Sleep tracking
[8][9][10] It is considered the "silver standard" method of sleep tracking, is comparably less expensive than a polysomnograph, and easier to incorporate into a patient's every day schedule as it looks and feels like a wrist-watch.
[8][11] However, it cannot track sleep-staging, is still generally expensive, and still requires a specialist to analyze the data it collects.
[5][6][7] A person can undergo a polysomnograph during an overnight stay in either a hospital or in a sleep center (a laboratory).
[7] Prior to the start of the polysomnograph, electrodes are attached to the individual's scalp, chin, and outer eyelids to record signals and monitors are attached to the individual's chest to record their heart rate and track their breathing as they sleep.
[6] As the individual sleeps, they are monitored by polysomnograph technologist who will take notes on things such as changes in heart rate and breathing.
[8] It is a non-invasive wearable device shaped like a wristwatch that tracks the movement of your body with accelerometers, small motion sensors.
[9] Actigraphy devices then uses the collected data to determine if the patient is asleep or awake and can also track the individual's other sleep behaviors such as wake time.
[8][9] Sleep tracking is now possible through consumer wearable devices such as smartwatches and fitness trackers and applications on smartphones.
[2][15] Unlike university sleep labs, which have made their sleep algorithms public for many years, the algorithms and methods of data collection used in consumer sleep-tracking devices have not been made public as they are proprietary and can also change at any point in time without notification to the users.
[8] Actigraphies are considered "silver standard" for sleep data collection but when compared to polysomnographies are more affordable and accessible to patients.
[17] The one patient who did return for follow-up visits and followed the recommendations of the sleep therapists, which included switching his device from sensitive mode to normal mode and decreasing his hypnotic medication, was reportedly pleased with the progress made in his sleep quality.
