Wake up when you are ready to be awake – Gadling reviews the Sleeptracker Elite

As part of the 2010 Sleep Awareness Week, we’ll kick things off with a smart gadget that can help you wake up more refreshed, and keep track of how well you are sleeping.

The Sleeptracker Elite is part watch, part sleep monitor. The watch uses internal sensors to detect your sleep patterns, and it uses this data to wake you when it feels you have reached the optimal wake time.

The watch itself isn’t much to write about – the mens version I’m testing looks more like a $20 generic from the local mega-mart. It is also quite bulky, but considering it is filled with a USB interface and a variety of sensors, bulky is to be expected. The watch has four buttons on the side – glow, down, mode and set. Thankfully, it is also water resistant.
The purpose of the Sleeptracker is to wake you inside a predetermined window. By analyzing your sleep, the watch actually wakes you up to 30 minutes before the alarm time you set. The end result of this is simple (on paper): you wake up feeling less groggy.

So – does it work? I’m happy to say that it really does work exactly as promised. It took me two nights to get used to wearing the watch, and I wasn’t happy with the idea of waking up earlier than I had planned. On the third morning, the watch woke me about 20 minutes earlier than the alarm clock, and I really did feel much more awake, without any urge to add a bunch of “snoozes”. I jumped out of bed, took a shower and started the day almost an hour earlier than usual. It really is funny how much more productive you are when you start the day right.

Best of all, the Sleeptracker Elite wakes you with a vibrating alarm, which meant I was able to review it without waking my wife.

The Sleeptracker Elite also connects to your computer, allowing you to analyze its data. The cable clips onto the back of the watch, and the included software downloads your data on a matter of seconds. The application is available for the PC and Mac.

All in all, the Sleeptracker Elite delivers exactly what it promises. It may not be the prettiest device, but it is surprising to see how well the watch can wake me.

For travelers, the Sleeptracker may be the perfect way to get out of the horror that is jetlag. I once spent a month trying to adjust to being back home, and really wish I had this device back then. By tracking which factors impact your sleep, you can also adjust your lifestyle to find an even better nights sleep.

The Sleeptracker Elite watch is available for men and women, and normally retails for $179.99 – but as part of Sleep Week, you can purchase one with a sweet 30% discount by entering coupon code SleepWeek2010 at checkout.