YOUR LIFE YOUR HEALTH

Smartwatch helps mom of five track her sleep, but is the device helpful?

May 3, 2018, 3:44 PM | Updated: 9:17 pm

FARR WEST, Utah — To Jenny Boster, sleep is a foreign word. She is a sleep-deprived and recently gave birth to her fifth child, Annie, in December.

She gets a nightly wakeup call around 3:30 a.m. each night when Annie is hungry and has to be up at 7 a.m. to get the rest of her kids on the bus in time for school.

Boster has used a Fitbit to track her sleep patterns for years. Now, with a new baby, tracking her sleep is a little different.

“It can be depressing to look and be like ‘Oh, I only got this much sleep,’ or to see all the times I’m waking up,” she said.

Jenny Boster uses a Fitbit to track her sleep each night.

Boster said the device reminds her how little sleep she’s actually getting. As she scrolled through her Fitbit history on her phone, she found the week Annie was born. She said she slept, “like one hour here, two hours there — that was rough!”

Boster said she wonders if tracking her sleep is a good or bad reminder. Admittedly, she said, “Sometimes it’s like ‘Oh is it helping or is it not?’”

Intermountain Healthcare pulmonologist Dr. Douglas Ross said if the watch causes stress, it is not worth it.

“The more they worry about their sleep and their insomnia, the more they stress,” he said. “And the more they worry, the less sleep comes.”

Jenny Boster plays with two of her daughters after “tummy time.”

Ross said wearable devices often overestimate sleep time and cannot accurately determine sleep quality.

“It takes a full on EEG (electroencephalogram) where we have people’s brain waves that we are monitoring for us to determine if they are in dream sleep, are in deep sleep, or are in this broken up fragmented sleep,” he said.

As a busy mom, however, Boster said the watch encourages her to go to bed on time.

“I can’t help that she has to wake up, but I can see that I’m consistently maybe going to bed too late,” she said.

Jenny Boster looks back on her Fitbit sleep history from the week her daughter was born in December when she only slept a few hours.

Ross said there are a few things we can do to sleep better.

“Go to bed at regular hours; wake up at a regular hour. Limit caffeine usage late in the day,” he said. Ross also mentioned getting bright sunlight in the morning and reducing blue light exposure at night to encourage better sleep.

Ross recommended new moms take naps while their baby is sleeping. In the meantime, Boster said she will sleep when she can.

KSL 5 TV Live

Your Life Your Health

...

Emma Benson

National Nutrition Month: How to talk about body image with your kids

March is National Nutrition Month, a campaign designed to promote informed eating choices and positive body image.

6 days ago

Brady Dransfield (right) poses with his father, Scott Dransfield shortly after transplant surgery. ...

Emma Benson

‘Listen to your body’: Transplant survivor shares story for World Kidney Day

A kidney transplant survivor is warning others about kidney disease, including on World Kidney Day.

14 days ago

Mark Seguin in the hospital...

Emma Benson

Colon Cancer Awareness Month: Survivor urges screenings, early detection 

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, a chance to raise awareness of the number one cancer killer for men under 50, and number two for women under 50.

21 days ago

Comiske riding her stationary bike, something she does every morning....

Emma Benson

Strategies to lengthen your life

The CDC says, on average, women tend to live 5-7 years longer than men because men have a higher rate of cardiovascular disease, but there are simple, healthy ways to increase your life expectancy.

27 days ago

Chris and Aimee Tyler, speaking about their experience with Chris's pancreatic cancer diagnosis....

Emma Benson

‘Cancer can affect anybody’: Utah couple processes pancreatic cancer diagnosis

Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. and often goes undetected until it's advanced. One Utah County man is fighting for more time with his loved ones.

1 month ago

Ruth Norton uses the ArthroFit gym to help senior patients prevent, prepare for and recover from su...

Emma Benson

Intermountain program helps seniors fight joint pain, recover from surgery

Ruth Norton has had her fair share of health challenges, including double-knee surgery, open-heart surgery, and breast cancer. 

1 month ago

Sponsored Articles

Women hold card for scanning key card to access Photocopier Security system concept...

Les Olson

Why Printer Security Should Be Top of Mind for Your Business

Connected printers have vulnerable endpoints that are an easy target for cyber thieves. Protect your business with these tips.

Modern chandelier hanging from a white slanted ceiling with windows in the backgruond...

Lighting Design

Light Up Your Home With These Top Lighting Trends for 2024

Check out the latest lighting design trends for 2024 and tips on how you can incorporate them into your home.

Technician woman fixing hardware of desktop computer. Close up....

PC Laptops

Tips for Hassle-Free Computer Repairs

Experiencing a glitch in your computer can be frustrating, but with these tips you can have your computer repaired without the stress.

Close up of finger on keyboard button with number 11 logo...

PC Laptops

7 Reasons Why You Should Upgrade Your Laptop to Windows 11

Explore the benefits of upgrading to Windows 11 for a smoother, more secure, and feature-packed computing experience.

Stylish room interior with beautiful Christmas tree and decorative fireplace...

Lighting Design

Create a Festive Home with Our Easy-to-Follow Holiday Prep Guide

Get ready for festive celebrations! Discover expert tips to prepare your home for the holidays, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for unforgettable moments.

Battery low message on mobile device screen. Internet and technology concept...

PC Laptops

9 Tips to Get More Power Out of Your Laptop Battery

Get more power out of your laptop battery and help it last longer by implementing some of these tips from our guide.

Smartwatch helps mom of five track her sleep, but is the device helpful?