How Accurate Is The Galaxy S9's Sleep Tracking?

The Samsung Galaxy S9 can track sleep with the help of the Samsung Health app. The app can be used to record sleep manually, or it can be connected to a wearable device like a Galaxy smartwatch or Fitbit to track sleep automatically. The watch uses an accelerometer to detect movement and matches this with user data from its sensor array. It can also detect and record snoring and blood oxygen levels. However, no fitness tracker is entirely accurate, and sleep data should not be used for self-diagnosis but rather to spot trends and potential problems.

Galaxy Watch sleep tracking features

The Galaxy Watch series uses an onboard accelerometer to detect movement and combines this with user data from its sensor array to track your sleep. Devices with built-in thermometers also sample body temperature throughout the night, and this data is used in several other metrics.

The Samsung Health app and Sleep tile on your Galaxy Watch allow you to view your sleeping time, record your snoring, and use sleep coaching options. The sleep tracking and coaching features will guide you through healthier sleeping patterns and provide reports to help you track your progress. This includes your sleep time, score, stages, blood oxygen, and snoring data. To use the sleep tracking feature, you need to enable a few things in the Samsung Health app first. Then, wear your watch when it’s time for bed. Navigate to and open the Samsung Health app on your watch. Swipe to and tap Settings, and then tap the switch next to Blood oxygen during sleep to turn it on.

To ensure your Galaxy Watch tracks accurately and reliably, wear it correctly. According to Samsung, your watch should be positioned the width of two fingers above your ulna, the pointy bone on your wrist. A snug fit will improve blood oxygen and heart rate monitoring throughout the night and tracking accuracy. If you want to track your sleep patterns to figure out how you can improve your circadian rhythm, Samsung Health has you covered. When connected to a wearable device like a Galaxy Gear smartwatch or Fitback, Samsung Health can accurately track your sleeping patterns based on time and activity, along with any movements you make while asleep.

Samsung has confirmed that several of its latest Galaxy Watch models are affected by a sleep-tracking issue, but it has also recommended a few fixes. The company revealed that the Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra may not be measuring sleep properly. The issue, which also affects the Galaxy Watch 4, 5, and 6, means that "sleep-related measurement values are not reflected properly in the Samsung Health app on the Galaxy Watch." Samsung has offered a few solutions to fix the problem. If you think your Galaxy Watch isn’t tracking sleep properly, the first solution you should try is to turn your wearable off and then turn it on. Lastly, Samsung says that it will soon release an update to the Samsung Health app that will fix the problem.

Accuracy of sleep tracking

The Samsung Galaxy Watch series can be used to track sleep accurately. The watch uses an onboard accelerometer to detect movement and combines this with user data acquired from its sensor array. Devices with built-in thermometers also sample body temperature throughout the night, and this data is used in several other metrics. However, no fitness tracker is completely accurate, so sleep data should not be used for self-diagnosis.

To ensure accurate sleep tracking, the watch should be worn correctly. Samsung recommends that the watch be positioned the width of two fingers above the ulna, the pointy bone on the wrist. A snug fit will also improve blood oxygen and heart rate monitoring throughout the night.

The Samsung Health app can also be used to track sleep without a wearable device. When connected to a wearable device like a Galaxy Gear smartwatch or Fitbit, the app can accurately track sleep patterns based on time and activity, along with any movements during sleep. The app can also detect sleep stages when paired with another device. However, the sleep time targets may not accurately reflect your daily routine, and you may need to edit your wake time for a more accurate recording.

The Galaxy Watch6 series offers improved sleep tracking and coaching features. It provides reports to help users track their progress and guides them through healthier sleeping patterns. The sleep tracking features include sleep scoring, stages analysis, snore detection, and blood oxygen monitoring. The sleep coaching program offers personalized advice and missions to enhance sleep habits.

Sleep tracking without wearables

While wearables like the Galaxy Watch series are a popular choice for sleep tracking, they may not be comfortable for everyone. If you're looking for a way to track your sleep without having to wear a device, there are several options available. These include:

Non-wearable Devices

The Beautyrest Sleeptracker and Withings Sleep use sensor pads placed between the mattress and box spring, making them undetectable while you sleep. These devices can track in-bed and out-of-bed times, sleep levels (REM, LIGHT, DEEP, and AWAKE), heart rate, and breathing rate. Tochtech Sleepsense is another option that provides real-time tracking and notifications for "Not returning to bed," which can be useful if you're concerned about a loved one's nocturnal wandering. The Google Nest Hub Gen 2 is a similar non-wearable sleep sensor that emits radio waves and tracks changes in sleep patterns without any attachments to the bed.

Smartphone Apps

If you prefer to use your smartphone, there are apps like SleepScore, Sleep as Android, and Pillow that can help track your sleep. SleepScore uses readings from your phone's microphone and speaker to analyze your sleep patterns and make suggestions for improvement. Sleep as Android works with or without connected wearables and offers features like nature sounds to help you fall asleep, gentle wake-up alarms, and the ability to record your snoring and sleep talking. Pillow is another app that can work with an Apple Watch or just an iPhone placed on the bed. It analyzes your movements and sleep cycles, records any noises you make, and has a smart alarm feature. These apps often provide detailed sleep analysis and suggestions to help you improve your sleep habits.

