An innovative app designed to enhance both the amount and the quality of sleep utilizes brainwaves to assess the duration spent in various sleep stages.
Named Sleep Manager, this application connects with a headset that monitors brain activity, eye movements, and additional signals throughout light, deep, and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep.
Ben Rubin, co-founder of Zeo, which develops the app, stated, “The thing about sleep is that it’s not just about how much you get – it’s about the quality of your sleep.”
He further explained, “In general, you want to optimize to get as much REM and deep sleep as possible.”
A soft-sensor headband captures brainwave activity, muscle tone, and eye movements, mirroring the data collected by a professional sleep laboratory, but designed for the consumer market.
These signals are transmitted via Bluetooth to the user’s iPhone, iPad, or Android device and subsequently uploaded to Zeo’s website.
Rubin noted that tracking sleep is just the first step. After establishing a baseline for sleep quality, Zeo leverages this data to help users improve their sleep habits.
Research has indicated that waking during the light sleep phase can leave individuals feeling more refreshed, prompting the app’s capability to awaken users at this optimal moment.
Moreover, it integrates with additional applications like RunKeeper, a running tracker, and DailyBurn, a nutrition planning tool, enabling users to understand how their sleep quality connects with their fitness and dietary patterns.
However, skepticism remains regarding the accuracy of sleep data provided by Zeo.
