Issue Consumer sleep devices raise accuracy, privacy and orthosomnia risks

Summary

GWI's Sleep Initiative warns that consumer sleep technology brings risks alongside its benefits. Sleep data counts as sensitive health information, which makes privacy a major concern. Consumer trackers also vary in accuracy, and experts caution against using them in place of clinical diagnosis. A further risk is orthosomnia, an obsessive pursuit of perfect scores from wearables or apps, first described by researchers who saw patients' anxiety about sleep metrics worsen their sleep. Later work found that people fixated on tracker data may stay in bed too long, leading to insomnia-like symptoms. The Initiative observes that consumers are becoming more selective, valuing technology that works quietly in the background rather than constant monitoring.