How Data from Wearable Tech Can Inform Your Mattress Choice

Wearable technology has been revolutionary in the last few years in the way that we track and monitor our health. We're able to track our fitness, we're able to track our sleep and some devices even allow us to check our blood pressure. These are devices that can offer real time insights and these insights can empower us to make smarter health decisions. Wearable technology has long been associated with fitness tracking. Think about the Fitbit or the Apple Watch and their ability to monitor steps, heart rate and sleep. But the ability to monitor sleep is what we want to hone in on. It's becoming an increasingly important factor for many consumers when it comes to making decisions about their mattresses.

A mattress is a significant investment, and you need to make sure that you're investing in the right one for your health and comfort. Understanding how your sleep patterns fluctuate can help you to choose one that will enhance your quality of sleep. In this article, we're going to talk about how users can leverage the data from their wearable technology to make informed choices about mattress selections. 

Understanding Wearable Tech and Sleep Tracking

More technologies such as smart watches, fitness trackers, and dedicated sleep monitors have become tools for individuals interested in improving their sleep hygiene. Because these devices collect various sleep metrics, we're able to get an idea of how the body's recovery process works while we sleep. Popular wearables such as Fitbit, Apple Watch, the Oura Ring and Whoop Strap provide sleep data through sophisticated algorithms that analyze patterns and trends over time.

If you regularly track your sleep, you can gain a lot of insight into how high quality your rest is. When it comes to choosing a mattress, you can use this information to help you to pick the right firmness and the right size.

Key Sleep Metrics Tracked by Wearables

Wearable technology attracts different health metrics, but sleep metrics are an entirely different category. To better understand how wearable technology can inform your mattress choice is essential to know the specific sleep metrics that these devices are tracking. These metrics include:

• Stages of sleep. Wearable devices will often break down your sleep into stages such as light deep and REM sleep, which is rapid eye movement. Mattresses that support your sleep can help you to maximize the time spent in the restorative deep and REM sleeping stages, which are critical for your body’s recovery.

• How long you sleep. This is a metric that tells you how many hours you're actually getting quality sleep each night. An insufficient amount of sleep can leave you to think that your mattress may not be provided the support that's necessary to fall and stay asleep in your bed.

• How efficient your sleep is. Sleep efficiency measures the percentage of time spent in bed compared to the time spent asleep. A low sleep efficiency score could indicate that you are waking up frequently through the night. This can be because of discomfort or because of nightmares, whichever, but it could be linked to your mattress support or its firmness level.

• Heart rate variability. There are some wearable technologies out there that track heart rate variability, which can offer you insights into your body's stress and recovery levels during sleep. It's closely tied to the body's ability to rest and rejuvenate. Mattresses that have reduced pressure points and keep your spine aligned may contribute to a better HRV during sleep.

• Movement. Wearable technology can tell you how much you're tossing and turning at night time. Movement can suggest that your mattress is not providing you with enough comfort or support. This leads to an uncomfortable sleep that disrupts your overall rest.

• Resting heart rate. This is a metric that shows how fast your heart beats when you're resting. A high resting heart rate during sleep can suggest that your mattress is not helping you to achieve the optimal relaxation, which is what you need for a good quality sleep.

• Your breathing patterns. There are some advanced wearables that can track irregularities in your breathing, which can highlight possible sleep disorders. Mattresses that facilitate better air flow and reduce discomfort can help to mitigate some of these issues that you're experiencing.

When you track these metrics, you gain a key understanding of how your mattress affects the quality of your sleep. If you notice that your sleep quality is poor despite following the best good sleep hygiene practices, the next step is to assess whether it's your mattress that's meeting your body's needs or not.

How Wearable Tech Can Help You Choose the Right Mattress

Now that you understand a little bit more about the sleep metrics that are tracked by wearables, let's explore how this data is going to help you to choose the right mattress that you sleep on at night time. Below, we've outlined how you can use your wearable technologies sleep data to make an informed choice.

Evaluating Mattress Firmness Based on Sleep Stages

If your workable technology is showing you that you're spending a lot of time at night in light sleep, or you're waking up frequently, it could be a sign that your mattress lacks the proper support. Choosing a mattress with the right level of firmness is necessary for promotion of deep sleep. Deep sleep is what's going to improve rest and recovery for your body at night time.

• A soft mattress, for example, is ideal for side sleepers or those with joint pain. Soft mattresses can help to cushion the body's pressure points, but it may not be suitable for those who require more support for their spine.

• A medium firm mattress is often the best compromise for back and stomach sleepers, especially because it can provide both support and comfort without sinking you into the mattress too deeply.

• A firm mattress is great if you're a back or stomach sleeper. A wearable can show whether you are often experiencing disrupted sleep. The firmer the mattress, the better your spinal alignment.

Improving Sleep Efficiency with Temperature Control

Wearable technology can help you to monitor your body temperature through the night. If your sleep efficiency is rather low and your wearables are showing significant fluctuations in body temperature, there may be an indication that your mattress doesn't regulate heat very well. Whether overheating or feeling too cold, your sleep cycle is disrupted. There are some mattresses out there that come with cooling technologies or breathable materials and that can help you to regulate your body temperature. Think bamboo materials with good wicking.

Reducing Movement and Enhancing Sleep Quality

Your smart watch or your fitness tracker can help you to see whether or not you are waking up or tossing and turning through the night. Do you have high levels of movement or wakefulness? This is a suggestion that your mattress is not offering enough support to keep you comfortable while you sleep. There are motion isolating mattresses on the market, so if you share your bed with a partner, a mattress with a good motion isolation, such as memory foam or hybrid mattresses can reduce the impact of their movements, which help you to steer sleep through the night.

Monitoring Heart Rate Variability for Recovery

Heart rate variability is one of those key indicators of overall health and recovery. Mattresses that promote better rest can positively influence this particular metric on your wearable. If your wearable is currently showing that your HRV is low and your heart rate is high when you sleep, your mattress may not be providing you enough comfort or support. With a mattress that offers the right pressure relief, you'll be able to have proper spinal alignment and your pressure points will be alleviated.

Considering Sleep Apnea and Breathing Patterns

The Apple Watch is one of the most popular wearable technologies to track your breathing patterns while you sleep. If you notice irregularities in your breathing, such as periods of shallow breathing or even gasping for air, you may be dealing with sleep apnea. If you have breathing issues, then choosing a mattress that allows for some significant and easy airflow that doesn't trap heat is an essential for you.

Sleep Duration and Consistency

You should be able to sleep for around 7 to 9 hours per night. If you're not meeting this target, your wearable technology is going to provide you with the data to help you to assess why. Your mattress may be contributing to your inability to get enough rest, so you need to make sure that you have the right size and layout of mattress so that you can avoid this issue.

We may be in a tech driven world, but wearable technology is more than just something for your fitness and your health. When you monitor your key sleep metrics, you'll be able to determine how your body is responding to different sleeping conditions. When you combine this data with understanding about mattress materials, you'll be able to choose the best mattress for your bed.