Sleep apps backfire by causing anxiety and insomnia, says expert

Neurologist says 'metricising our lives' is counterproductive when it comes to sleep

Smartphone sleep-tracking apps are making people so anxious and obsessed about their sleep that they are developing insomnia, a leading neurologist has said.

Speaking at the Cheltenham science festival, Dr Guy Leschziner, a sleep disorder specialist and consultant at Guy's hospital in London, said a growing preoccupation with getting enough sleep was backfiring.