The BuZZZ about Sleep

Your latest Buzzword is Orthosomnia

Millions of people use sleep-tracking devices to keep an eye on how much sleep they are getting night after night. But as the popularity of the devices is increasing, a new problem is popping up: orthosomnia.

Orthosomnia is a term used to describe a person’s obsession with trying to get the best possible sleep according to their sleep tracking data. Some people are so concerned with their sleep scores that it’s actually causing them to get worse sleep.

Symptoms of orthosomnia may include anxiety, difficulty sleeping, fatigue, and irritability. Orthosomnia is not an established diagnosis, however, and more research is needed to better understand what is happening.

Because sleep trackers do not produce perfect or reliable data, experts caution against placing too much emphasis on the information. If you find yourself paying more attention to your sleep-tracking device than to how you actually feel after sleeping, it might be time to talk with your doctor or take a break from your sleep tracker.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

Subscribe for Free

Subscribe to the digital edition of Healthier Sleep for free! Issues are emailed to subscribers at least four times per year. Your email will be used for this purpose only.