Can My Sleep Tracker Diagnose Sleep Apnea in Jupiter?

July 12, 2019

Health apps and wearable technology are useful for many things. They can count your steps and remind you to stay active; they can measure your heartrate; and they can give you a place to record data about your food and water intake. Many devices even track your sleep. But how accurate are their sleep tracking abilities? Can your device help you determine whether you have sleep apnea in Jupiter?

How Sleep Trackers Work

Wearable sleep trackers mainly use actigraphy to measure sleep. Actigraphy is just what it sounds like; the device measures how much you move during the night to determine the quality and quantity of your sleep. Thus, your Fitbit, Apple Watch, or Android Watch can give you valuable information about how much you sleep each night and make you more aware of your sleep patterns. The data it collects might motivate you to cut back on caffeine, buy a more comfortable pillow, or take other steps to improve the quality of your sleep.

With that being said, you should never use a sleep tracker in an attempt to diagnose a sleep disorder. Accuracy varies widely between sleep trackers; they’re meant to give you a general overview of your sleep, not substitute for professional guidance. Plus, a sleep tracker only measures one or two key indicators of sleep. It cannot give you truly detailed information about the quantity and quality of your rest.

The Benefits of Professional Sleep Testing

If your wearable sleep tracker indicates that you move a lot during the night, it is possible that you have a sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea. However, you should not try to perform a self-diagnosis. If you believe you have sleep apnea, visit a qualified doctor and express your concerns. You could even share the data from your sleep tracker with them.

If your general physician or dental sleep medicine expert believes there is reason for concern, they can arrange for you to undergo professional sleep testing in Jupiter. Unlike data from your Fitbit or similar device, a professional sleep test is interpreted by someone who knows the ins and outs of what constitutes high-quality sleep. A real sleep test also measures much more than just your nighttime movements. It records:

  • Breathing patterns
  • Brain waves
  • Heartrate and rhythm
  • Eye movement
  • Blood oxygen levels
  • Muscle activity
  • The position in which you sleep

The results of your sleep test will reveal whether you have sleep apnea and how severe it is. Then, you can seek appropriate treatment.

Do wearable sleep trackers work? In a sense, yes — but they are no substitute for a professional sleep test.

About the Author

Dr. Kenneth Mogell is a dentist who has spent years helping patients find relief from sleep apnea via oral appliance therapy. If you believe you have sleep apnea, he would happy to help you arrange to undergo a professional sleep study. To learn more about Dr. Mogell and his services, contact his Jupiter office at 561-531-0590.