The smart device keeping you healthy while you sleep

Today the Internet of Things is revamping technology.

Smart devices speak to each other and work together to provide the end user with a better product experience.

Coinciding with this change in technology is a change in people. We’ve transitioned from a world of people who love processed foods and french fries to people who eat kale chips and Greek yogurt…and actually like it.

People are taking ownership of their wellbeing and preventative care is at the forefront of focus for both physicians and patients. Fitness trackers alert wearers of the exact number of calories burned from walking a certain number of steps. Mobile apps calculate our perfect nutritional balance. And even while we sleep, people are realizing that it’s important to monitor vitals.

According to research conducted  by Harvard University, proper sleep patterns bolster healthy side effects such as improved immune function, a faster metabolism, preserved memory, and reduced stress and depression.

Conversely, Harvard tracked that lack of sleep can negatively affect judgement, mood, and the ability retain information, as well as increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even premature death.

Through the Internet of Things, researchers can now explore sleep patterns without the usual sleep labs and movement-restricting electrode wires. And with connected devices, individuals can now easily monitor and positively influence their own health.

EarlySense, a startup credited with the creation of continuous patient monitoring solutions focused on early detection of patient deterioration, midsleep falls, and pressure ulcers, began with a mission to prevent premature and preventable deaths.

Without constantly monitoring hospital patients, those with unexpected clinical deterioration may be accidentally neglected and their conditions can easily escalate into emergency situations.

With knowledge of many instances of patients who died from preventable post elective surgery complications, EarlySense founders created a product constantly monitors patients when hospital nurses can’t, alerting the main nurse station when a patient leaves his or her bed and could potentially fall, or when a patient’s vital signs drop or rise unexpectedly.

Now EarlySense technology has expanded outside of the hospital realm. The EarlySense wellness sensor, a device connected via the Internet of Things, mobile solutions, and supported by SAP HANA Cloud Platform, monitors all human vital signs while a person sleeps. The device is completely wireless and lies subtly underneath one’s mattress. The sensor collects all mechanical vibrations that the body submits while sleeping, continuously monitoring heart and respiratory rates of individuals from the comfort of his or her own bed.

The result is faster diagnoses with better treatments and outcomes. Sleep issues can be identified and fixed; individuals can use the data collected from the sensor to make healthy adjustments to their lifestyles like changing diet or exercise habits; and those on heavy pain medications can monitor the way their bodies react to the medication. In addition, physicians can use the data collected from the sensor to identify patient health problems early on, before they escalate into an emergency situation.

Connected care is opening the door for a new way to practice health. Whether it’s a connected care app that links people with their doctors, fitness trackers that measure daily activity, or sensors like the EarlySense wellness sensor, today’s technology enables people and physicians to work together to prevent sickness and accidents before they occur. Technology is forever changing the way we live, and in turn we are living longer, healthier lives.

This article is published in collaboration with SAP Community Network. Publication does not imply endorsement of views by the World Economic Forum.

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Author: Christine Donato writes for SAP Community Network. 

Image: Delegates rest during a break of the plenary session at the U.N. Climate Change Conference COP 20 in Lima December 13, 2014. REUTERS/Enrique Castro-Mendivil