Sömndata

Sömndata, or sleep data, refers to measurements and records relating to an individual's sleep. It includes details such as total sleep time, time of sleep onset, awakenings, sleep efficiency, and subjective sleep quality, as well as physiological signals collected during sleep. Data can be obtained from clinical assessments or from everyday monitoring with consumer devices.

Sources and methods vary. Polysomnography (PSG) in clinical or research settings uses multiple sensors (brain activity, eye movements, muscle tone) to classify sleep stages and detect abnormalities. Actigraphy, typically worn on the wrist, infers sleep and wake patterns from movement. Wearable devices and smartphones estimate sleep duration, timing, and sometimes sleep stages using heart rate, skin sensors, and motion data. Sleep diaries or questionnaires provide self-reported information on sleep timing and perceived quality.

Common metrics include total sleep time, sleep onset latency, wake after sleep onset, sleep efficiency, sleep onset time, and the distribution of sleep stages (NREM and REM) where available. Variability across nights and circadian timing (chronotype) are also analyzed. While PSG remains the gold standard for diagnosing sleep disorders, consumer devices offer practical, large-scale data collection for research and personal insight, with varying levels of accuracy.

Applications span clinical care, epidemiological research, and consumer health. Sömndata supports diagnosis and treatment planning for sleep disorders, informs behavioral interventions, and enables population studies on sleep patterns and health outcomes. Privacy, data ownership, and ethical use are important considerations, given the sensitivity of sleep information and potential linkage with other health data.