This article is a companion to The Hartford’s 2021 Summer Edition quarterly feature, The Stress of Sleep.
Electronics, work, stress – there are many reasons Americans lack sleep, and it’s costing us dearly. In 2019, drowsy driving led to nearly 700 deaths. That same year, employers lost 10 million work hours due to absenteeism and related issues from insufficient sleep.1,2
Solutions for poor sleep vary, but there’s one tool that sleep researchers and tech lovers can agree on: data.
Sleep apps, trackers and wearables have unearthed an unprecedented level of (relatively low-cost) data on our sleep habits. Not only is it cool, but it comes with promising benefits. By monitoring how much and how well you rest, individuals can optimize their shut-eye time and ultimately enhance alertness, mental health and performance.
Fitbit
Type: Wearable
Focus: Personalized data
Fitbit, one of the original wearables, has come far with its technology. Not only do they offer sleep monitoring, but so much more, from heart rate and skin temperature variation to menstrual tracking. There are many versions of Fitbit now available, but the Versa smartwatch and tracker ($229.95) is notable for its enhanced ability to measure your sleep stages, provide a nightly sleep score and customize a sleep schedule. It also offers a “Smart Wake” time which uses a quiet vibration to gently wake you during a light sleep stage. Full sleep data usually requires a Premium app subscription ($10/mo).
Oura
Type: Wearable
Focus: Personalized data
If you don’t like wearing something on your wrist, you can go for a ring instead. Oura ($299) is comparable to a thick wedding band. Made with waterproof titanium, it pairs with an app to offer wearers personalized health insights defined by Readiness, Sleep and Activity. Like other wearables, its sleep program monitors vitals (heart rate, respiratory rate and body temperature) while tracking sleep cycles and quality of sleep. Users receive a streamlined at-a-glance look at their night’s sleep stages and movement with personalized “bedtime guidance” based on the data.
Sleepio
Type: App
Focus: Cognitive behavioral therapy
As reported in The Stress of Sleep, cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) involves a five- to six-week program where practitioners work with patients to review and track their sleep habits, examine and counterprogram any harmful beliefs or anxiety about sleep and teach them relaxation techniques. Sleepio was developed by sleep experts at Oxford University and blends CBT with community groups and self-guided tools including a sleep diary, videos, articles and an audio relaxation library. It’s available for individuals through their employers or by opting into the company’s research efforts.
Sleep Number 360®
Type: Tracker
Focus: Responsive mattress
Beds aren’t just getting more comfortable, they’re getting smarter, too. Sleep Number’s 360® line spans eight models ($899 and up), using in-mattress monitors to track data and provide personalized adjustments. The movement sensors allow for adjustable firmness for each side, adjustable head height, foot warming (which purportedly promotes faster sleep) and responsive contouring for back, side and stomach sleeping positions. Each morning, owners can log onto a sleep tracker via Sleep Number’s app and receive a wellness report with their “top trends,” sleep quality score and personalized recommendations.
WHOOP
Type: Wearable
Focus: Personalized data
WHOOP is all the rage with athletes, offering comprehensive analysis of the body’s levels of exertion, recovery and rest. Its sleep program offers plenty for the everyday worker, too. Sporting a simple watch-like band, the unit and app work in tandem to track lifestyle factors, biometrics and sleep quality to provide personalized recommendations, like when to sleep and when to wake in order to maximize your circadian rhythms. Individuals receive a free strap (or pay for an upgraded version) and then sign on for monthly ($30/mo with 6-month minimum), annual ($24/mo) or 18-month ($18/mo) memberships.
1 National Center for Statistics and Analysis. (2020, December). “Overview of Motor Vehicle Crashes in 2019.” (Traffic Safety Facts Research Note. Report No. DOT HS 813 060). National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
2 Hafner, Marco et al. “Why Sleep Matters -The Economic Costs of Insufficient Sleep: A Cross-Country Comparative Analysis.” Rand health quarterly vol. 6,4 11. 1 Jan. 2017
The Hartford does not offer or provide the products or services noted in this article and cannot make any claims or promises that use of those products or services will result in improved sleep or mental health or less anxiety, stress or depression. All such products and services are provided by the companies referenced and not by The Hartford.
