My mind loves to process things with data. Being in the health industry and with roots in IT, I love to learn about technology designed to help us make informed choices for our health goals. Recently, my son taught me about the Whoop bands, devices that use sensors from your wrist to measure biometrics. The data is compiled in a way to help you understand how to balance strain and recovery.
One of my favorite pieces of information is the morning presentation of how well I slept. According to a National Health Interview Study in 2022 roughly 1 in 8 people feel very tired or exhausted most days, with the majority being women 18-44 years old.
Some of us are so accustomed to being tired that it starts to become “normal”. While your body can adjust to help you cope, it doesn’t truly adapt. According to a publication last month in Harvard Health, your immune system, the way you manage blood sugar as well as your mental and cardiovascular health are all impacted by chronic sleep debt.
The most effective way to fight fatigue is by improving your sleep—and you don’t need a fancy gadget to make that happen. By understanding the types of data these devices measure, you can make targeted changes that truly count. In this blog, I break down the key metrics and share practical tips to help you influence your biometrics for better rest.
Tech and consumer markets jumped on the opportunity to gather data from your body while you sleep over a decade ago. Fitbit was the leader using its device, designed to count steps, to track movement during sleep hours. Then, in 2015, the Oura ring released more sophisticated data collection in a unique form factor. Shortly after, Apple and Garmin watches also began compiling data for users to decode sleep. Today, there are hundreds of options for wearable devices and mattress sensors aimed at compiling and sending you data to help improve sleep.
What are they collecting and how does this influence sleep?
With some nuance, most wearable devices measure your heart rate, respiration rate and body temperature. Data is fed into algorithms to give you a “score”, or measure of how restful your night’s sleep. When paired with daytime data the devices can factor need for “recovery” or “readiness” to meet whatever your life demands.
Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability
Your Heart Rate measures how fast your heart beats, like a speedometer. It increases during stress and exercise and with stimulants like caffeine.
Heart Rate Variability (HRV) measures the interval of time between heartbeats to represent resilience. It indicates how well your body balances between the stressed and relaxed states of your nervous system. You can learn more about HRV for sleep from this article.
Your heart rate and HRV fluctuate normally during different phases of sleep. A responsive system that can recover quickly can make for more restful, restorative sleep.
You can support your heart rate and HRV for sleep when you:
- Keep the same sleep and wake schedule to strengthen your circadian rhythms.
- Avoid caffeine after 12-2pm.
- Avoid alcohol – alcohol raises heart rate during the first half of the night.
- Avoid eating 2-3 hours before bed. Especially, carbohydrates will keep heart rate elevated.
- Avoid heavy stressors, such as intense work emails, late in the evening.
- Stay hydrated throughout the day – even mild dehydration can raise heart rate. But I don’t try to catch on your water intake late at night otherwise that will disrupt sleep by waking you to urinate.
- Create a nighttime routine to wind down. Reduce mental stimulation and add meditation or breath strategies to calm your nervous system.
Respiration Rate
A normal steady respiration (breathing) rate promotes the most restful sleep. According to Sleep Foundation, a healthy adult needs 12-20 breaths per minute, adults over 60 years 12-28 breaths per minute. A slow respiration rate signals your nervous system to relax. It also helps to maintain an even oxygen rate in the blood to stabilizes the heart rate.
Conditions that can affect respiration rate while sleeping include:
- Stress and anxiety
- Alcohol
- Pain
- Fever
- Medications
- Health conditions, such as arrhythmia, asthma, COPD or hyperthyroidism
- Sleep apnea – a disorder in which breathing becomes irregular during sleep.
You can influence respiration while you sleep when you:
- Engage in deep breathing exercises before bedtime to calm your nervous system. Add gentle stretching to reduce muscle tension.
- Create a calm sleep environment -dim lights and quiet sounds.
- Avoid alcohol and caffeine which stimulate faster breathing.
- Sleep in a well-ventilated room.
- Consider a humidifier.
- Reduce bedroom allergies (dust, mold, pet dander) with an air filter. We recommend AirDoctor or Xiaomi.
- Some people also benefit from sleeping on their side to keep the airway open.
Mouth taping has become a popular option to force the air through the nose. This can be contraindicated for some individuals and you should consult your doctor or health practitioner before engaging in mouth taping.
Body Temperature
In the evening, your body temperature naturally decreases as melatonin, your sleep hormone, level rises. Metabolism slows down. The temperature drop signals your body it’s time to start to wind down, and your body temperature remains low to help keep you in the deep and restorative phase of sleep. More about body temperature and sleep here.
To keep your body temperature optimal for sleep:
- Keep your bedroom 65-68 degrees. Use fans or open windows to help support cold air circulation.
- Use natural breathable fabrics, such as bamboo, for sheets, blankets and sleeping garments.
- Wear socks to bed – warming your feet helps dilate blood vessels which speeds heat release from the core.
- Avoid alcohol.
- Consider using a cooling mattress pad or pillow.
It may seem like a good idea to take a cool shower before bed, however studies about cold exposure indicate this would be counterproductive. The shock of cold like this activates the stress response which overrides messages to relax and rest. If you enjoy a bath before bed aim for at least an hour before you want to go to sleep so your body temperature can return to normal.
Individuality Matters
Not all these sleep tips will be helpful for everyone. For example, when I keep my bedroom at 65 degrees I shiver all night and sleep terribly. Even studies don’t agree on the timing of exercise around bedtime. You’ll need to experiment with a routine and tips that work for you.
If you, like me, are a geek for this type of data and use a sleep device it’s important not to lose sight of how you feel. There are days when my Whoop band gives me a great sleep score, but I still don’t feel like I’m able to give 100% to my day. There are many other factors that contribute to fatigue, such as nutrient deficiencies, inflammation, or hormones.
If you are having trouble getting restful sleep and have tried the tips above you can reach out to our office for more specific support. I also recommend the book, Sleep Smarter, by Shawn Stevenson (in print, audiobook and video series).
Nutrition therapy is not intended as a diagnosis, treatment, prescription, or cure for any disease, or as a substitute for medical care. Our nutrition therapists are not licensed medical providers. Nutrition plans are not intended as a substitution for traditional medical care, nor should be interpreted as medical advice, but instead is an adjunctive and supportive therapy.