An Efficient Segmentation Algorithm to Estimate Sleep Duration from Actigraphy Data

Sleep duration is a recognized determinant of mental health, obesity and cardiovascular disease, cognition, and memory across the lifespan. Due to convenience and cost, sleep duration is often measured through self-report; yet, self-reported sleep duration can be highly biased. Actigraphy is a viable alternative as an objective measure of sleep. To analyze this actigraphy data, various sleep evaluation algorithms have been developed using regression methods, with coefficients constructed on minute-by-minute data measured at a specific device placement (wrist or hip). Because activity counts per minute may be affected by various factors in the study (e.g., type of device, sampling frequencies), regression-based algorithms developed within specific populations may not be generalizable to wider use. To address these concerns, we propose a new learning method to obtain robust and consistent sleep duration estimates. First, we identify temporal segments via pruned dynamic programming; then, we develop a calling algorithm with individual-specific thresholds and capture sleep periods. Our proposed method is motivated by and demonstrated in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) Sleep study and the Early Life Exposure in Mexico to ENvironmental Toxicants (ELEMENT) study.

Automated summary

This study highlights the importance of sleep duration for health and points out that sleep monitoring methods tailored to different populations may not be generalizable for broader use.