(Not so) smart sleep tracking through the phone: findings from a polysomnography study testing the reliability of four sleep applications

6 important questions on (Not so) smart sleep tracking through the phone: findings from a polysomnography study testing the reliability of four sleep applications

What polysomnography reports were taken? (8)

1. Time in bed
2. Sleep period time
3. Total sleep time
4. Wake
5. Wake after sleep onset
6. Sleep efficiency
7. Sleep latency
8. (N)REM sleep stages

What were the results applicable to all apps? (5)

1. Significant correlations between absolute parameters and PSD measures (time in bed, with one also for sleep efficiency)
2. None of the apps were capable of detecting and scoring REM values
3. The apps had a high sensitivity in detecting sleep, but a low specificity in detecting wakefulness
4. Sleep apps perform poorly when compared with PSG since movement-based algorithms cannot reliably distinguish sleep stages 
5. Outputs should not be considered diagnostic reports and the presence of sleep disorders should be evaluated clinically

In what way was SA better than the other apps and in what way worse? (2)

1. It was the only app that offered the possibility of an epoch-by-epoch analysis, which showed a higher accuracy in comparison with PSG
2. It underestimated wake time and overestimated deep sleep
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Why is it that the three outcomes showed differences for the two groups (4)

1. The body scan might have affected anxiety and rumination before sleep and caused a calmer sleep
2. The fact that participants have longer sleep and feel less irritated can show clinically significant improvement
3. Participants can differ in how enthusiastic they are about CBTi and mindfulness
4. The groups were not randomly divided and had different baseline measures
5. Participants could decide freely whether they wanted to do the body scan or not

How could this finding regarding the use of the body scan be used in clinical practice? (2)

1. To not let participants decide freely about whether they want to do the body scan
2. Include the body scan when adolescents are specifically interested in mindfulness

What are the limitations of the study and how could they be improved in future studies? (2)

1. Not randomly assigned -> need for a RCT
2. Difference in the willingsness to engage -> assess motivation to see how it influences the results
3. It was studied in internet-setting only -> see how it works in face-to-face therapy

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