Skip to main content

Understanding Sleep phases/Sleep score/quality: why do you need microphone access?

Nat avatar
Written by Nat
Updated over 7 months ago

Our BetterSleep sleep tracker is microphone-based. It therefore relies on the sleep sounds recordings to then estimates sleep stages using a combination of sound data and established sleep science theories. Here's how we do it:

  1. Data Collection: Throughout the night, we gather data from your device's microphone and usage patterns. The microphone captures raw audio amplitude and classifies sounds using AI.

  2. Sound Classification: We analyze classified sounds, such as snoring, and use them to map out sleep stages. For instance, snoring can indicate light, deep, or REM sleep.

  3. Ambient Noise Analysis: We detect variations in ambient noise, filtering out constant background sounds like air conditioners or fans. This helps us identify activities like getting up or moving in bed.

  4. Sleep Science Integration: We integrate common sleep patterns and general sleep science data to estimate sleep stages. While it's not as precise as polysomnography, it's based on widely accepted principles in sleep research.

  5. Sleep Graph Calculation: We average all these weighted factors to create your sleep graph.

While our method provides a good estimate of your sleep stages, it's important to note that no non-wearable device can measure sleep stages with absolute accuracy. Even the gold standard, polysomnography, can produce varying interpretations among experts.

We continuously work to improve our algorithms and data accuracy. Your feedback is valuable and helps us in this process. If you have any further questions or suggestions, please feel free to reach out.

Sleep score/quality factors in BetterSleep:

  1. Sleep regularity (10%)

  2. Sleep debt (45%) - hours slept compared to your goal or 7-8 hours average

  3. Sleep interruptions (30%) - noise detected by the tracker

  4. Deep sleep (4.5%), REM sleep (4.5%), and heavy snoring (4.5%)

Higher scores result from consistent bedtimes, sufficient sleep, and a peaceful environment.

Don't worry about low scores! Focus on feeling refreshed, practicing good sleep hygiene, and improving overall health.

We suggest this article from our blog: Poor Sleep Hygiene: Are you guilty of it?

Still have questions? Send us a message. We're here to help! 😊

Did this answer your question?