Is sleeptracker still the best in 2012?
October 7, 2012 5:23 PM Subscribe
Is there something better than the Sleeptracker watch now for waking you up when you are in the least deep part of the sleep cycle? Original Sleeptracker watch broke and I want to upgrade.
I own the original Sleeptracker watch and have used it for many years. It's alarm was very quiet so I removed the strap and attached it to my eye mask I use for sleeping. It seems to have broken and I would like to upgrade to a new Sleeptracker or something better if it exists. With all the improvements in accelerometers brought on by smartphones and gaming in the recent years there must be something better, right? The only function I care about it is an alarm that wakes you up when you are in the least deep part of your sleep cycle. I don't need or care about other data tracking features. I also do not move very much when I am sleeping but my partner does. We both keep our smartphones on the bed so I am guessing that an app would not be very effective. There is also a computer at the head of my bed so software/hardware recommendations are also welcome. Any recommendations?
I own the original Sleeptracker watch and have used it for many years. It's alarm was very quiet so I removed the strap and attached it to my eye mask I use for sleeping. It seems to have broken and I would like to upgrade to a new Sleeptracker or something better if it exists. With all the improvements in accelerometers brought on by smartphones and gaming in the recent years there must be something better, right? The only function I care about it is an alarm that wakes you up when you are in the least deep part of your sleep cycle. I don't need or care about other data tracking features. I also do not move very much when I am sleeping but my partner does. We both keep our smartphones on the bed so I am guessing that an app would not be very effective. There is also a computer at the head of my bed so software/hardware recommendations are also welcome. Any recommendations?
Seconding Sleep Cycle. Just make sure you can keep it plugged in all night without it in threat of being tugged or pushed off of the bed (even though you tuck it under the corner sheet).
posted by DisreputableDog at 6:34 PM on October 7, 2012
posted by DisreputableDog at 6:34 PM on October 7, 2012
(I hate to piggyback on this thread, but I don't have an iPhone but am very interested in the answer to this question too; I don't know what the OP wants, but I'd love to hear any answers that don't involve an iPhone. Sorry for jumping in!)
posted by UniversityNomad at 6:36 PM on October 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by UniversityNomad at 6:36 PM on October 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I am interested in non-smartphone solutions because of the reasons stated in the question. If you sleep with in the same bed as your partner and a smartphone app works for you then please give a detailed description.
posted by Infernarl at 10:37 PM on October 7, 2012
posted by Infernarl at 10:37 PM on October 7, 2012
There are the LARK products which track the data with your iPhone/iPad, but the device sensing and collecting the data is a separate wristband. I think it tracks movement data (I don't know if it tracks it in the same way as Sleeptracker, or if it is newer tech).
There are also the Zeo products which I have no experience with, but which purport to track your brainwaves using a headband. I think it provides all kinds of stats as well. It also syncs with a smartphone/tablet app, iOS or Android which uploads the data to their servers where they crunch the numbers so you can track your data. (Personally, I thought it was weird to be sending my sleep data to some company).
Both of these have the capability of waking you at your lightest sleep stage, but they do other stuff as well.
posted by bluefly at 10:17 AM on October 8, 2012
There are also the Zeo products which I have no experience with, but which purport to track your brainwaves using a headband. I think it provides all kinds of stats as well. It also syncs with a smartphone/tablet app, iOS or Android which uploads the data to their servers where they crunch the numbers so you can track your data. (Personally, I thought it was weird to be sending my sleep data to some company).
Both of these have the capability of waking you at your lightest sleep stage, but they do other stuff as well.
posted by bluefly at 10:17 AM on October 8, 2012
Best answer: I have also been hunting for a product like this, and my understanding is that LARK does not actually have the "optimal wake time" feature. The gentle wake-up they talk about on their website just refers to the way the alarm vibrates, not the time it picks. In fact, the customer representative I talked to at LARK claimed that motion-based sleep trackers can't do OWT accurately...but obviously as the only sleep-tracker not offering this feature, their information might be biased.
Also, you might be interested in this quora thread. Thanks for asking this question -- I'm eager to hear what people say.
posted by tinymegalo at 10:34 AM on October 8, 2012
Also, you might be interested in this quora thread. Thanks for asking this question -- I'm eager to hear what people say.
posted by tinymegalo at 10:34 AM on October 8, 2012
Actually, scratch that. Only Zeo wakes you at the lightest sleep stage (sorry about that, I've used Lark to track my sleep before, but not for the alarm capabilities. I just looked it up, and it states it has a gentle alarm, but doesn't say anything about sleep stages).
On preview -- what tinymegalo says.
posted by bluefly at 10:35 AM on October 8, 2012
On preview -- what tinymegalo says.
posted by bluefly at 10:35 AM on October 8, 2012
Response by poster: I bought the zeo because you wear it on your head and I can use the smartphone alarm sound I am used to. we'll see how it goes.
posted by Infernarl at 7:31 AM on October 9, 2012
posted by Infernarl at 7:31 AM on October 9, 2012
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posted by vkxmai at 6:20 PM on October 7, 2012 [3 favorites]