Glossary
Sleep Tracking
Updated February 28, 2026
Sleep tracking records duration and quality signals so recovery plans are based on trends, not single-night noise.
Minimum reliable metrics
| Metric | Minimum reliability window | Action signal |
|---|
| Duration | at least 5 nights of trend | repeated dips below target window |
| Sleep efficiency | 3 to 5 nights trend | fragmentation reduction first |
| Resting heart rate | steady baseline with week trend | sharp rise may signal fatigue or illness load |
| HRV | weekly average changes | sustained drop suggests nervous-system fatigue |
| Wake events | recurring wake cluster | prioritize environment and caffeine review |
How sleep debt affects appetite and performance
| Signal | Pattern | Likely impact |
|---|
| Appetite drift | late-evening cravings increase | higher food cue reactivity and lower protein adherence |
| Training quality | repeated missed targets | weaker reps and endurance pacing |
| Recovery window | low readiness despite good duration | hydration and stress likely lagging recovery |
What to do when metrics are worsening
| Trigger pattern | Immediate adjustment | Follow-up |
|---|
| 3 nights with low efficiency | use sleep-hygiene protocol and reduce late stimulation | keep intervention for 5 nights before retraining |
| persistent wake spikes | reduce evening alcohol and caffeine windows by 50% | recheck next week, then reduce training volume if unchanged |
| low mood and appetite spikes | add recovery day and nutrition pacing changes | escalate to training deload plan if 7 nights continue |
| noisy wearable-only trend | pair with manual logs for at least 1 week | compare against body weight and energy logs |
Measurement guardrails
| Check | Rule |
|---|
| Device quality | use one device for 2 weeks before conclusions |
| Labeling | mark bedtimes and caffeine as context |
| Threshold confidence | avoid changing plans on one-night swings |
Combine these metrics with sleep hygiene, recovery time, and hunger-aware macro planning for robust adjustments.