Clinicians track sleep cycles with wearable devices

Wearable health and fitness devices seem to be as universal as mobile phones these days. The Fitbits, Jawbones, FuelBands and others are presenting new opportunities for treatment centers.

At Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center in Connecticut, incoming clients are offered a wearable device to monitor sleep–wake cycles in an effort to help clinical teams address insomnia and sleep deprivation, especially in the early phases of addiction recovery. After patterns are recorded, clinicians recommend individualized solutions such as yoga, meditation and acupuncture.

There are no separate client fees for the device, according to Marie Lanier, program development coordinator at Mountainside.

“We do get a corporate discount for buying in bulk,” Lanier says.

Additionally, a new complementary focus on nutrition at Mountainside includes locally sourced foods, including hormone free meats and poultry, as well as fish caught in Connecticut. In winter months, a large produce distributor in New York supplies the center with products grown in the United States.

“We are purchasing much of our produce and dairy from local organic farms until we are able to produce our own,” says Jason Chartier, culinary director.