Hi Nemesis,

Thanks for posting! The short answer to your question is yes. Three months is the typical length of time that the sensors last, but depending on the amount of movement, pillow burrowing, etc., the sensor pad can last longer or shorter.

 There are two reasons why the sensor pads have to be replaced. The first is due to the fact that the actual sensors are made from a silverized fabric. While they are soft and comfortable, the silver will fleck off the fabric though due to wear and tear. After a while, there will not be enough silver on the fabric to collect data about your sleep.

The second reason we recommend replacing the sensor pad every three months is due to cleanliness. Like any garment in contact with skin, the sensor pad will collect dirt and oils. Over time, this dirt can degrade the quality of the sensors. While we do recommend hand washing the sensor pad in a mild detergent, such as Woolite, it is only so effective.

Additionally, please note that perspiration or high levels of humidity can sometimes have an effect on the sensor pads. The moisture affects the signal by creating an artifact. This artifact can distort the signal so the algorithm may not make the right decision in determining the sleep phase. A cool environment can help ensure the best signal. If you find you're experiencing high levels of perspiration during the night we recommend regularly hand washing the sensor pad. Also, if possible wipe the sensor pad off before docking and try lighter covers or lighter pajamas to obtain better results.

I hope this information is helpful. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Sleep Well,

Chela

Zeo Customer Care

customersupport@myzeo.com

For what it's worth.. I've noticed the same thing: As the headbands age, the data seems less accurate, and more pessimistic.

Even before the "needs replacing" warning, the headband seems to detect quite a bit more wake time.

It's something to keep an eye on, if you have regular patterns to compare.. what happens after you replace the headband with a new one?  It's not subtle.

Hi there GroundLoop,

The bedside display is programmed to remind you to remind you to replace the sensor pad every three months–the typical length of its lifetime–but it can last longer or shorter than that.
 
To prolong the life of your sensor pad you can clean it to remove some of the interference cause by the build-up of oil, dead skin, sweat, lotions, etc. We recommend washing the headband with a mild detergent such as Woolite. If you start to notice a significant change in your readings try replacing the pad (even if it is before the three month period).
  

Thanks for keeping the conversation going! Let us know if you have any other questions.
 
 

Sleep Well,
Chela
Zeo Customer Care
customersupport@myzeo.com

I dunno.. it already costs about a dollar a week to run Zeo.  Replacing the headbands even sooner than 90 days doesn't seem like a good way to go.

I've been washing them in Woolite, and pressing a paper towel against the sensor pads daily.  That helps.

Would a rubbing (isopropyl) alchohol soak keep them fresh for longer?

Hi GroundLoop,

I'm glad to hear that hand washing the sensor pad with Woolite seems to be helping. I would recommend against using chemicals or harsh cleaners (anything with chloride, like bleach or strong detergents) for cleaning your sensor pad. That being said, cleaning your pad with a delicate fabric cleaner like Woolite is suggested.

I wish I could provide a better solution to extend the life of your sensor pad. Currently the best option is to clean the pad intermittently and make sure your forehead is dry from water or creams before putting on the headband. Water-based creams will not affect the quality of the sleep tracking, but oil-based creams can.

Sleep Well,

Chelas

Zeo Customer Care

customersupport@myzeo.com

In case anyone else is having a similar problem...after uploading a bunch of data, I noticed my headband was not getting a signal until a good hour or two after I put the headband on and fell asleep, and it was recording almost no deep sleep throughout the night.  Realizing this, I put it on the next night and sure enough, the wireless icon with the person would did not appear for as long as I was able to stay awake staring at the clock.  Even though the sensor had 18 days left, I changed it the next night and put it on to find that the person icon popped up almost instantly.  My ZQ this morning looked much more normal.  Even though it may be somewhat disappointing to change the sensor before the 3 months are up, change it if you notice anything wonky with your data.

Interesting.  I wonder what happens as it settles in..  Mine has pretty good range, anywhere on the bed for sure.

I've been getting good readings out of my bands, even after the expiration date, just with a weekly soak in 90% Isopropyl Alcohol and blotting with a paper towel.  Keeps 'em fresh.

Eventually the pad splits apart at the seam, on the top or bottom of the middle area, and then delaminates.    I haven't tried glue yet.  :)

For some reason I never even thought about washing the pad until I was looking into the issue with my data/connectivity and checked out this forum.  I will definitely start doing that now!

I don't know whether or not this is an electrical contact or an RF problem, perhaps you can help. I am regularly getting low values for the headband impedance in my unencrypted *.DAT => *.CSV files, typically around 1-200. [I would expect 3-400, based upon others' published values]. What does this tell me about my sensors &/or wireless connection to the Zeo base? Can or should I change something?

Grahame,

Likely nothing wrong here.  That impedance measurement is driven by how well the sensors are conducting.  Basically - more sweat = lower impedance.  Some people naturally have a bit lower impedance due to skin type - this is actually a good thing and will keep Zeo working working well.