones East to west. West to East – from China back to Phoenix – two weeks (yes, two full weeks).

(b) On vacation I discovered 8 ounces of wine has no affect on sleep – more decreases sleep a lot

(c) I don’t sleep well if I eat within three hours of going to sleep

(d) Mealatonin did nothing for me- either with jet lag or others

(e) 300 Nike Fuel points before bed provided the best sleep

Wearable or Non-Wearable

Of the devices I tried, I liked the Nike Fuel the best, and have stuck with that. It is easy to use, but it does not track sleep. I also found that the iPhone app – sleep cycle, does a great job (I often sleep listening to podcasts so I activate my iPad in my bed).

A graph from SleepCycle app –

Of the other features- such as food tracking- I prefer vitabot

If some really cool wearable device comes out- like an apple watch – you can bet it will change the game.

For a great review of two sleep wearable monitors see the New York Times article here.

Thank you @pogue (you did what no one on social media has done – changed my mind).

 

TAGGED:self-monitoringsleep
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

a woman walking on the hallway
6 Easy Healthcare Ways to Sit Less and Move More Every Day
Health
September 9, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Healthcare at a Crossroads: Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever
Global Healthcare
September 9, 2025
travel nurse in north carolina
Balancing Speed and Scope: Choosing the Nursing Degree That Fits Your Goals
Nursing
September 1, 2025
intimacy
How to Keep Intimacy Comfortable as You Age
Relationship and Lifestyle Senior Care
September 1, 2025

You Might also Like

SEM_and_Paid_Search.png
eHealth

Digital Analytics 101 for Healthcare Marketers: SEM and Paid Search

January 29, 2016

Verizon And Casio Introduce Android Smartphone Ruggedized for Hospital Use

April 29, 2011

Big Data Needs Big Connectivity

November 15, 2012
Social Media, Physician Marketing, Online Marketing
BusinessSocial Media

3 Ways Physicians Can Increase Their Social Media Following

September 11, 2014
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?