How Accurate Is My Smartwatch For Sleep?

Does your smartwatch have a tri-axis accelerometer?

Have you read through scientific journals about this tracking?

Does your smartwatch give the different sleep stages?

Do you have any sleep-related problems like sleep apnea?

Does your smartwatch give the variations in oxygen levels while you sleep?

Do the results of your tracker affect you?

Though this may sound geekish, a tri-axis accelerometer is a small motion-sensing device that can track movement in every direction. With the help of a device called a gyroscope, it measures your orientation, and based on all these, your tracker can translate your wrist movements into sleep patterns. This conversion process is called actigraphy and if you hear of any of these words in your smartwatch, you can believe that it can accurately track your sleep patterns.

Many studies have been done to understand the accuracy of smartwatches in predicting sleep. The consensus is that the process of actigraphy that converts wrist movements into sleeping patterns is a good way to measure your sleep. Though it may not be as accurate as using a polysomnogram, it is still a good benchmark. So, check if your smartwatch uses this actigraphy process.

A smartwatch tracks the different sleep stages based on your breathing pattern. In general, your breathing slows down when you're in deep sleep, is fast in REM sleep, and somewhere in between during light sleep stages. Most smartwatches rely on capturing these breathing patterns from your wrist and converting them into sleep patterns. While it may not be accurate, it can sure give an idea of your sleeping patterns.

A smartwatch can give deep insights into your sleeping pattern using which you can understand any sleep-related problems like sleep apnea. Though it is not a substitute for medical help, it can give you a fair idea, based on which you can choose to visit the related specialist.

Smartwatches that tend to give oxygen variations while you sleep tend to do a better job in measuring your sleep accurately.

While it may be a good way to ensure that you get in enough sleep, make sure you don't aim for perfection every day. If your goal is to sleep for eight hours and you don't get it on any night, don't fret too much about it. Also, don't allow this tracker to worry you or impact you negatively.

Everyday goals are good and give you a sense of accomplishment. It can help you get into a sleep routine which is eventually good for your mental and physical health. But never allow it to affect your day.