I love my SleepNumber bed. The original ItBed I reviewed actually died a mysterious death. They were kind enough to replace it with the much higher-end i8. This is not a review of the i8. I will note the i8 doesn’t retain heat like the ItBed did, and the experience of going into a SleepNumber store and getting a “fitting” has made it much more comfortable… but that’s not the point. You see, I come not to praise sleep tracking beds, but to bury them.
Don’t get me wrong–sleep tracking is a big deal. It can help you get on a real schedule. If done properly it can give clues to health issues. However, that’s when done in a sleep study lab. You know the difference between a sleep study lab and real life? You’re alone.
No, I’m not talking spouses. Most smartbeds do allow for that (although they also assume that you’ll both stick to your own sides of the bed forever–HA HA HA). We’re talking kids and pets.
Maybe it’s because they had a hard day or a bad dream, but every parent knows (and sometimes dreads) the phrase “Can I sleep with you?”. Heck, maybe you were both watching a movie together and fell asleep. That’s not even considering co-sleepers. If your kid gets in your bed, forget about those metrics. And, oh my goodness, pets! Our dog loves to sleep at the foot of the bed most days, and when one gets up in the morning, she is a shameless spot thief. So suddenly my 7 hours of sleep become 13, and my heart and breathing get really weird.
When I spoke to SleepNumber about this, they acknowledged it was an issue they know about. Honestly, I can’t really see a way around it.
Sleep tracking is cool. Sleep tracking via a bed? Not so feasible. But if you want to do it, consider a wrist-based fitness tracker. If you want to do it because of a medical concern, don’t. See a sleep lab.
Thank you to GeekMom Nivi for that featured image from her cousin. SleepNumber provided an i8 for review purposes.
