Sleep APPS

[gbs]

I have for the last six months monitored sleep using the Garmin app. The result are often plausible but frequently ridiculous eg telling me that my sleep ended at 0700 when I was already up and about at 0500. I think that is incontrovertible that sleep is important for mental health and recovery from from physical effort. So, I will welcome suggestions for other apps from readers who have experience. I do not mind paying up for the best app available. I think this is important

I have always erred on the underside and have in the last 10 years rarely exceeded 7 hrs in a night. I rarely have difficulty in falling and staying asleep but usually wake early at 0600 or earlier. In recent months my problem has worsened as an an inevitable consequence of lung cancer surgery in April and then chemotherapy.

 

[numbnuts]

Using my Garmin for sleep is utter crap, it takes me ages to fall asleep and I can lay awake for hours, but Garmin tell me I'm asleep when in fact I just keeping still in bed.

 

[Slick]

Yeah, I don't even bother looking at sleep data now its so wild. I don't think any of the popular apps are one bit better than the next though.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Ask the question - "what sensor technology is required to actually monitor sleep?" and then check your hardware to see if such a sensor is built in. AFAIK you need a bunch of electrode type things stuck to your scalp to monitor things like alpha waves. If your device doesn't have the appropriate sensor(s) built in you are getting rubbish output whatever "app" you choose.

 

[gbs]

All reads like common sense to me; if you do not use the appropriate kit you get nonsense results. I will now abandon sleep monitoring but draw some comfort from knowing that I am not the only with "abnormal" sleep patterns

 

[Mo1959]

I paid for Sleep Watch for my Apple Watch and it’s pretty good, but as mentioned, only proper electrodes measuring brain waves are going to be totally accurate.

 

[gzoom]

My Galaxy Watch 4 seems pretty good, does 24hr HR monitoring too. But from what I understand the extra sensors on it, is why the battery life is only 2 days versus nearly a week on a Garmin Watch?

 

[Oldhippy]

At the risk of sounding dumb, why would anyone need a sleep app? Your body tells you if its well rested surely?

 

[Julia9054]

I wouldn't be able to sleep with something strapped round my wrist. Far too uncomfortable

 

[Mo1959]

I wouldn't be able to sleep with something strapped round my wrist. Far too uncomfortable

I wear my Garmin 24/7 apart from charging. Never give it a second thought.

 

[MontyVeda]

Sleep tracking on my garmin (forerunner) is next to useless. As mentioned upthread, i know i'm awake and it thinks I'm sleeping... plus it only records one sleep per day, so on afternoon snooze doesn't register.

The FitBit (charge 2) was a lot better. I appeared to accurately track my sleep and 'knew' when i was motionless yet awake, or asleep, and tracked my afternoon snoozes. It did have one odd incident though... I'd taken it off for a shower and put it back on a couple of hours later, but the data registered a sleep for the time it was in my bathrobe's pocket

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

Polar, Oura, WHOOP and Somfit devices outperform Apple Watch and Garmin devices in studies so it may not be as simple as searching for a different app on your current device.

 

[Petrichorwheels]

Using my Garmin for sleep is utter crap, it takes me ages to fall asleep and I can lay awake for hours, but Garmin tell me I'm asleep when in fact I just keeping still in bed.

Does it tell you you won Le Tour in your dreams?

 

[Milkfloat]

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/best-sleep-trackers

 

[Badger_Boom]

At the risk of sounding dumb, why would anyone need a sleep app? Your body tells you if its well rested surely?

Minutely monitoring my sleep would just stress me out because I'm getting too much/too little/the wrong type etc. I put them in the same catagory as smart meters and credit scoring apps - solutions in search of a problem (or potential sales in search of a market).