Sleep-monitoring gadget that isn't an app?

[Sasha]

I'm about to try some insomnia interventions and I'd like to be able to use one of those gadgets that measures the quality and quantity of your sleep by measuring how much you're moving around etc. in bed.

I don't have an iPhone or anything like that, so can't purchase an app (whatever one of those is ). Is there some standalone gadget that does this? Preferable a cheap and simple one? I don't need it to do all that other stuff that people use these things for (counting steps, etc.).

 

[alkt]

a heart rate monitor that can record for the length of time you need should be able to tell you about the quality and length of actual restful sleeping .best wishes.

 

[Sasha]

Is that all that's necessary? A heart monitor?

Don't want to use one with a chest strap (too uncomfortable) so I'd need a wrist one (which I was thinking of getting anyway to keep me under my aerobic threshold).

 

[Calathea]

I have a Fitbit Charge HR. It's a bit glitchy at times, but within manageable levels, and it's incredibly useful. You wear it like a watch and it tracks your steps, heart rate and sleep. Steps can be useful for pacing, or at the least for getting an overview of where your activity levels have been over time. That can be useful if you want to match it up with treatments or supplements and see whether you've broadly improved or deteriorated on them. Heart rate is really useful for many of us, because it instantly shows up if you're overdoing it and should rest. It also helps you learn which activities are most draining for you. Between that and the step counter, I realised how much energy I waste pacing around when I'm on the phone, and have pretty much stopped doing that. As for the sleep monitor, it's pretty good, and it tells you the quality of your sleep in a number. I've been logging it in a spreadsheet chart, colour-coded by sleep quality as well as showing the number of hours slept, and also the sleep tracker on Medhelp is good for seeing that at a glance. I should really catch up on both of those. There's a group on the Fitbit community forum for folks with ME. Don't bother with the Flex, by the way. You have to remember to tell it every time you go to sleep and wake up, which realistically isn't going to happen, and you will really miss the HR and the more detailed data.

 

[Sasha]

Just been looking at reviews for the Fitbit Charge HR and am worried by this one that says that there's nickel in the wristband. I can't wear stud earrings because of what is presumably a nickel sensitivity (my earlobes weep and go crusty with cheap earrings ).

Has anyone found this a problem?

 

[Sasha]

@Jonathan Edwards, do you happen to know what gadget the Norwegians are using in the new rtx trial as an actimeter?

 

[sarah darwins]

I was looking at all the wearable technology stuff a while ago, Sasha (for another purpose) and got pretty confused. Every device has its fans and detractors. I hope someone comes up with a recommendation for you.

In the meantime, whaddyathink ... too much?

 

[sarah darwins]

I went through my bookmarks, Sasha, and did find one that looks quite affordable and comparatively straightforward. It's called Polar Loop II -

http://www.polar.com/en/products/fitness_crosstraining/loop2#features

It does specifically 'do' sleep.

Might be worth investigating.

 

[Sasha]

Just spoke to a sales adviser in a store about the Charge HR and he said that the nickel must be in the little closures for the strap (which I could cover with cloth) but possibly also the HR bit that comes into contact with the skin. He said if my skin reacted, I could return the device (John Lewis!).

 

[Sasha]

I went through my bookmarks, Sasha, and did find one that looks quite affordable and comparatively straightforward. It's called Polar Loop II -

http://www.polar.com/en/products/fitness_crosstraining/loop2#features

It does specifically 'do' sleep.

Might be worth investigating.

Thanks, Sarah - doesn't seem to have a display, though, so can't show me my HR in real time.

 

[sarah darwins]

Thanks, Sarah - doesn't seem to have a display, though, so can't show me my HR in real time.

Dumb question .. how would you read a real time display if you're asleep?

I think that one plugs into your PC or whatever, but I do get what you mean (I think). Nice not to have to bother with cables. As I say, I got very confused when I started researching them. They seem to be a 'developing' technology.

 

[Sasha]

Dumb question .. how would you read a real time display if you're asleep?

Sorry, I've been a bit confusing! In an idea world, I'd like a monitor that allows me to monitor my sleep at night but also shows me my HR during the day - I want to take another crack at the Staci Stevens stuff of keeping below my aerobic threshold.

The Fitbit Charge HR is looking good at the moment... think I might invest...

 

[sarah darwins]

Sorry, I've been a bit confusing! In an idea world, I'd like a monitor that allows me to monitor my sleep at night but also shows me my HR during the day

I knew there had to be a good reason ;-)

Good luck. Be interesting to hear how you get on with the device. So many of the reviews out there are from people training for marathons, which isn't quite on point for us (yet).

 

[Sasha]

I knew there had to be a good reason ;-)

Good luck. Be interesting to hear how you get on with the device. So many of the reviews out there are from people training for marathons, which isn't quite on point for us (yet).

Yes - I bought a Polar chest-strap monitor a few years ago, wanting to experiment with keeping my HR down, and it was so complicated (having been designed for athletes' training purposes) that I couldn't (brainfog) programme it and had to keep phoning Polar. Very uncomfortable, too - you don't want to be wearing a chest strap all day and all night, and you don't want a load of complicated features obscuring the few simple ones that you actually want.

 

[kristysmiles]

I haven't purchased this one, but it looked good when I was reviewing activity/sleep tracking gadgets.
It's called the Jawbone Up3

https://jawbone.com/store/buy/up3

 

[kristysmiles]

Oh, sorry I guess that one does require an app. Maybe it's something you can plug into a computer, since you can download apps on computers.

 

[sarah darwins]

I haven't purchased this one, but it looked good when I was reviewing activity/sleep tracking gadgets.
It's called the Jawbone Up3

https://jawbone.com/store/buy/up3

That was the one I thought looked the best when I was doing my research, too, but it doesn't have a real-time display — a must for Sasha to look at while sleeping ;-)

 

[Calathea]

They all require either an app or syncing with a computer. I've not had any skin problems with my Charge HR. A friend put a bit of plaster on hers, maybe the nickel was what she was covering up. The Jawbone doesn't give you any info if you look at it, remember. One of the most useful features is being able to know your heart rate instantly and monitor it closely by just checking your wrist.

 

[mfairma]

@Calathea, does the Charge allow you to set heart rate zones, and to beep above a certain threshold?

On a related note, I purchased a Fitbit Flex a couple years ago, only to have it (and its warranty replacements) break. I have a variety of parts, including the USB dongles and a number of new wrist straps in green and blue, if anyone would like them. Would be happy to mail them.

 

[panckage]

Just been looking at reviews for the Fitbit Charge HR and am worried by this one that says that there's nickel in the wristband. I can't wear stud earrings because of what is presumably a nickel sensitivity (my earlobes weep and go crusty with cheap earrings ).

Has anyone found this a problem?

My mom has that problem with earrings. She only uses the ones with the gold pins. She doesn't have problem with nickel otherwise though. And I mean nickels are made out of nickel in your country too, right?