The Best Sleep Trackers to Help You (Finally!) Rest Better
By Amy Schlinger
Why is it that sleep is the first thing to go when we’re feeling stressed? We work late, we toss and turn, we wake up in the middle of the night…ugh. The worst.
It turns out that low-quality sleep actually sucks on a scientific level, not just a personal one. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, sleep affects not only your physical health, but also your mental health, quality of life, and safety, too. (Did you know that people are more likely to get into car accidents when they’re tired? Sad but true.)
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While you probably know that you need between seven and eight hours of sleep a night, how do you really know you’re hitting those numbers? And even if you’re indeed getting enough shut-eye, are you getting enough deep sleep? (“Sleep Deep” is one of Nutritious Life’s pillars for a reason! High-quality slumber is a crucial component of health and happiness.)
That’s where a sleep tracker comes in handy.
“Trackers work,” says Michael Breus, PhD, board-certified sleep specialist, American Academy of Sleep Medicine fellow, and author of Good Night: The Sleep Doctor’s 4-Week Program to Better Sleep and Better Health. “But it’s important to track the relative data, not just the absolute data,” meaning you need to pay attention to any changes in your sleep patterns over time to see if something’s up with your lifestyle or overall health. One number in isolation isn’t as helpful.
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These sleep trackers help you do just that. Some even offer tips to help you improve aspects of your sleep—so you can log peaceful and recharging zzzs night after night after night.
(Featured photo: Shutterstock)
The Best Sleep Trackers