SleepScore Max Review – Data-Driven Sleep Monitor For Better Slumber
By Oktay Ozadam
Launched in November of 2017, SleepScore Max is a contactless sensor that tracks your sleep from afar. Thanks to SleepScore Labs, and the collaboration between ResMed and Dr. Oz, the non-wearable provides invaluable feedback on the sleep cycle. The Max is a redesigned, improved version of ResMed S+, but has retained the most vital ingredient of its predecessor - it is powered by the same core SleepScore by ResMed technology.
Not sleeping well at night can lead to some serious health complications down the line. For those of us who've tried the old ways of coping when slumber eludes, i.e. counting sheep and so forth, the battle can feel overwhelming. Especially once we look to the technological side of things.
Selecting the right sleep monitor to suit your individual needs is a numbers game - it all comes down to the pros & the cons.
There are a ton of factors that must be considered before one can make that final decision, lay down hard-earned currency, and unpack the box at one's home. Before you whip out the plastic, let us tell you what makes the SleepScore Max different than other sleep trackers on the market.
A Detailed Review of SleepScore Max
Easy Set Up
Contrary to the other personal health tracking devices focused on sleep, this monitor does not need to slide under your mattress. The design itself is quite unobtrusive; a simple grey rectangular box with soft mesh fabric, similar to a small freestanding speaker.
The hardware setup is very straightforward. Simply place the tracker on your bedside table, connect the USB cable to the power supply unit & plug it directly into the wall socket.
However, positioning the device is critical.For accurate readings of your breathing, it is essential to position the bottom of the unit above the height of your mattress level.
The front side of the SleepScore Max should face your chest, from about an arm's length of distance (but no more than 3.9 feet away). Nothing should obstruct the device's view. The sensor system was inspired by the echolocation system that bats use.
If your side table or nightstand isn't that tall, you can always add a couple of books or even a few sturdy boxes beneath the unit to raise it up.
These are genuinely neither stylish nor permanent solutions. And perhaps, if this falls under your CON column, we should recommend you look elsewhere. The Beautyrest Sleep Tracker, for instance, is the type of sleep tracker you can set and forget. This unit is placed under your mattress, hidden and completely invisible.
App Installation & Smart Phone
After the hardware is in place, it is time to take out your smartphone or tablet. All you need to do is install the Sleepscore app (available on both IOS & Android) and pair it with your device via Bluetooth.
SleepScore Max utilizes a Bluetooth connection with your smartphone or tablet, and the makers recommend keeping the linked devices close together.
If the Bluetooth linkage is interrupted the device will carry on collecting data. However, this sleep data will not transfer to the app until the connection is restored.
The Max unit doesn't have a built-in microphone. To monitor the noise in your quarters, it harnesses the mic on your smartphone.
To engage any of the smart alarms or noise detection feature, you will need to keep your smartphone or tablet in the room.
If you don't normally snooze with your cell phone under your pillow, this may not work for you. There are still no clear, direct links between electronic exposure & health damages. In 2011 WHO warned that mobiles have the possibility to be "carcinogenic to humans." So if you are worried about any potential effects at all, you may want to consider another sleep tracker like Withings/Nokia Sleep.
More than One User?
With Beddit, Withings Sleep or Emfit QS, the strip pad components are placed under your mattress. The sensors track the region of the bed that it occupies. By doubling up on the devices, you will be able to double the number of people monitored in that one bed.
This is not the case when it comes to the SleepScore Max.
Unlike the above examples, the SleepScore Max is not a multi-user device nor can you double up the sleep monitors in the same room. If you wish to have 2 Max units monitoring 2 individuals in one home, they must be kept in separate rooms and operated at different times. That is if you want reliable data.
If you are looking for a sleep tracker for couples, we would recommend either a wearable sleep tracker for each partner or the BeautyRest Tracker. It's an affordable option that comes standard with 2 units for tracking two partners.
And please keep in mind, for those of you whose pets sleep in their bed, this will skew any results. If you have pets or your children get night terrors, a wrist-wearable may be the way to go forward.
