Sleep technology trends spark both longevity tracking and orthosomnia concerns

The trend of “sleepmaxxing”—the intense optimization of nightly rest—is driving new technological developments and psychological concerns. Eight Sleep has partnered with longevity advocate Bryan Johnson to introduce a biological age feature into its Pod mattress system. Using sensors built into the mattress cover, the technology tracks metrics such as heart rate, heart rate variability, respiratory rate, and sleep stages to estimate how quickly a user is aging.

However, medical professionals are warning of “orthosomnia,” a term describing an obsession with achieving perfect sleep scores. Experts, including Dr. Alanna Hare of the Royal Brompton Hospital, note that many sleep scores provided by commercial trackers are manufactured metrics rather than scientifically recognized standards. Doctors have observed that fixation on this data can cause anxiety and lead patients to incorrectly believe they have sleep disorders, ultimately worsening their sleep quality.