By Franklin Delgado
Recent research has shown that, although sleep monitoring applications promise to improve the quality of rest, they can also contribute to increased anxiety in certain users. This phenomenon has been identified particularly among vulnerable subgroups, warns a study published in Frontiers in Psychology.
The problem is that these applications use wearable sensors and algorithms to analyze physiological signs, generating information about the quality and efficiency of sleep, but, at the same time, this data collection can cause concern if the results do not align with the user’s expectations, contributing to conditions such as orthosomnia.
Demographic differences in interpretation
Research has found that users, especially women and young people, tend to react differently to results.
Sleep concerns are more common among those with lower educational levels and a history of insomnia.
Analysis of a study on sleep apps
In a study of 1,002 adults in Norway, about 46% reported using sleep apps. Although the positive effects outweigh the negative ones, 17.8% of respondents reported greater concern about their sleep after using these applications.
The findings suggest that younger adults experience a more significant impact on their sleep perception, both positive and negative, compared to older adults, who are less likely to use these technologies.
Data considerations
The study acknowledges several limitations, such as the risk of bias in participant selection and the lack of formal validation in the questionnaire questions. More research is required to understand the relationship between app use and long-term mental health, as well as the potential of the data obtained to evaluate sleep disorders.
The authors warn about the need to customize applications for users with sleep disorders, suggesting that patients with these problems should be cautious when using them.
Affectation in people with pre-existing disorders
The use of sleep apps can have mixed effects in people with pre-existing sleep disorders, such as insomnia: in some cases they help improve awareness and habits, but in others they worsen anxiety and quality of rest.
Negative effects on pre-existing disorders
- In people with insomnia, sleep apps often increase excessive attention and concern about metrics (latency, fragmentation, sleep “quality”), which can increase anxiety and reinforce insomnia.
- The phenomenon of “orthosomnia” has been described: an obsession with reaching “optimal” sleep levels according to the app, which can make it difficult to fall or maintain sleep and end up worsening the exact quality of rest.
Potential benefits
- For some users with mild or well-controlled disorders, these applications can help recognize patterns (irregular schedules, repeated awakenings, prolonged screen use), facilitating changes in sleep hygiene.
- A Norwegian study found that around 15% of participants reported improved sleep, mainly from learning more about their own habits, although this benefit was smaller in those who already had insomnia symptoms.
What experts recommend
- It is suggested to use the apps as a support tool, not as a sole guide, and to suspend their use if greater anxiety, dissatisfaction with the quality of sleep or worse rest is observed.
- In people with diagnosed sleep disorders (chronic insomnia, apnea, circadian disorders), it is recommended to combine the use of apps only under the supervision of a professional (neurologist, psychiatrist or sleep specialist) and prioritize validated therapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-i).
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