As you're looking for a new mattress or looking at some new technology out there, you may have heard of something called a sleep score. It sounds like an interesting measurement, but if you don't know what it is or how to use it, then you may miss out on how valuable this metric may be to your everyday life. Sleep is important, and not just the quantity, but the quality as well. Without quality sleep, you may not be functioning as well as you would like which could impact your mood, energy, efficiency, etc. Keep reading to find out more about your sleep score and its implications for your life.
What is a sleep score?
A sleep score is a score how much and how well you slept. It was developed by ResMed, and delivers daily, individualized sleep scores to you every morning. It is a cumulation of all of your nightly sleep data and is measured on a scale of 1-100.
Your sleep score is measured using a variety of metrics. Sleep score looks at the amount of sleep you've gotten, so it look at what time you went to sleep and how long it took you to go to sleep. It then looks at how many times you've woken up throughout the night and what time you woke up for a total sleep time. In addition to time, your sleep score also looks at the quality of sleep. It measures how long you spent in each stage of sleep and calculates that to give you an idea of how restorative your sleep was mentally and physically.
Your sleep score also includes a MindScore and BodyScore. Your MindScore measures how mentally restorative your sleep was by looking at how long you were in REM sleep. REM sleep is important for storing memories, creating new neural connections and regenerating brain tissue.
Your BodyScore looks at how physically restorative your sleep was by looking at how long you were in deep, or stage 3, sleep. Deep sleep is important for muscle repair, digestion, and other regenerative measures required for optimal physical condition.
How is a sleep score measured?
Your sleep score can be measured in a variety of ways. One of them is to use the SleepScore app and monitor. The monitor analyzes your breathing patterns and body movements to recognize which sleep state you are in. This same technology can be used by mattresses, like Tempur-Pedic, and wearable technology like FitBit and Oura smart ring.
What does a sleep score mean for my life?
By knowing your sleep score, you will be able to make changes in order to increase your sleep score. Your sleep score is important because it allows you to see how well or poorly you're sleeping. Without knowing this information, or having a way to track it, then you won't know you have a problem that needs to be solved. Once you're able to see your sleep score and you have an idea about what may be leading to higher or lower scores, you can either continue or discontinue certain activities, respectively.
Also, if you're having trouble falling or staying asleep, you've got the data to share with your doctor or a sleep clinic. This information can give these professionals a look into your everyday life, giving them a little more context to help you get better sleep.
Sleep deprivation or poor sleep quality are associated with many health problems including anxiety depression, cardiovascular, high blood pressure, and more. Use your sleep score to help you get good sleep and if you still need help, reach out to use or set up a sleep study so we can also assist you in your efforts to get good sleep.