Portable PSG for sleep stage monitoring in sports: Assessment of SOMNOwatch plus EEG

Current sport-scientific studies mostly neglect the assessment of sleep architecture, although the distribution of different sleep stages is considered an essential component influencing an athlete's recovery and performance capabilities. A mobile, self-applied tool like the SOMNOwatch plus EEG might serve as an economical and time-friendly alternative to activity-based devices. However, self-application of SOMNOwatch plus EEG has not been validated against conventional polysomnography (PSG) yet. For evaluation purposes, 25 participants (15 female, 10 male; M age = 22.92 ± 2.03 years) slept in a sleep laboratory on two consecutive nights wearing both, conventional PSG and SOMNOwatch plus EEG electrodes. Sleep parameters and sleep stages were compared using paired t-tests and Bland-Altman plots. No significant differences were found between the recordings for Sleep Onset Latency, stages N1 to N3 as well as Rapid Eye Movement stage. Significant differences (Bias [95%-confidence interval]) were present between Total Sleep Time (9.95 min [-29.18, 49.08], d = 0.14), Total Wake Time (-13.12 min [-47.25, 23.85], d = -0.28), Wake after Sleep Onset (-11.70 min [-47.25, 23.85], d = -0.34) and Sleep Efficiency (2.18% [-7.98, 12.34], d = 0.02) with small effect sizes. Overall, SOMNOwatch plus EEG can be considered a valid and practical self-applied method for the examination of sleep. In sport-scientific research, it is a promising tool to assess sleep architecture in athletes; nonetheless, it cannot replace in-lab PSG for all clinical or scientific purposes.