However, taking a closer look, there seems to be less of a gap difference between the hours recorded from Garmin and Oura. On 22 of the nights, Garmin and Oura are the closest in total recorded hours of sleep. In fact, it recorded the highest amount of sleep for 23 nights of the month. Pacific Northwest where he takes advantage of the beautiful surroundings every chance he gets. A lover of kayaking, hiking, swimming, biking, snowboarding and exploring, he also makes every effort to combine his day job with his passions. When not assessing the sleep tracking and heart rate accuracy of the latest tach gadgets, you can find him photographing Seattle’s vibrant underground music community.
It’s hard to say which of the above technologies is best for tracking sleep. Accelerometers might be useless on a foam mattress, which are inherently good at motion isolation, but they perform more accurately on wearables. But sleep-tracking apps promise to help you understand when you cross the threshold between waking and sleeping—and what happens in between.
Can sleep trackers detect sleep disorders?
- My beat includes home fitness equipment, outdoor athletic accessories, and a wide range of running gear.
- So, to put them to the test, I spent a month comparing three of the best sleep trackers around.
- It also boasts just the right amount of smartwatch features, excellent battery life and a stylish, comfortable design.
- However, if you’re using this tracker mainly for sleep tracking, this limitation isn’t an issue.
- Typically, my review period lasts at least a week, giving me time to explore the product fully.
- It’s also worth noting that to get the full functionality of this tracker and app requires an Oura membership that costs $5.99 per month.
These include resting heart rate, HRV, training readiness, «body battery,» and calculated recovery times for each workout. The Whoop app’s interface isn’t as approachable as those of the other sleep trackers we tested, and its language takes some getting used to. The Whoop system tracks more fitness-related metrics than Oura’s platform does. Every morning, you receive a Recovery score, which aims to show how prepared you are to tackle another day or workout. The Whoop app asks you to input your exercise sessions, such as cycling or jogging, directly; it then measures the activity’s strain, via heart-rate detection, to make recommendations, often in painstaking detail. It uses those metrics to track your sleep, and an accelerometer logs your activity and movement.
Best Smartwatch for Android
In addition to sleep tracking, the Apple Watch Series 10 can accurately measure workouts, including watersports, as well as take calls, make contactless payments, locate your iPhone and get help in emergencies. A tracker’s ability to measure deep, light, and REM sleep is critical. Look for devices with advanced sensors, AI sleep analysis, and smart alarms to wake you during optimal sleep cycles. According to CNET’s experts, the Withings Scan Watch 2 is a top choice for those who want quality sleep-tracking analytics without paying a subscription fee. The sleep tracker’s thinner, more traditional watch look is an added benefit. Taylor Leamey, former sleep writer, tested the AI Whoop Coach and found it intuitive and a great feature if you’re already interested in the band.
It’s slimline design means you won’t be bothered by it during the night, but this doesn’t mean you’ll be missing out on features. Unique in that it has no screen, the Whoop 4.0 is a reliable sleep tracker that is not only comfortable to wear but reduces the temptation to look at another screen while in bed. This tracker is available in four different colors so you can opt for the one that suits your taste.
selectOur editors spent months testing fitness apps — these are the 8 best
Android users looking for the best sleep-tracking smartwatch should strongly consider the Pixel Watch 4. The watch offers a unique blend of wellness tracking and smart features, including Google’s latest toolkit. Most significantly, because Google owns Fitbit, it combines a top-tier smartwatch experience with the best of Fitbit’s industry-leading sleep platform. For overnight details, it’s my favorite combination of sensor accuracy, approachable companion app, and comfort.
Best sleep tracker on a budget
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If your budget is more restrictive, or you don’t like wearables, you might opt for the under-mattress pad the Withings Sleep Analyzer, which is far more affordable and will still do a great job monitoring your sleep. Best of all, you can plug it in and then more or less forget about it – no removing it from your finger, ears or wrist to recharge, just leave it under your bed. Alternatively, you may prefer a middle ground, which is where earbuds such as the Amazfit and Kokoon nightbuds come in. These aren’t quite wearables, but don’t run up to the same price as the Oura ring, with gentle sounds lulling you to sleep in addition to monitoring your vitals. You might reasonably expect sleep trackers with more sensors, capable of recording similar data to PSG, to be more accurate, but manufacturers also develop their own set of proprietary algorithms to interpret the data. We dip into this in more detail below, but it’s important to note that no sleep tracker matches the medical monitoring you would get in a sleep clinic.
As a result, sleep-tracking apps work best for people who are only casually looking for clues as to how they might sleep better at night and emerge the next day feeling energized. If you’re serious about your recovery, then the Whoop Strap 3.0 is a great find. It is the best sleep tracker because of how in-depth the technology gets so you can maximize your rest. To assess your sleep quality, the Whoop analyzes your heart rate variation as well as the strain your workout put on you and how well you are recovering (or not recovering).
