Majorities in both the U.S. (86.1%) and South Korea (91.2%) did not use sleep tracking technologies, with Americans expressing more privacy concerns and skepticism about benefits compared to South Koreans who showed less concern and more perceived benefit.
The large majority of adults in both the U.S. and South Korea did not use sleep tracking technologies.
A majority of Americans expressed concerns about misuse of data collected from sleep tracking devices.
A majority of Americans were skeptical about the potential benefits of technology to support sleep health, while a majority of South Koreans perceived potential benefits.
Demographic differences in sleep tracker use were identified within both countries.
The authors concluded that more efforts to build public trust in sleep-focused technology are needed across populations.
This research suggests that despite the growing popularity of sleep tracking devices and apps, the vast majority of adults in both the United States and South Korea are not using these technologies — roughly 86% of Americans and 91% of South Koreans reported not using sleep trackers. The study also found striking differences in how people in the two countries feel about these technologies: most Americans were worried about their data being misused and doubted whether sleep technology could actually help them, while most South Koreans had fewer privacy concerns and were more optimistic about the potential benefits of sleep-focused technology. These findings matter because sleep technology is a rapidly growing industry, yet public trust and adoption remain limited, particularly in the U.S. The gap between American skepticism and South Korean openness suggests that cultural factors may shape how people perceive and engage with health technology. The researchers highlight that people in both countries may benefit from better education about what sleep technologies can and cannot realistically do, so their views and decisions are grounded in evidence rather than either unfounded fear or unrealistic expectations. This research suggests that for sleep technologies to be useful public health tools, developers, healthcare providers, and policymakers may need to work harder to address privacy concerns and clearly communicate what these tools are — and are not — capable of. Simply making the technology available is not enough if most people remain unaware of its potential value or distrust how their personal sleep data might be used.
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Upload Your LabsErickson A, Nielson S, Dautovich N, Miller A, Lee D, Dzierzewski J. (2026). Use and perception of sleep technologies: A multinational study from the National Sleep Foundation.. Sleep health. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2026.07.004