In a room filled with cautious deer, easygoing walrus, and sensitive hedgehogs, alongside a lurking alligator and an exhausted shark, you might wonder what’s going on. But you’re not in a bizarre zoo – you’re in the midst of Samsung’s groundbreaking sleep study results presentation in New York City.
The 2023 Global Sleep Health Insights, presented by Samsung Research Vice President James Geraci, is the outcome of a colossal study that analyzed a staggering 716 million nights of sleep data from June 2021 to May 2023. This vast dataset was made possible by the millions of smartwatches Samsung has sold worldwide, including the recently launched Samsung Galaxy Watch 6. In comparison, the typical sleep study collects data for only seven or eight nights.
The key question arising from this monumental endeavor is whether this treasure trove of information can help us improve the most basic of human functions: sleep. According to Geraci, the answer is a resounding yes. With the extensive data and the multitude of devices in Samsung’s arsenal, the company believes it can assist individuals who struggle with sleep in achieving a better night’s rest. Sleep is a deeply personal and age-dependent aspect of life, and adapting one’s behaviors to ensure restful sleep becomes increasingly important as we transition through various life stages.
Before delving further, it’s essential to clarify how this all connects to the animal kingdom. After studying your sleep patterns for approximately seven nights, the Samsung Health app employs an inventive system to characterize you as an archetypal animal. For example, about one-third of us fall into the category of nervous penguins, characterized by poor awake times. Cautious deer, who sleep approximately 10 minutes and flee when anxious, become increasingly common with age. Due to the immense scale of this study, which involved hundreds of millions of nights of sleep and billions of data points, Samsung was able to delve deeply into demographic variations, considering factors like age, gender, and geographical location.
Individuals in their twenties are more likely to be classified as hedgehogs, signifying nighttime activity. In contrast, those in their fifties and sixties tend to become penguins, indicating sporadic sleep patterns.
The importance of sleep was emphasized by Demi Bagby, a CrossFit athlete, bodybuilder, and member of Team Galaxy, who called it crucial for her performance, agility, and reaction time. Interestingly, Samsung’s study found a greater gap between the amount of sleep needed and the amount we actually get, particularly among women. In general, most people do not obtain enough sleep, and the data reveals that sleep duration and efficiency are on the decline. Globally, sleep duration decreased to just under seven hours, down from an average of seven hours and three minutes to six hours and fifty-nine minutes over the past year. While it might seem like a mere four-minute difference, these minutes are vital for our health and performance, as highlighted by Demi Bagby. Additionally, awake time during sleep has increased by 1.3 minutes per night, reducing the efficiency of our time spent in bed. This discrepancy between the ideal amount of sleep and actual sleep is referred to as “Sleep Debt.”
Surprisingly, Americans have a lower sleep debt compared to others around the world. The gap stands at 42 minutes for North Americans, 43 minutes for individuals in the Middle East, and a considerable 47 minutes for Latin Americans.
These findings align with other studies, as noted by John Lopos, CEO of the National Sleep Foundation. According to him, the number of Americans getting between seven and nine hours of sleep, the recommended amount for most adults, worsened by 40 percent, especially in the wake of the pandemic.
So, what can be done to improve your sleep or increase its quality? The Samsung Health app, in conjunction with the Galaxy Watch, offers personalized messages developed in partnership with the National Sleep Foundation to assist you in transitioning from one animal type to another. This approach, illustrated by Demi Bagby’s transformation from a walrus to a lion, aims to tailor your sleep habits for the better.
But what truly defines a good night’s sleep? Lopos suggests that it’s about assessing not just sleep duration, quality, or satisfaction but ultimately asking how you feel. Are you at your best? It’s an essential question to consider, and if the answer is, “I haven’t been feeling my best lately,” then exploring Samsung Health might be a worthwhile endeavor. After all, you might just be a nervous penguin, just like the rest of us.
