Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Overall, I am satisified enough with my Zeo to keep it past the 30 day return period. However, if there was an alternative to the Zeo I would return this and try the other product.
I too have sleep Apnea, and actually stopped using my CPAP machine for a year after I first got it. My feeling was that the machine was waking me up more than Apnea was due to it shutting off and mask leaks. A second sleep study revealed an outright dangerous situation, and they had to stop the test after an hour and put me onto a CPAP machine. I still have a choice of masks, so I wanted to see if a different style mask would still cause the problem. The Zeo pretty much has ruled out the CPAP as being a problem, I think. More below.
I also have been trying to stop taking an anti-anxiety medication. The last time that I tried I developed Syncope, a condition where you randomly pass out and fall down. It's unclear whether the cause was the medicine, the Apnea, a combination of the two, or something else, but the doctors blamed it on the apnea. The Zeo, however, has shown me that although I fall asleep faster with the med, I don't go into REM or deep sleep hardly at all. It also showed that as I tapered down the med, it took me longer and longer to fall asleep, 1 then 2 then 4 hours, but it was a 'good' sleep. I could determine after a week or so that my sleep patterns went back to 'normal'. The first time I tried to stop I started nodding off uncontrollably at my desk, and at least then I knew enough about what was happening at night to cause it.
I couldn't have tracked and found out these things without the Zeo, and if it weren't for some other issues I would recommend it without hesitation.
There are some accuracy issues. I know that I have been regularly waking up and the Zeo does not record it. This is really important to me to monitor the above conditions, and in trying to isolate myself with a sound machine or 'sleep music' cd's and seeing if something else is waking me up. For instance, I have a feeling that when I turn on my side the CPAP mask is hitting the pillow and nudging away from my face, waking me up, but I can't tell for sure.
What really bothers me more than anything is the fact that you can not get an accurate representation of your sleep without uploading your sleep data to Zeo. There is no software to run on your PC to see your sleep info, all of the displays run in your web browser from the Zeo website, and all data is kept there as well. If something happens to Zeo, you are left with nothing but a really expensive alarm clock. The display on the unit does not show the time to fall asleep nor accurately portray deep sleep, and cannot be saved or printed.
Some people have posted their concerns about privacy of information as well. I personally don't have a problem with it, but Zeo sells or will sell or is trying to sell or is thinking about selling (they're not sure) to third parties. One person pointed out that his sleep data could be subpoenaed in the event of a traffic accident or something, and they could say you were not getting enough sleep and caused the accident. They added an 'opt out' option to their web page, it's not very prominent but it's there. The individual stated that he would just use an alias when setting up the web account, probably a good idea. Privacy issues aside, your sleep data is encrypted and you can not read it off of the SD card. You can, however, upload your data to the web site and download a .csv file back so you can import it into a spreadsheet. It does not, however, resemble anything other than a string of numbers, you could not read it or graph it. None of these issues are readily available for reading on their web site, you need to dig around a bit and find a blog that is addressing them.
Which leads me to my last little gripe. When I posted in their blog that it was a problem not being able to see the data locally, and I could not use the device if they went out of business, their response was that they were on the 'Today' show. Ok, but when I opened up the Zeo box and checked the contents, I was short a sensor pad. When I emailed them about it I was told that they stopped including it to save money since they lowered the price. Doesn't sound like a financially strong company to me if they have to exclude a little cheap pad.
So, if it wasn't so useful, even with the problems mentioned, I would return it. If I had known about the data being on the website only I would have never bought it. But, there really is no alternative that I know of (especially on the 'Today' show).
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Zeo Personal Sleep CoachYour quality of sleep is central to your quality of life. Zeo is designed to help you analyze your sleep and improve it, so you can be your best every day. Zeo tells you how you really sleep, and helps you find ways to improve your sleep. It's composed of a lightweight wireless headband, a bedside display, a set of analytical online tools, and an email-based personalized coaching program.
Sleep With Zeo
Step 1: Wear the Zeo Headband You begin by wearing the Zeo Headband each night. The headband uses our patent-pending SoftWave sensor technology to accurately and safely measure your unique sleep patterns through the electrical signals naturally produced by the brain. As you pass through different levels of sleep--lighter to deeper and back again--the Zeo Headband tracks how you are sleeping.
