Sleep Tracking Apps’ Design Choices: A Review

Abstract

Health-focused apps have gained increased traction in people's daily lives, from fitness to mood measurement, smoking cessation, diet monitoring or sleep tracking. Scientific studies assess assumptions, scientific grounding, user experiences and ethical issues of such apps, across multiple disciplines. We examine major issues highlighted in studies of sleep tracking apps, to orient designers in this diverse scientific landscape. From measurement accuracy to privacy issues, behavior change models, healthist discourses and user experiences, reviewing the state-of-the-art literature on sleep tracking apps indicates major design choices to inform future solutions.