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Who Sleeps (and Snores) the Most
Sleep-tracking data raises questions about how much we sleep but settles at least one argument.
Studies on sleep duration and habits are notoriously difficult to conduct, since they often rely on self-reporting, which is just as often inaccurate. New data from Withings, a maker of activity trackers and sleep apps, provides insight into what really happens between the sheets, including a resolution to that long-running argument in so many homes: Who snores more, men or women?
But before you’re dazzled by the data, keep in mind a potential limitation:
These results speak only to people who use Withings products and who’ve opted to give up their data (which is anonymized, for privacy). This subset of the population may or may not be like you or me; one could guess they might be more physically active than the average person, and exercise is a known inducer of good sleep.
I reached out to Withings and asked about these possibilities, and company spokesperson Cara Morgan said the study subjects, average age 45, “cross all lifestyles, ages and fitness levels. We believe the data is representative of the average U.S. population.”
Indeed, the results show some interesting comparisons. First off, both men and women were found to get…