SleepScore Survey - To Know You Better
Any adult past 20 years old has had to fill out a survey of personal questions, as we are the generation of internet dating. Tinder may ask random date-able questions, but SleepScore Max really wants to get to know you!
Max's app will take you through a set of questions about your daily life activities, diet, and current sleep habits. We won't lie to you - the questionnaire is a little bit tedious and time-consuming. You are given the option to postpone filling them; however, we strongly suggest filling them out as soon as possible. This way, Max is ready to analyse and compare your sleep data from that very first night.
Max composites your bespoke profile with more than just the answers form the questionnaire.
It takes the environmental variables, like the light and temperature in the room, into account.
By comparing your personal data against the 7 million nights of sleep data in ResMeds archives, SleepScore Max provides a more customized experience. With accurate scores granting a deeper understanding of your sleep patterns, you will receive actionable advice to better your restful hours.
Manual Tracking Only
Wouldn't it be amazing if your wearable tech could pinpoint the exact moment you fall asleep, and the moment you are awake automatically? Unfortunately, the auto-start-mode is still a missing feature for many sleep tracking devices, including the SleepScore Max.
SleepScore Max does not track sleep automatically. To start monitoring our evening's downtime, you have to tap the "sleep" button on the app at night. You then need to hold down the "wake up" button to end the tracking process in the morning.
Manual tracking might seem like a disadvantage, but consider how imprecise other non-wearable monitors are at differentiating between a nap and a restful reading session.
For example, Beddit 3 has automatic tracking feature, but they still recommend manual mode for a more accurate sleep log.
If you require an auto-mode without any interaction whatsoever, then the Nokia Sleep would be ideal. However, we think the Beddit3 is the better option for most users as it features both an auto & manual setting.
Sleep Score & Data Analytics
To measure the quality of your previous night's rest, SleepScore Max incorporates 6 data variables including how long it took for you to fall asleep, sleep duration, cycle variations, & any interruptions you may have during the night.
As we mentioned above, the biggest strength of the Max is its data analysis.
ResMed has collected millions of statistics over the years. When comparing your sleep habits against the data of others in your age & gender group, you receive personal improvement insights.
For instance, having a sleep score of 75 or above is a sign of a good night's rest. If you want a more visualised picture of your night, just tap the score and the app drills down into the sleep stages and the Hypnogram(Sleep Chart).
SleepScore Max presents you with litigable steps for improvement as well. The recommendations range from nutritional advice, like eating cherries, to fitness ideas, like incorporating more cardio during your day. The more often you track, the more helpful the suggestions become over time.
SleeScore Max keeps the history of your metrics, easily identifying the patterns & avenues of improvement. You can even set goals to self motivate & track how well you progress.
Report to Your Doctor
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, or so the old saying goes. If you can prevent problematic health troubles by taking your self-care into technology's hands, is there any real reason not to hand those figures over to a medical professional while they are still humans?
As the accuracy of the personal home health devices advances, visiting our healthcare professionals with our acquired health data in hand no longer seems the stuff of science fiction. Instead of a doctor prescribing numerous medical tests, you can walk in with a baseline of your health ready for examination.
If you are currently experiencing any kind of sleep issues, be they insomnia or breathing related, this may be the best aspect of this device. SleepScore Max can provide a detailed downloadable report that you can hand straight over to your doctor for free.
Wake me up, Smart Alarm
An alarm may be meant to get you ready for the day, but if you have not had enough shuteye, it can be the toll of the bell from hell. If your alarm clock can't get you out of bed, then it may be time for a more radical approach. And no, I don't mean a bucket of ice water or a fire alarm!
The smart alarm is another helpful feature of the SleepScore Max.
The goal is to wake you up in your light sleep phase when you are most likely to wake up on your own. You can even adjust the alarm for up to 30 minutes. Wondering about what happens if you're in a deep sleep phase during the alarm time. The alarm will work just like a regular alarm clock to beep at the time you have selected.
How about the Cost?
