Life

This NASA-Inspired Sleep Tracker Is The Coolest Thing On Kickstarter Right Now

by Kyli Rodriguez-Cayro

So many different things can mess with your sleep/wake cycle: Jet lag, anxiety, drinking coffee too close to bedtime, spending all night prepping for a presentation at work, blue light from your phone — the list goes on. While getting a wonky sleep schedule back on track can be tricky, new technology is making it easier to catch the Z's you need, and wake up feeling ready to take on the day. Circadia's Sleep Tracking system, designed with NASA-inspired technology, will monitor your sleep patterns, vitals, and circadian rhythm so you can have the best snooze of your life.

While apps for sleep and light lamps exist, The Circadia Sleep Tracker takes it to another level: it utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) technology to give you a better night's rest. Hello, future! According to their Kickstarter page, where the product is currently available for preorder, Circadia's "sensing technology built into the tracker is able to gather clinical grade sleep data in your bedroom." Throughout the night, the tracker monitors your body temperature, breathing patterns (yes, it tracks if you snore), heart rate, body movement, your bedroom environment, and your REM cycle.

Once Circadia's Sleep Tracker collects all that sleep data, it's analyzed to create a sleep/wake program tailored to your individual needs and circadian rhythm. For example, the tracker will create a "personalized light therapy program" for the whole day based on your data. Circadia's tracker can also determine the best temperature for you to fall asleep at, make predictions about your peak performance time during the work day, and helps your body's natural clock stay on target. Pretty neat, huh?

The science behind Circadia's Sleep Tracker may be advanced, but the product is easy to use: The tracker needs to be simply mounted on the wall, or set on a nightstand, within eight feet of your bed. You can access the information from the sleep tracker directly on your cell through the mobile app. It also syncs right up to other "smart" products like Alexa or Fitbit so you can receive suggestions about your health and sleep/wake cycle on the go.

As Health reported, restful sleep is a key factor in maintaining almost every aspect of your mental and physical wellness. Research has shown that just two nights of bad sleep can hurt your heart health, lead to an increase of anxiety and inflammation, and negatively impact your cognitive health — leading to issues with memory, attention span, or concentration. An estimated 164 million people in the U.S. struggle with sleep issues at least once a week.

Currently, the Circadia sleep tracker has a waitlist you can subscribe to online, so you can be notified first when the product hits the market. Though the price isn't set in stone yet, Circadia's Kickstarter campaign suggests the tracker will retail between $79 and $129, depending on the model you choose.

If you need your hands on one of Circadia's hi-tech products ASAP, you're in luck: Circadia's next-level light therapy lamp, which is part of their Sleep System, is already available for purchase. According to their site, the therapy lamp has "biological LEDs to improve your sleep, mood, and energy." Tested directly by NASA on the International Space Station (so cool!), this lamp rings in at just under $80.

Though it may be some time before Circadia's Sleep Tracker hits the shelves, this ingenious product is kind of the coolest thing on Kickstarter right now. It could be just what you need to make your sleep schedule consistent, productive, and most importantly, healthy.