About 10% of the U.S. population has been diagnosed with an insomnia disorder, and another 20% experience occasional insomnia symptoms. There are a myriad of causes: stress, a schedule that disrupts your body’s natural sleep rhythm, poor sleep habits, mental health disorders, and other medical conditions such as sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome.
Now researchers have discovered new trigger for insomnia: preoccupation with a sleep tracking device.
As technology has evolved, more people are wearing smart watches and fitness trackers than ever before, many of which provide information about sleep quality. According to a recent survey by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, more than one-third of Americans have used a wearable sleep tracking device. Although the survey found that more than three-quarters of users find the devices helpful, researchers have identified a downside: Wearing one can encourage some people to become obsessed with achieving perfect sleep.
Sleep researchers call this social phenomenon orthoinsomnia – “ortho” meaning “correct” and “somnia” meaning “sleep.” The concept is that a person becomes so worried about achieving perfect sleep statistics that it starts disrupting their sleep.
Research finds that people with orthoinsomia frequently check their sleep tracker, become fairly obsessed with sleep tracker data, and feel anxious if they are not able to wear their device. This phenomenon is closely related to another one: nomophobia, or the fear of not having access to a mobile phone.
Studies find that people with orthoinsomnia are likely to experience similar symptoms to those with more traditional insomnia, including difficulty falling asleep, frequently waking up at night, waking up too early, not feeling well-rested in the morning, tiredness or drowsiness during the day, anger, despair, and anxiety. They are also more likely to have trouble with focus and memory, and more likely to make mistakes or have accidents.
Sleep researchers also worry a preoccupation with sleep tracking may lead to sleep problems in the long term. It’s documented that consumer sleep tracking technology is not as accurate as the devices researchers use during sleep studies. People with orthoinsomnia may overestimate the reliability of their tracking device and develop inaccurate perceptions of how well they are sleeping. This faculty information can prevent them from accessing other interventions for insomnia.
How should we address the challenge of orthoinsomnia? The research shows that sleep technology can have a positive effect on people’s sleep patterns and habits. For patients with insomnia, a doctor or therapist should review the benefits and downsides of using a sleep tracker, and assess whether using one generates anxiety in the patient.
The take-home message: While sleep trackers can be useful to understanding how well we sleep, research shows that a reliance on them can actually exacerbate and cause insomnia in some people.
