If you are serious about your health â€" well, obsessive really â€" you may want to try logging your sleep to see how long and how well you are actually slumbering.
I have tried a couple of different sleep measurement devices in the past and preferred the Zeo Bedside Sleep Manager, which uses a headband to record brainwaves during sleep.
What I didn't like about the Bedside Sleep Manager was the sizable clock-slash-dock that charged the headband and loaded its nightly data to a memory card. It was a little large for my bedside table, and its modern look didn't quite fit my early rummage sale décor.
Zeo has solved that issue with the Sleep Manager Pro, which dispenses with the clock, instead letting your smartphone record your results. It is compatible with Apple phones and Androids.
The $100 Pro gets you a wireless headband sensor with Bluetooth built-in, a USB charging cable and A/C power adapter. The $120 Pro+ adds a charging dock. A free app put s the necessary software on your phone.
The results from the Pro looked similar to the results I got from the bedside clock. But I was surprised to discover I've been sleeping a lot less lately than I thought. Worth knowing and easily remedied.
In my tests I used an iPhone and did discover a few inconveniences. One is that the headband doesn't seem to hold the charge very long, so you need to be sure to top off the batteries every day. The second was that the iPhone needs to be on to record your sleep. After snoozing six hours my battery was nearly dead, so you'll need to keep the phone plugged in while you sleep.
The other problem with leaving the phone on is the screen stays lit. The directions say you can turn the screen over on its face, but I have a glass top table. The glow didn't didn't disturb me, but if you're sensitive to light that could be a problem.
One more thing to be aware of is that headbands and sensors wear out. According to the Web site, you should replace them about every three months. Replacements are $20.
Why not just buy the $20 headband and sensor, use the free app and save $80? Maybe it doesn't include the snap-on electronic part of the headband. It's not clear from the Web site, and Zeo did not reply to messages. Maybe they were napping?
