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I looked like a comatose Robocop.

Both WakeMate and FitBit, worn on your wrist during sleep, use motion-sensing technology (accelerometry) similar to what’s found in a Nintendo Wii controller. The data are interpreted using actigraphy algorithms, which are used to determine whether someone is awake or in one of the various stages of sleep. WakeMate features an alarm clock that can be set to wake you during specific “arousal points” in REM sleep (ostensibly to minimize grogginess) up to 30 minutes before a chosen wake time.

The Zeo, in contrast, uses a headband that measures electrical patterns generated in the brain. It also has an alarm clock intended to wake you during periods of most elevated brain activity to minimize grogginess.

The first attempts to track and fix things were not encouraging.

For both accelerometer devices, time to fall asleep—the critical problem of “onset” insomnia—did not appear accurate. Despite claims to the contrary, it didn’t appear that the accelerometers could distinguish between simple lack of movement and sleeping. I tested this by watching television for 30 minutes, remaining as perfectly still as possible before attempting to sleep. My “sleep” started roughly when I started watching TV.

The first good news came a week later: the intelligent alarms, Zeo and WakeMate, seemed to reduce grogginess. I was less bastardly in the morning and could think without two cups of coffee. Placebo or true cause and effect, the “smart alarms” seemed to help. This was an improvement, but I needed better sleep, not just better wake times.

This is where the Zeo really became valuable.

I began with a trial period of answering a subjective question each morning and assigning a number: do I feel like shit (1–3) or do I feel awesome (8–10)? Nebulous answers between 4 and 7 that would skew interpretation were logged but ignored. In both extreme ranges, I then looked for patterns. Thanks to the continuous glucose monitoring, I also had food logs to use.

Here are some of the initial findings:

1. Good sleep (8–10) was most dependent on the ratio of REM-to-total sleep, not total REM duration. The higher the percentage of REM sleep, the more restful the sleep. The higher the REM percentage, the better the recall of skills or data acquired in the previous 24 hours. Higher-percentage REM sleep also correlated to lower average pulse and temperature upon waking.

2. I could increase REM percentage by extending total sleep time past nine hours, or by waking for five minutes approximately four and a half hours after sleep onset. One waking of 5–10 minutes, approximately four and a half hours after sleep onset, dramatically increased REM percentage. It seems that one waking is not necessarily a bad thing, at least when intentional.

3. Taking 200 milligrams of huperzine-A 30 minutes before bed can increase total REM by 20 –30%. Huperzine-A, an extract of Huperzia serrata, slows the breakdown of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.2 It is a popular nootropic (smart drug), and I have used it in the past to accelerate learning and increase the incidence of lucid dreaming. I now only use huperzine-A for the first few weeks of language acquisition, and no more than three days per week to avoid side effects. Ironically, one documented side effect of overuse is insomnia. The brain is a sensitive instrument, and while generally well tolerated, this drug is contraindicated with some classes of medications. Speak with your doctor before using.

4. The higher the percentage of deep-wave sleep, the better your subsequent physical performance.

5. More than two glasses of wine within four hours of sleep decreases deep-wave sleep 20–50%. Even four glasses six hours beforehand did not appear to have this effect, so the timing is crucial. Conversely, taking 15+ drops of California poppy extract appeared to increase deep-wave sleep up to 20%.

6. Eating two tablespoons of organic almond butter on celery sticks before bed eliminated at