The real cost of sleep debt – can sleep trackers really help?

From Oura Rings and Fitbits to the new Apple Watch Series 11, sleep tracking technology is everywhere. In fact, the global sleep tracking devices market is predicted to exceed $58 billion by 2030.

It’s no surprise, then, that more than a quarter of UK adults (27%) now track their sleep using smart devices. But as more of us obsess over sleep data and nightly scores, are these trackers helping us rest – or are they making us more anxious about it?

James Wilson, one of our sleep experts, explores the real impact of sleep debt, the rise of tracking obsession, and why balance is key to a healthier relationship with your sleep data.

What is sleep debt – and why does it matter?

We often think of ‘sleep debt’ as something we can repay with a weekend lie-in, but the reality is more serious. Sleep deprivation costs the UK economy around £40 billion every year, with more than 200,000 lost working days due to tiredness and fatigue.

Lack of sleep doesn’t just make you groggy – it affects cognitive function, impacting your focus, memory, and emotional regulation. Research has shown that sleep and emotions have a bidirectional relationship – meaning poor emotional control leads to bad sleep, and bad sleep makes it harder to manage your emotions.

It even affects relationships. A study in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships found that poor sleep quality increases anger and reduces relationship satisfaction.

So while that late-night scrolling or a one-more-episode moment might seem harmless, the ripple effects of sleep loss reach far beyond the bedroom.

Can sleep trackers really help us sleep better?

With almost one in five adults not getting enough sleep, it’s understandable that so many people are turning to technology to take control of their rest.

According to James, sleep tracking can be a useful tool – but in moderation:

“Trackers can be useful as an engagement tool for someone who is struggling to understand their sleep and the impact it has on their health. For good sleepers, trackers can be helpful as they reaffirm their good sleep and leave them feeling positive about what they are doing”

But while trackers can offer valuable insights, James warns against overreliance. He says that poor sleepers are sometimes led to believe their tracker will solve their sleep issues, but these devices are really just measurement tools. For example, when a tracker tells you you’ve had a bad night, even if you feel fine, that negative feedback can become the very thing that keeps you awake the following night.

The rise of orthosomnia – when tracking goes too far

There’s even a name for sleep anxiety caused by obsessive tracking: orthosomnia. Originally coined by researchers in the US, orthosomnia describes the inability to sleep due to anxiety about not sleeping well enough.

In fact, searches for ‘orthosomnia’ have surged by over 5,000% in the past five years – proof that our pursuit of perfect sleep may be keeping us awake.

If you find yourself checking your sleep score first thing in the morning, and feeling worse because of it, you might be experiencing this cycle.

How to use sleep trackers the healthy way

So, are sleep trackers bad? Not necessarily. Like any data tool, they can be helpful when used in context.

James explains:

“If you have a pragmatic relationship with data, and data reassures – whether good or bad – and you can use the data without it impacting your emotional wellbeing, then a sleep tracker could be helpful – and particularly so if you measure things like heart rate, heart rate variability and temperature – all of which the trackers are generally better at tracking.

“Trackers should inform, not dictate. Use them to build awareness, but don’t let daily scores define how you feel about your sleep.”

For sleep tips to help you get a sound night’s sleep, visit our Advice Hub.