Sleep optimization through devices and supplements has become increasingly popular, but medical professionals caution that excessive focus on sleep tracking may be counterproductive. The clinical term “orthosomnia” describes an unhealthy obsession with achieving perfect sleep, and while not formally recognized as a condition in the UK, doctors report observing signs of it in patients who arrive at appointments with sleep tracker data.
Sleep trackers gained prominence following the introduction of the Fitbit Classic in 2009, with numerous manufacturers including Garmin, Whoop, Apple, Oura, and others incorporating sleep analysis into wearable devices. These trackers typically measure sleep stages and assign users a numerical “sleep score.” However, according to Dr. Alanna Hare, a sleep medicine consultant at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London, the concept of a sleep score is “completely made up” and has no basis in established sleep science. She notes that trackers are generating anxiety among her patients, with individuals expressing concerns despite having received reassuring medical test results.
Research demonstrates that sleep trackers can negatively affect daytime functioning independent of measurement accuracy. In a study from the University of Oxford, participants received trackers with randomized scores unrelated to actual sleep quality. The following day, those told they had slept poorly reported increased fatigue and reduced mental alertness, despite the scores being fabricated. This phenomenon reflects broader concerns that assigning numerical targets to sleep encourages worry and creates cycles of sleep-related anxiety.
Dr. Neil Stanley, a sleep expert and author, argues that gamifying sleep produces more disordered sleeping patterns. He explains that wrist-worn trackers measure movement rather than brain activity, and therefore do not actually measure sleep itself. Stanley notes that the fundamental limitations of these devices remain unchanged since his research into actigraphy approximately 40 years ago.
Dr. Hare recommends simpler approaches to better sleep, including maintaining a cool, dark, and quiet bedroom environment, exposure to bright light in the morning to support circadian rhythm regulation, and maintaining a healthy diet with light exercise. She emphasizes keeping sleep practices straightforward, stating that additional interventions are unnecessary.
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