But if you use it to spot patterns and adjust habits, it can be genuinely useful. Most consumer sleep trackers work by monitoring movement, heart rate and sometimes skin temperature to estimate when you are asleep and which sleep stages you might be in. These readings are based on algorithms that interpret changes in your body and activity, but they are ultimately just estimates. Environmental factors, how tightly the device fits and even how often you move during the night can all affect the accuracy of the data. As a result, while sleep trackers can give you a rough idea of how much sleep you are getting and how long you might spend in different stages, they cannot provide a definitive or medically precise record of your sleep. While smaller than your average wearable, the Oura Ring still tracks a ton of metrics, including heart rate variability, body temperature, blood oxygen, all-day heart rate monitoring, and cycle tracking.
Of course, you buy a fitness tracker to track your fitness, and the Charge 6 does a solid job of this. Built-in GPS lets users accurately track runs, hikes and bike rides outside. It also offers support for more nuanced activities, like kickboxing, kayaking, snowboarding and rollerblading, allowing you to mix up your training. Since none of these devices feature an extensive screen, data must be accessed through a smartphone app. We considered each device’s app, how it presented data, and user-friendliness.
Which sleep tracker is the most accurate?
Just as you can’t sit inside the earth and watch tectonic plates shift, you can’t directly peer into your own brain as you’re sleeping. In a sleep lab, scientists use medical-grade equipment and sensors to record brain activity, eye movements, body movements, heart rate, oxygen intake, and more. This process, called polysomnography, is the most reliable method of sleep tracking.
How the fitness trackers we tested fared
Unlike elsewhere, there’s an AI chatbot in the app that provides personalised insights and tips about anything related to your sleep. Yes – if you want accurate, ongoing feedback on your sleep quality and stress levels. While apps can help, wearable sensors provide far more precise data to guide improvement. In an experiment where I tested Oura, Garmin and Eight Sleep consistently for a month, I found that Oura, on average, gave me the lowest sleep scores of the three. Garmin’s readings matched my perceived hours of sleep and wake periods a little more. I don’t have the right equipment to state which wearable is most accurate (a standardized, doctor-given sleep test is the most reliable), but Oura is still a great sleep tracker.
As such it’s more comfortable to wear than the previous version, and comes in more sizes. If you want a pair of discrete earbuds for sleep, you can’t go wrong with Amazfit’s Zenbuds. Sleep is reviews of unimeal a cornerstone of great health, and while these devices on their own might not improve your rest, they’ll give you valuable, actionable information you can use to get a better night’s rest.
App & Data Insights
When I had a workout day, my Garmin would suggest that I take time to wind down before bed https://www.healthline.com/health/hydration-top-iphone-android-apps-drinking-water with light yoga or meditation. The newer Garmin watches also track sleep, including most of its Forerunner series. Before my Forerunner 165, which I used to track my sleep for this article, I had a Forerunner 45S that tracked both my sleep and workouts. I tracked my sleep for a month using an Oura Ring, a Garmin watch and an Eight Sleep mattress cover.
What is the best sleep tracker that doesn’t require a subscription?
For runs, it marks both mile splits and lets you mark laps manually, as well as tracking heart rate and pace. Apple Fitness isn’t amazing at tracking strength training metrics like reps or sets, but if you have a lot of variety in your fitness routine, it can handle a little bit of everything. The app also tells you how many times you woke up during the night and when you were experiencing each phase of sleep. We found SleepScore’s data and analysis easier to understand than the more confusing graphs or percentages of other apps. For people who love data, SleepScore offers about as much information as Pillow and more than Sleep Cycle and Sleep as Android.
Best for Active People
Make sure that whatever model you buy offers the type of information you need. A smart sleep mask that tracks data while shielding you from disruptive light. A sleep-tracking wristband equipped with “Any-Wear” technology for added versatility. While there is no subscription fee, you’ll need to pay upgrade charges for proactive heart monitoring and warranty coverage. Studies show EEG-based neuro-feedback can strengthen slow-wave sleep by reinforcing restorative rhythms. Of all the sleep headbands we tested, this is the only one that absolutely nailed it.
The ring itself is comfortable, with a smooth finish that doesn’t cut into fingers. To assure a comfortable fit, it’s recommended to buy a sizing kit and wear a sample for 24 hours. This is especially helpful if your fingers swell at night, which could affect your overall comfort. Not to mention, it’s a lot more attractive than the Whoop, with a design that blends into your personal style rather than sticking out like a sore fitness tracker. If you’re comparing it directly to the Oura Ring, one clear advantage is that it doesn’t require a subscription.
(The gaps are much less egregious between the base Apple Watch and Ultra 2.) The caveat is, if all you want is casual fitness tracking, the Galaxy Watch 8 is the better choice for wearability. Just keep in mind it lacks the Ultra’s emergency siren and shortcut button. Because we couldn’t set up sleep-lab-quality polysomnography equipment at home, Winter suggested testing the accuracy of the apps and wearables against a sleep diary. Only once did she consciously wake up from a dream (aka REM sleep); she marked that too. In fact, “it’s like trying to track an earthquake,” said Thomas Penzel, PhD, research director of the Interdisciplinary Center of Sleep Medicine at Charité University in Berlin.