Step 2: Review Your Sleep Data on the Bedside Display The Zeo Bedside Display puts last night's sleep data at your fingertips and will store up to two weeks of data for easy viewing. When you wake up, it gives you a personal sleep score - your ZQ - and shows a graph of your Light, Deep and REM sleep over the course of the night. The bedside display will also present you with information about last night's sleep and how it compares to previous nights. The optional SmartWake alarm feature will look for a "natural awakening point" based on your sleep patterns to decrease the grogginess associated with waking from Deep sleep. When SmartWake is selected, Zeo will find a time to wake you within a half-hour of your set time, never later. The result should be a slightly easier way to wake up
See Sleep Data
Step 3: Upload and View Your Sleep Data Your personal sleep discovery doesn't stop with the bedside display! The Zeo Bedside Display allows you to store your sleep information on an SD memory card (like the memory cards used with digital cameras). With your SD card and its USB adapter, you can easily upload all of your sleep information to the myZeo Personal Coaching website, and begin to spot trends in your sleep that you have never been able to see before.
Sleep Journal Uncover the links between how you live--including exercise, diet, stress, and environment--and how you sleep. Available both online and on paper, your Zeo Sleep Journal allows you to record lifestyle, environmental, and consumption factors that can disrupt your sleep. You'll learn about the 7 Sleep Stealers and how much they can affect your sleep data each night. You can also define your own lifestyle factors to record. The more sleep stealers you track, the more insights you'll find about how your actions may be affecting your Sleep Fitness.
Sleep Tools Using Zeo's online tools, you can begin to understand how your ZQ and morning feel scores change from night to night. You'll also spot any connections between your daily lifestyle choices and your nightly sleep and find out for yourself some of the cause and effect patterns in your sleep.
Personal Coach
Step 4: Start Your 7 Step Sleep Fitness Program, Your Personal Guide to a Better Night's Sleep The 7 Step Sleep Fitness Program is a guided self-discovery process for your sleep. This personalized sleep coaching program asks you to set goals for your sleep and then provides you with customized strategies to help you to achieve these goals. In addition, you can learn more about the latest sleep research, and receive recommendations on how to track the items that are most beneficial for you. Through this program, you'll experience the power of seeing your own sleep data and learn about which factors may be affecting your sleep. You will have full control over the program to skip, repeat or start-over any step you wish. Special features of the program include:
A series of personalized e-mails that incorporate effective sleep tips and advice, customized to your sleep data, lifestyle and goals.
A customized action plan to deal with each of the 7 Sleep Stealers as they relate to you and your sleep.
Goal-oriented assignments that are realistic and achievable, and will not require you to drastically rearrange your lifestyle or even your sleep style.
Positive, supportive, and easy to understand suggestions and exercises, in everyday language that is easy to follow.
The Zeo Sleep Information Center is an online library for sleep information and science. In addition to offering another kind of self-guided, personal coaching tool, you can use the Sleep Information Center to discover what sleep is, and why it's important.
Zeo Reveals How You Really Sleep.
Without Zeo, sleep is a mystery. Are you getting the restorative Deep and REM sleep you need to be your best? How long does it really take you to fall asleep? It's practically impossible to accurately gauge your sleep quality and pinpoint which factors affect it. Everyone's sleep is different, and there's no one-size-fits-all solution for getting a better night's rest.
Zeo scores your sleep quantity and quality. Imagine knowing both the quality of your sleep and the reasons behind it. Every morning, Zeo will tell you your ZQ--a number that summarizes your sleep's quantity and quality--and lots of other information about your sleep. If you can measure it, you can improve it.
For the first time, you can visualize your sleep. Using Zeo's included web-based tools, you can easily see exactly how--or whether--you slept through the night.
Zeo Helps You Improve Your Sleep.
See what's stealing your sleep. Zeo Personal Sleep Coach will help you understand and minimize the factors that negatively affect sleep, so you can take control of your nights. You can use the visual web-based tools to see trends and cause-and-effect patterns.
Get personalized sleep coaching. Sign up for the 7 Step Sleep Fitness Program to receive recommendations and actions plans tailored to you and your sleep. Zeo will help you get the most from your sleep so you can be your best.
What's in the Box Zeo Bedside Display, Zeo Headband, Context Wheel, Power Adapter, SD Memory Card, Card Reader, Getting Started Guide, Headband Basics Guide, Meet Zeo Reference Manual, Sleep Journal
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