Wearable Monitor Proves Accurate for Measurement of Sleep

A University of Arizona study (NCT03692195) was published for a wearable device (Whoop Strap; WHOOP, Boston, MA) for measuring sleep stages and other measures of sleep quality. The wearable device is a highly accurate commercially available product that may improve sleep quality by encouraging people who use it to prioritize sleep and providing actionable feedback via app insights.

The study confirms the ability of the wearable device to measure heart rate and respiratory rate during sleep, and also reveals that the wearable is within 1 heartbeat and breath per minute gold-standard measurements. The device is the first wearable to have accuracy of heart rate and breath rate reported in a published study. 

"This study shows that the accuracy of Whoop in measuring heart rate, heart rate variability, and sleep staging of slow-wave and REM or dream sleep was excellent when compared to polysomnography, which is the gold standard in sleep tracking," said Dr. Sairam Parthasarathy, MD, professor of medicine at the University Arizona College of Medicine, and director of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Sciences. "What's more, the accuracy of Whoop as a wearable and its availability compared to the limited accessibility of polysomnography may in the future facilitate better population-health management."

The University of Arizona Health Sciences Center for Sleep and Circadian Sciences used the wearable in a new study to determine the effects of wearables on sleep and well-being of participants. The study tested the accuracy of the wearable against polysomnography, a clinical research tool that records your brain waves, oxygen level in your blood, heart rate and breathing as well as eye and leg movements during sleep.

Sleep is key to recovery and one of the best things people can do to improve their mental and physical health. It's important that wearable devices are as accurate as possible considering the immense value of sleep and the widespread adoption of these tracking tools. The results validate the sleep accuracy of the strap and demonstrate the power of the strap to change behavior and transform health.