The Past, Present And Future Of Sleep Monitoring Technologies

This chapter reviews several major methods for objectively assessing sleep and circadian rhythms in the home environment, including actigraphy, photoplethysmography and electroencephalography. Findings from validation studies are discussed with respect to the accuracy of the most common sleep trackers, highlighting that more studies are needed with a priori benchmarks to determine the minimum level of accuracy required for a sleep device to be suitable for a specific application. Current and potential future applications of sleep technologies are also discussed where technology can be used to facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders and to monitor and intervene where needed to improve the sleep health of individuals without sleep disorders. With several promising techniques and approaches being developed, sleep monitoring technologies may enable the bedroom of the future to be a connected space that is personalised to the needs and preferences of the individual. Beyond initial validation, considerable research is needed to test technology-assisted approaches for supporting an individuals sleep, health, and overall functioning.