Tracking Sleep to Optimize Health

With the advent of wearable biometric technology like smart watches, “hacking” our bodies' functions and cycles has become a tool in the never-ending quest for better health. And sleep is no exception. For example, a staggering one-third of Americans don't get enough sleep, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A sensor-equipped glove called Dormio tracks a user's muscle tone, heart rate, and skin conductance and plays a recorded cue when it detects the dreamer entering hypnagogia to help them record their thoughts. The group has also created a smart sleep mask called Fascia that records EEG and facial expression to read the emotional content of dreams and a device called BioEssence that releases different scents in an attempt to promote learning and consolidate memories during sleep.