The science of sleep is a fascinating subject that obviously, we can all relate too. Why do we wake up feeling exhausted sometimes and completely rested other times, regardless of how long we sleep? Do we transition from each sleep cycle seamlessly or do we waver from different “levels” of sleep during the night? These are the questions that I had and they are what lead me too this amazingly cool and scientifically fascinating device called the WakeMate.
In the most basic sense, the WakeMate is a alarm clock, but more precisely, it’s a alarm clock that learns your sleep patterns and intelligently chooses when to wake you. While you sleep, the WakeMate monitors you movement through a sensor that attaches to the wrist. This method is known as actigraphy and has been used by doctors and scientist for many years in the study of analyzing sleep.
Here are the basic steps in using the WakeMate
The WakeMate will then analyze you sleep pattern and will wake you at the optimal time during your 20 minute “wake up time” window. The fact is we don’t fall asleep and stay asleep at the same depth during the entire night, in fact there are many points during the night when we are sort of half-asleep. What the WakeMate does is trigger your alarm during one of those half-awake moments, thereby saving you from being woken during the deepest parts of your 20 minute wake up window.
Very cool indeed.
I don’t personally own one, so I can not speak from a user standpoint, but the science behind the process of using a actigraph is very sound. Traditionally you would go to a doctor who would then provide you with a actigraph unit to take home. After gathering some data at home, you would take the unit back to the doctor who would then analyze the data and give you more insight into your sleep patters. That same data can now be complied at home, without needing a doctors assistance.
Now, the WakeMate does not provide the same amount of information that a polysomnogram would. Polysomnography monitors many parts of the body while you sleep such as your brain waves, rapid eye movement, and heart rhythm. It’s a very involved and complex test that is usually used for patients with specific sleep disorders. A actigraph is a much more realistic means of monitoring our sleep cycle and circadian rhythm’s personally, yet effectively.
The WakeMate is only available for pre-order right now, but it should be shipping by September later this year according to their website. If you’re looking to get a better nights sleep and have something really interesting to talk about at work, check out the WakeMate website for more info.
Disclaimer: The State of Affairs received no direct compensation for writing this article and is in no way directly affiliated with the creators of the WakeMate, we simply thought it was a cool idea. Also, we are not doctors and don’t pretend to be, so if you feel you have a serious sleep condition, consult your physician.
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