What Is Orthosomnia? When Sleep Tracking Creates Anxiety About Sleep October 22, 2026 What Is Orthosomnia? When Sleep Tracking Creates Anxiety About Sleep Have you ever woken up feeling refreshed, only to check your smartwatch and discover that your sleep score was surprisingly low? Suddenly, you start questioning whether you actually slept well. Sleep trackers can be useful tools for understanding our sleep habits. However, for some people, constantly monitoring sleep data can create unnecessary worry and even make sleeping more difficult. This growing phenomenon is known as orthosomnia. What Is Orthosomnia? Orthosomnia describes an excessive focus on achieving perfect sleep, often driven by data from smartwatches, fitness trackers and sleep-tracking apps.1 Rather than judging their sleep by how rested they feel, people experiencing orthosomnia may become preoccupied with their sleep scores, time spent in deep sleep or number of nighttime awakenings.1 Although orthosomnia is not currently recognised as a formal medical disorder, researchers are increasingly exploring how this pursuit of perfect sleep may affect sleep quality.2 How Can Sleep Tracking Make Sleep Worse? Ironically, worrying about getting enough sleep can make falling asleep harder.2 Someone concerned about their sleep score might spend longer in bed, repeatedly check their sleep statistics or feel anxious when their tracker reports a poor night’s sleep.2 This can create a frustrating cycle. The more pressure you place on yourself to sleep perfectly, the harder it may become to relax and fall asleep naturally.2 Over time, this heightened alertness may contribute to difficulty falling asleep, frequent waking and feeling unrefreshed in the morning.2 Can You Trust Your Sleep Tracker? Sleep trackers can provide helpful estimates of sleep duration and patterns, but they are not always accurate.1 Most consumer devices use information such as movement and heart rate to estimate sleep stages. However, they cannot measure sleep with the same precision as specialised clinical sleep studies.1 How Can You Build a Healthier Relationship With Sleep Tracking? If tracking your sleep is becoming stressful, consider taking a break from checking your sleep scores.1 Instead, pay attention to how you feel during the day. Are you waking refreshed? Do you have enough energy to complete your usual activities? Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, developing a relaxing bedtime routine and avoiding excessive time in bed can also support healthier sleep.1 Remember, the goal is to feel well-rested, not to achieve a perfect number. How Sove CPAP Clinic Can Help If you're regularly struggling with poor sleep, it's important to consider whether an underlying sleep condition, such as insomnia or obstructive sleep apnea, may be contributing. Founded in 2008, Sove CPAP Clinic provides respiratory and sleep services across more than 100 clinics nationwide. Our team can help investigate persistent sleep concerns, with bulk-billed home sleep studies available for eligible patients where appropriate, and guide you towards personalised treatment options. If sleep worries, frequent waking or daytime fatigue are affecting your wellbeing, speak to your doctor and contact our friendly team on 1300 76 29 39 or email info@thecpapclinic.com.au to find out how we can help. When considering whether a sleep study is right for you, speak to your doctor. Medicare criteria and T&Cs apply. References 1. Summer, Jay. “What Is Orthosomnia?” Sleep Foundation, 31 May 2022, https://www.sleepfoundation.org/orthosomnia. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026. 2) Jahrami, Haitham, et al. “The Tale of Orthosomnia: I Am so Good at Sleeping That I Can Do It with My Eyes Closed and My Fitness Tracker on Me.” Nature and Science of Sleep, vol. Volume 15, Informa UK Limited, Jan. 2023, pp. 13–15, https://doi.org/10.2147/nss.s402694. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.
