How tech is shining the spotlight on the irrefutable benefits of sleep

What do Roger Federer, Alia Bhatt, Bill Gates, and Michael Phelps have in common? They all take their sleep very seriously.

In his early days at Microsoft, however, Bill Gates believed sleep was “unnecessary” and a sign of laziness. In the podcast Unconfuse Me with Bill Gates, the billionaire recalls being impressed with how less his peers were sleeping back in the day. Now, in his late 60s, he ensures he clocks at least seven hours of sleep every night and pores over his daily sleep score.

Studies and books have regularly cautioned us against faulty sleeping habits. For instance, the book Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, which Gates has read and recommended, states ‘the physical and mental impairments caused by one night of bad sleep dwarf those caused by an equivalent absence of food or exercise.’

Over the years, several athletes, celebrities, and fitness enthusiasts have turned into vehement proponents of sleep. The advent of wearable sleep tech has ensured that a good night’s slumber gets its rightful seat at the wellness table.

Sleep tech at work

Today, most smartwatches offer sleep-tracking feature, albeit with varying degrees of accuracy and insights. Advanced fitness and recovery trackers such as the Oura Ring, which actor Alia Bhatt swears by, and the Whoop band, popularised by elite athletes like Michael Phelps, are known for their superior sleep insights. The sleep-tracking prowess of smartwatches from Apple, Garmin, Fitbit, and Samsung, such as the Apple Watch Series 8, Garmin Venu 2 Plus, Fitbit Sense 2, and Samsung Galaxy Watch 6, respectively, are considered noteworthy, too.

These gadgets monitor the heart rate, respiration rate, movement, and blood oxygen levels, among other parameters, to calculate an overall sleep score and produce actionable insights. This typically comprises data such as the duration of sleep, time spent awake, and sleep recorded in the three different stages of sleep, namely light, deep and REM (rapid eye movement), each of which plays a significant role in our physical and mental recovery.

The world of sleep tech has also seen innovations such as earbuds and headbands that facilitate and track sleep. For those uncomfortable with the idea of wearing a device to bed, there exist non-wearable sleep tracking devices, too: the Withings Sleep Analyzer, which comprises a mat that can be placed under the mattress, and the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen), which is equipped with the Sleep Sensing feature to work as a bedside tracker, are popular options.

Another relatively cheaper tool to track sleep is through apps on smartphones. There are hundreds of such apps available for both Apple and Android phones. However, since they rely on sensors on the phone, the data may not be as precise.

Making sleep count

The gym-goers, runners, and health and fitness coaches I spoke to had varied motivations to track their sleep and took their sleep scores quite seriously. Prashant Desai, a finance professional, author, and health influencer, says, “For me, sleep is so foundational that I prioritise it over exercise and nutrition.” He has been wearing the Whoop band to track sleep for over two years. Going over the sleep insights in the morning intently is now part of his daily routine.

On days when his sleep efficiency score is less than 92 per cent, Desai spends a few minutes reflecting on what could have led to the disruption in sleep, and makes necessary amends. “For example, the other day, the sleep data pointed out that my wake-up events were 1.7 times in every hour of sleep. Usually, it is around 1.2, which means something was amiss.”

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Until a few years ago, Sushant Yattam, a 38-year-old media professional, would sleep at 1:30 AM and be up and running, quite literally, by 4:30 AM. As a marathoner, early morning runs were an integral part of his life. When his heart rate started getting impacted, Yattam realised that his haphazard sleep routine needed fixing. He started reading up on sleep and closely monitoring his sleep quality using his Apple Watch and the SleepWatch app.

Figuring out that he had been compromising on his REM sleep, he says, was “eye-opening” and the first step to improving his sleep score and, ultimately, his running streak.

Hitting the sleep sweet spot

The sleep insights and a few adjustments in his sleep routine have helped Yattam achieve his optimum sleep mark. “I have figured that I hit my sleep cycles sooner if the room is dark, the temperature is around 22 degrees, and there is a three-hour gap between dinner and sleep time.” From sleeping three-four hours a day, he now ensures he clocks at least six and a half hours of sleep every night. His resting heart rate has come down to 70, from the erstwhile 78.

For Desai, a good bout of exercise, a sauna session and a cold shower significantly improve his sleep quality. “I have made changes to my lifestyle and a few sacrifices on the social front so that I don’t miss out on my eight hours of sleep,” says Desai, who firmly believes that sleep is a potent biohack to live longer and healthier.

Rest and reboot

Fitness experts and trainers have been stressing the importance of sleep more than ever. As people increasingly take to running and high-intensity workouts to up their fitness game, the need for recovery has become even more pronounced. “Sleep helps in fat loss, mood regulation, and enhancing memory and concentration. It is the most natural anti-depressant and performance pill that anyone can have,” says Urmi Kothari, fitness and energy coach and founder of Mumbai-based Kinetic Living.

Some sleep trackers, like the Oura smart ring, offer advice on what kind of workout your body is poised to handle based on how you slept the previous night. Huzefa Talib, co-founder of Bengaluru-based gym, The Outfit, plans his workout around his recorded HRV (heart rate variability) — variation in the interval between heartbeats — which, he believes, is a good measure of how well the body has recovered.

“When you have had sufficient deep sleep, you realise that you don’t need caffeine in the morning, and the weights you are lifting seem lighter. I have worked towards taking my deep sleep to three and a half hours using the insights from the smart ring.”

How much is too much?

According to a Statista Consumer Insights survey, 24 per cent of respondents in India used sleep monitoring apps during January-December 2022. Awareness and curiosity around sleep wellness is evidently on the rise. Sometimes, to the point of causing sleep anxiety among people, says Dr. Nileena NKM, specialist in psychiatry and sleep medicine, Nithra Institute of Sleep Sciences, located in Chennai.

“There are people who are obsessed about getting eight hours of sleep and want medication for it.” Dr. Nileena says listening to your body is the best indicator for sleep efficiency. “An adult usually needs about six to eight hours of sleep. If you are waking up feeling fresh and can function at 100 per cent, that is the best indicator that you have slept well,” she says, adding that excessive sleeping may cause cardiac issues.

While advancements in sleep tech have enhanced its accuracy, it is still not comparable to the actual sleep studies conducted in labs. But maintaining a record of sleeping patterns, Dr. Nileena says, is a good practice as it helps spot anomalies that can further be investigated. Simply put, sleep tracking is productive, but losing sleep over it could be counterproductive.

Sapna Nair is a Delhi-based journalist who writes on social media, pop culture, and travel