Last Updated: May 1, 2026
Two health technology providers have released a new report that reveals the detrimental effects of disrupted sleep. According to the report from Everon Group and Howz, disrupted sleep is strongly correlated with increased fall risk, reduced resilience and wider deterioration in wellbeing.
The report, titled ‘Independent Living, Intelligent Insight: The Role of Evercare in the Next Generation of TECS’, demonstrated how wearable and telecare technology can detect changes in sleep patterns including reduced sleep duration, increased night-time wakefulness and disrupted routines. These are often early indicators of heightened fall risk or emerging health decline.
The study highlights how wearable technology and machine learning analytics can transform reactive telecare into a proactive, preventative model. It demonstrates how continuously monitoring routines, mobility and sleep patterns can provide early warning signs of health or wellbeing decline. This allows for intervention to take place before incidents occur.
Sleep is a powerful indicator of health, and its disruption is closely linked with falls, cognitive decline and reduced resilience. Poor sleep can significantly increase the risk of falls, which currently cost the NHS an estimated £2.3 billion each year. With an aging population, this financial and human burden is set to rise, yet many falls are preventable through timely, targeted interventions that address underlying causes.
The report sets out recommendations for Government, local authorities, housing providers and health services, such as:
- Embedding digital innovation at the centre of housing, health and social care reforms to implement a prevention-first approach.
- Clarifying responsibility and accountability for data and care outcomes across NHS, local authorities and housing providers.
- Investing in interoperable systems that allow existing TECS devices to generate actionable insights without replacement.
- Using real-time analytics to detect changes in routines, mobility and sleep, supporting early intervention and improved wellbeing.
Peter Kerly, Managing Director at Everon UK, said, ‘As the UK moves towards a fully digital communications network, the potential to deliver truly proactive and preventative care is unprecedented.
‘Our work with Howz has shown that it is now possible to identify meaningful changes in behaviour from data already generated by existing devices and that these changes correlate with key risks such as poor sleep, reduced mobility and falls. This creates a powerful opportunity for services to intervene earlier and support people to remain independent for longer.’
The report highlights how providing early warning signs that enable providers across housing, health and social care to intervene proactively. By shifting from reactive responses to predictive insight, services can identify risks earlier, prevent avoidable incidents and support older adults to remain independent for longer.
Kate Fairhurst, Managing Director at Howz, said, ‘The findings from the report highlights the transformative potential of data-led care. By identifying meaningful shifts in behaviour early, services can respond before an incident occurs rather than after. In practice, this enables teams to adjust support, contact a family member or intervene clinically at the right moment.’
The report underscores that the future of care is preventative, technology-enabled and person-centred, providing a roadmap for how digital innovation can support older adults to live safely and independently at home for longer, while reducing pressure on hospitals and social care services.
To read or download the full report, click here.
In other news, the latest EY Consumer Health Study reveals UK healthcare consumers are showing a strong interest in smart homes and digital health solutions to help them age independently.
