Sleepmaxxing! Is sleep tracking helpful or harmful?

Sleep tracker app on a phone screen next to someone's bed

Is SLeep Tracking helpful or harmful?

Sleep is a hot topic. 

As Ellie-Mae Hammond says in this feature from Marie Claire, ‘wellness has become a data sport’, and this can certainly be argued for sleep too. To become the ‘epitome of health’, those in the industry are battling more and more statistical challenges.

We are tracking sleep; scoring it; optimising it. Some people call this trend “sleepmaxxing.” 

New data from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine found that almost 1 in 2 adults used a sleep tracker in the past year (48%), up from 1 in 3 in 2023 (35%). 

More than half say they changed their behaviour as a result of their sleep data (55%).

This result sounds promising. Tracking sleep can raise awareness of patterns, highlight problem areas, and support healthier routines. In this article by Ed Cooper, he shares positive experience using a trackable to show the improvements he made in his own sleep patterns.

For many people, data from wearables or even a simple sleep diary can act as a powerful motivator for consistent bedtimes, reduced evening screen time, or cutting back on late caffeine. 

However, there is a potential disadvantage to sleepmaxxing.... 

When sleepmaxxing becomes a source of stress

Pie chart showing 76%

According to the AASM survey, 76% of US adults have lost sleep because of worries about their sleep. 

This suggests that a condition called ‘orthosomnia’ may be becoming more widespread. Orthosomnia (from “ortho,” meaning “correct,” and “somnia,” meaning “sleep”) occurs when an unhealthy obsession with tracking data leads to a feeling of pressure to sleep perfectly, more anxiety and - as a result - worse sleep. 

Rather than simply getting rest, people start focusing on their sleep scores. Potential disadvantages of this approach include the inherent variability in tracking data; validation studies suggest that wearable devices are 60-70% accurate when it comes to tracking sleep stages. 

These devices only achieve “fair to moderate” assessment of sleep stages in comparison to lab sleep tests like polysomnography.  So, ‘while wearables have a high sensitivity for detecting sleep, they often overestimate sleep while you're lying still’. Focus on trends over time, and remember the most important metric is how you function the next day.

Worry and anxiety activate the survival mechanisms that keep us awake. This can mean that the more we try to force deeper sleep, the more elusive it will become.

The AASM survey found that anxiety peaked among younger adults, especially those aged 18-24, who were also those most likely to use sleep trackers and embrace trends like “sleepmaxxing.” This generation has been immersed in digital health culture for years, often encouraged by influencers to tweak diets, environment, caffeine, and bedtime routines in pursuit of the ideal night’s rest. 

When sleep tracking helps and when it hurts

There’s a big difference between using data to inform your routine and letting it dictate your worth.

Tracking can be an excellent tool when it helps you:

• Identify patterns over time, such as midweek sleep shortages or a decline in sleep quality after late night exercise

• Reinforce motivation for making positive changes (like consistent sleep/wake times)

• Investigate the impact of behavioural changes (ideally one at a time)

• Identify when you’re sub par, and might benefit from a lighter exercise day

• 
  

I am an advocate of using data from wearables, or a simple pen and paper sleep diary, to test what works for you, and to help track changes over time.. 

But I have seen it have negative effects when:

• You’re checking scores during the night

• You feel anxious about “bad” nights

• You focus on individual nights, rather than longer term trends

• You start equating your value with your sleep numbers

There is still a place for wearables and I can’t deny the benefits of the functions they possess but don’t let it take over what’s important - how you feel.

What can you do if sleep tracking is stressing you out

If your data is causing stress, it’s a sign it’s time to step back.  

You might want to consider a tracking holiday:

1. Take a break from your tracker. Give yourself a couple of weeks without checking stats.

2. Focus on daytime behaviours that make good sleep more likely — regular exercise, natural light exposure, balanced meals, and calming routines.

3. Relax your expectations. Sleep doesn’t need to be perfect to be restorative — your body benefits from it even when it’s “messy.”

4. Seek perspective. If anxiety around sleep persists, talking with a health professional can help you separate worry from reality.

There is no doubt that wearables can be useful tools, but sleep usually thrives in an environment of acceptance, rather than obsessive scrutiny. If you create the right conditions; consistent routines, a calming atmosphere, healthy daytime behaviours - and then relax, your sleep will come to you.