The consumer sleep technology industry is exploding, with both large corporations and small start-up companies continuing to introduce new apps and devices to capture a share of the market. To provide context for understanding the role of consumer sleep devices in the sleep field, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine published a consumer sleep technology position statement in 2018. It describes both the limitations and potential uses of consumer sleep technology.

While it is helpful for sleep clinicians to have a general understanding of consumer sleep technology, we also need to be familiar with specific apps and devices. More and more, our patients are bringing into the clinic their wearable devices and sleep trackers, or the data generated by them. They also are asking questions about new therapeutic devices that they have seen online or on social media.

To equip sleep clinicians with basic information about new consumer and clinical sleep technology, the AASM Consumer and Clinical Technology Committee developed #SleepTechnology, an online resource comprising concise, at-a-glance summaries of both the capabilities and limitations of many sleep apps and devices.

As a committee member, I can provide some “behind the scenes” insight about this resource.

About #SleepTechnology

What is it?

  • An interactive, online resource for AASM members that explores consumer and clinical grade sleep technologies
  • Describes a device’s claimed capabilities; data generated; mechanism; type of platform; FDA status; and peer-reviewed publications, if any

Who authors the content?

  • AASM Consumer and Clinical Technology Committee (CCTC)
  • Composed of volunteer sleep medicine physicians who have been meeting on a monthly basis since 2017

Why did CCTC create #SleepTechnology?

  • To help sleep clinicians understand capabilities and limitations of both current and emerging sleep technologies

Where can I find #SleepTechnology?

When will #SleepTechnology be updated?

  • The committee continues to draft more device summaries, which will be added periodically to the online resource.
  • While the initial focus was on consumer devices, the committee soon will be adding summaries of new clinical devices.

How does CCTC choose the technology to review?

  • The committee monitors Google alerts and clinical sleep journals for mentions of new apps and devices, and we consider other factors (such as number of app downloads) to gauge a technology’s popularity.

How can I contribute?

  • Ask CCTC to review a specific device or app using the “contact us” link on the #SleepTechnology webpage.
  • Contribute to the conversation by posting on the website your comments about devices that we’ve reviewed.

Learn more about the CCTC mandate and goals on the AASM committees page.

By Maryann Deak, MD on behalf of the AASM Consumer and Clinical Technology Committee