Zeo Sleep Monitor review – week 1

This blog has been dormant for a long time. So I thought I’d post on a totally different topic…

I’m intrigued by the idea of self-improvement through self-awareness, and being a constantly sleepy geek, I’d been tempted by the Zeo Sleep Monitor for a while. The price dropped (to only $264) so I finally gave in and bought one.

My initial impressions.

• Nice, stylish packaging but lots of paper! How about just one page: “plug in, charge for 2h, put on headband, sleep.”
• “Zeo Personal Sleep Coach is neither a medical device nor a medical program …”  Who’s afraid of the big bad FDA?

Lots of dead tree

• My first few nights sleep were awful but I was already sleeping badly before the Zeo arrived and I probably had the headband on far too tight. I kept waking up to discover that I’d pulled it off. Sleep score of 40 –> zombie day.

I couldn't keep the headband on for the 1st four nights.

• I wanted to see pretty graphs online, but first I had to register and provide all sorts of personal information. Not cool.
• Using an online app is a cool idea, no Mac v PC problems. Although did it have to be Flash? Flash apps are starting to feel like the Java-applets of old.
• I’m not exactly sure who the target audience is for this device. The base-station user interface is more VCR than iPhone. It would be so much cooler if the headband could directly upload to the online app.

nice packaging, but lots of paper saying the same thing over and over again

could we just have one

one piece of paper – plug in, charge for 1h / don’t need to charge, place headband, sleep.

check time when switch on

Flash app, grr, cannot resize text

_really_ don’t like filling in all the personal details

just wanted to see nice graphs

failed to get enough data on first night

headband came off after 2h

one of my worse weeks of sleep ever. wife out of town, busy at work, sleeping badly, headband was too tight I think.

interesting social media marketing, very active twitter stream (too active to actually follow though!) Facebook group looks like it would connect me with active user group. Value add, for both me and company (great feedback).nice packaging, but lots of paper saying the same thing over and over again

Now that I can actually sleep all night with the headband on, I’m excited to see if I can get some useful feedback on my sleeping patterns in the next few weeks.