Frankly, when budgeting for a big purchase to improve daily - or in this case nightly - life, the last thing anyone wants is the dreaded unplanned in-app purchase. Luckily, you and your wallet can relax.
The SleepScore Max is reasonably priced at the one time cost of $149, especially when compared with other non-contact sleep trackers with in-app purchases. The Nokia/Withing Sleep costs the same but may be the better option for those who sleep away from their mobile devices.
If you are looking for an economical option, the Beddit 3 is priced at $99. The only downside? Apple shut down the cloud services recently, and we are not sure how long Apple will continue to support this product.
Company History
Tracing a product's & company's histories is a great way to discover just where your money will be going. Are you keeping green? Will the device's research benefit only you, or others as well?
SleepScore Max is a good sleep tracker by a company having a longstanding experience on sleep. SleepScore Labs launched in 2016 and is a joint venture between 3 partners:
- ResMed - a global leader in connected care. Bringing the know-how and experience to this partnership. They are the backbone of this venture!
- Dr. Mehmet Oz - known as "America's Doctor." He brings his big television audience and marketing power to the table.
- Pegasus Capital Advisors - a private equity firm, managing nearly $2 billion in assets. The capital source of this business enterprise.
As of 2018, ResMed, has been the leading company in connected health care and has spent their time monitoring over 6 million cloud-connected devices. ResMed monitors their patients remotely, using the collected data to help their patients dealing with sleep apnoea and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).
The SleepScore's patented sonar technology has even been tested against Polysomnography (PSG) and Actigraphy & has been published in more than ten scientific peer-reviewed papers. Both methods are clinically accepted standards of sleep measurement method in labs across the globe, and PSG is viewed as the gold standard.
ResMed is pretty self-confident about the accuracy of their results. To be frank, we think any company in the business of health trackers should support any claims about the accuracy of their products with scientific research.
Compare SleepScore Max with Other Trackers
 SleepScore Max |
 Nokia/Withings Sleep |
 Dreem |
 BeautyRest SleepTracker |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heart Rate | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Breath | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Snore | No | Yes | No | No |
| Auto Tracking | No | No | No | No |
| Smart Alarm | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep Duration | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Time To Sleep | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Time To Wake | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep Cycles | Light, Deep, REM | Light, Deep, REM | Light, Deep, REM | Light, Deep, REM |
| Sleep Interruptions | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Room Temperature | Yes | No | No | No |
| Room Sound | Yes | No | No | No |
| Room Light | Yes | No | No | No |
| Battery | Power Supply Unit | USB power adapter |
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The processor box plugs directly into a wall outlet. |
| Display Screen | LED Indicator (indicates the connection) | - | - | - |
| Warranty | 1 Year Warranty | 2 Year Warranty | 2 years warranty in the United States of America, Europe and Canada | 1 Year Warranty |
| Weight | 0.55 pound (250g) | 274 g (0.604 lb) - sensor only | 130g | 1 pound |
| Dimensions(L*W*H)) | 100mm - 55mm - 150mm |
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Head circumference - 520mm - 610mm | 3.5" x 3.2" x 1" |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth |
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WiFi |
| Compatible OS |
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| Other |
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SleepTracker Sensors |
| What's in the Box |
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| SleepScore Max | Nokia/Withings Sleep | Dreem | BeautyRest SleepTracker | |
In Summation…
SleepScore Max is a strong sleep tracker by a capable company which has a longstanding experience on sleep science.
If you are looking for a non-wearable tracker that doesn't need to be placed beneath where you sleep at night, and you don't mind your cell phone tossed about the duvet, then this is the device for you!
The SleepScore Max a reliable, accurate and often tested product for anyone who wants to dive deeper into the mystery of their sleep patterns and habits for the betterment of their lives.
- Manual Mode (better level of accuracy)
- Simplistic, elegant design
- Totally contact-less, nothing to wear
- Straightforward set up
- Easy to use app
- Extensive sleep data to give personalized statistics and insights
- Compatible with both IOS and Android
- No auto-start mode
- Smartphone must be kept close by
- Height requirement for accurate tracking