It's important to note that while sleep trackers can provide insights into your sleep patterns, they don't directly measure sleep. They often estimate sleep based on inactivity and make guesstimates about your sleep duration and quality. For exact data, a medical sleep study that monitors brain waves is necessary. However, tracking devices can still be useful for recognizing patterns and making informed decisions about your sleep habits.

Sleep tracking with Samsung Health app

The Samsung Health app, when connected to a wearable device like a Galaxy Watch, can help you track your sleep patterns. The app, along with the watch, can monitor your sleep quality, length, and the factors contributing to a good or bad night's sleep. This includes blood oxygen levels and snoring. The app also provides a sleep coaching program that offers personalised advice and missions to improve your sleep habits.

To use the sleep tracking feature on the Samsung Health app, you need to ensure that your Galaxy Watch is connected to your phone via the Galaxy Wearable app. Once connected, open the Samsung Health app on your phone and enable the Sleep tile feature. You can then swipe up and tap on "Settings", followed by "Sleep". Here, you can turn on the "Snore detection" feature and set preferences such as when to detect snoring, how long to store recordings, and more.

Before you go to bed, ensure that your Galaxy Watch is securely attached to your wrist and positioned correctly—approximately the width of two fingers above your ulna (the pointy bone on your wrist). This will ensure accurate tracking of your sleep patterns. Additionally, make sure your phone is connected to its charger and placed near your head on a stable surface, like a nightstand.

In the morning, you can review your sleep data by opening the Samsung Health app on your phone and tapping the "Sleep tracker". Here, you can view your sleep time, snoring data, and sleep score. You can also access the sleep coaching options within the app to receive guidance on improving your sleep habits.

It is important to note that while the Samsung Health app and the Galaxy Watch can provide valuable insights into your sleep patterns, no fitness tracker is perfectly accurate. Therefore, sleep data should be used as a guide rather than for self-diagnosis. Additionally, you may need to manually adjust your wake-up time within the app if you perform other tasks before checking your device in the morning.

Sleep tracking with other devices

Sleep tracking devices can be a good option for healthy people who want to gain insight into their sleep patterns. While these devices do not directly measure sleep, they can help users recognise patterns in their sleep habits. For example, you might feel more energetic after sleeping from 11 pm to 7 am than from 10 pm to 6 am. Other factors that may influence your sleep quality include bedroom temperature, caffeine intake, and exercise. Sleep tracking devices can record these environmental and lifestyle factors and present them as user-friendly graphs or reports.

Samsung Health

Samsung Health can track your sleep patterns based on time and activity, along with any movements you make while asleep. It automatically preconfigures your sleep time target based on your profile information, such as age and gender. However, these targets may not accurately reflect your daily routine. When connected to a wearable device like a Galaxy Gear smartwatch or Fitbit, Samsung Health can accurately track your sleep patterns.

Galaxy Watch

The Galaxy Watch series can track your sleep patterns using a combination of sensors. It uses an onboard accelerometer to detect movement and matches this with user data acquired from its sensor array. Devices with built-in thermometers also sample body temperature throughout the night, and this data is used in several other metrics. The Galaxy Watch6 series offers improved sleep tracking and coaching features, providing reports to help you track your progress. To ensure accurate tracking, the watch should be positioned the width of two fingers above your ulna, the pointy bone on your wrist.

Other Devices

There are several other sleep tracking devices and apps available, including:

• Ultrahuman Ring Air: This ring has a medical-grade temperature sensor, a PPG (photoplethysmography) sensor, and a motion-sensing IMU (inertial measurement unit). It provides valuable advice in the accompanying app.
• Garmin fitness trackers: These devices track sleep to varying degrees. Watches with a Pulse Ox sensor, like the Epix Pro, have Advanced Sleep Monitoring, which can track sleep stages, SpO2 or blood oxygen saturation, respiration, and restlessness.
• Apple Watch: The Health app on the iPhone allows you to see time in bed, sleep time, heart rate, respiratory rate, and average temperature. Apple's Wind Down feature helps with bedtime routines, and its subtle reminders and gentle wake-up functions are useful. However, Apple's charts are hard to read, and the app does not provide a sleep score.
• Whoop: This screenless band displays data on strain, recovery, and sleep through the Whoop smartphone app. It offers detailed sleep trends, allowing you to calculate your true sleep needs.
• Fitbit: A 2017 study found that the Fitbit Charge 2 detected sleep onset with 96% accuracy but overestimated time spent asleep by 9 minutes on average. It detected light sleep with 81% accuracy, deep sleep with 49% accuracy, and REM sleep with 74% accuracy. A 2022 study found that the Fitbit Alta HR satisfactorily tracked sleep onset, time spent asleep, and sleep cycles.

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