Sleep Tracker Obsession Linked to Emerging Condition Orthosomnie

Sleep is vital for health, but the growing habit of tracking nightly rest with smartwatches and apps can turn into a fixation. Dr. Kelly Glazer Baron of the University of Utah Health coined the term “orthosomnie” in 2017 to describe people who become overly preoccupied with achieving “perfect” sleep based on commercial tracker data. In her research, three patients trusted their devices over clinical sleep studies, leading to heightened anxiety and disrupted sleep patterns.

A 2026 Norwegian survey of tracker users found that 17.8% reported increased worry about their sleep, 14% felt something was “off,” and 11.2% experienced heightened sleep‑related stress. While many users say tracking helps them prioritize rest, the study highlights the risk that inaccurate measurements can amplify sleep‑related stress and even hinder treatment of genuine sleep disorders.