Beyond the Sleep Lab: A Narrative Review of Wearable Sleep Monitoring.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Sleep Science
• Wearable Technology

Background:

• Sleep is crucial for health and homeostasis.
• Traditional sleep studies use polysomnography (PSG) in labs.
• Wearable tech enables non-invasive, real-world sleep monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• Review the evolution of wearable sleep monitoring technology.
• Discuss technological advancements and their impact on sleep research.
• Examine clinical applications and future directions in wearable sleep analysis.

Main Methods:

• Traced technological evolution from analog to AI-driven systems.
• Summarized sensor advancements (movement, physiological, biochemical).
• Reviewed comparative studies with PSG and device types (wristbands, rings, etc.).

Main Results:

• Wearable technology has advanced significantly with multi-sensor and AI integration.
• Edge computing and deep learning enhance automated sleep staging.
• Clinical applications include remote patient management and personalized medicine.

Conclusions:

• Wearable sleep monitors bridge lab precision with real-world data.
• They redefine sleep monitoring standards for individualized care and population health.
• Future directions involve multimodal sensing, transparent algorithms, and validation frameworks.