Chasing a perfect sleep score? You could be making it worse

What the report says

BBC News reports that efforts to “optimise” sleep with trackers, supplements and gadgets can sometimes backfire. The article says the trend, often called “sleepmaxxing,” has grown alongside sleep scores on devices from companies including Fitbit, Garmin, Whoop, Apple and smart-ring makers such as Oura, Ultrahuman and RingConn. Sleep doctors quoted by the BBC say they are seeing patients bring in tracker data and become more anxious about their rest, a pattern linked to the clinical term “orthosomnia,” or an unhealthy preoccupation with getting perfect sleep.

The report says some experts question the usefulness of sleep scores, arguing that they are manufacturer-created measures rather than a recognized concept in sleep science. It also cites research from Oxford in which participants received randomized sleep scores; those told they had slept badly then felt more tired and less alert the next day, even though the scores were not based on actual sleep. The BBC also notes a proposed lawsuit in the United States against Oura alleging its rings cannot accurately measure sleep stages or quality, while Oura says it stands behind its science and accuracy claims.

The article includes an example from London resident Jess Hill, who says she became overly reliant on her Garmin watch and felt trapped in a cycle of worrying about nightly results. Sleep specialist Dr Neil Stanley told the BBC that turning sleep into a numbers game can make it more difficult to rest well.

For better sleep, the BBC says specialists recommend keeping the bedroom cool, dark and quiet, getting morning light, exercising lightly and maintaining a generally healthy diet, while avoiding unnecessary complexity.