Samsung Sleep Tracking: How Does It Work?

Samsung Health is a versatile app that provides tools to monitor sleep patterns and monthly cycles. The app is available on Samsung Galaxy phones and can be used in conjunction with a Galaxy Watch or Fit to track sleep. The watch or fit is worn on the wrist while sleeping, and it detects and calculates sleep patterns, including sleep time, sleep stages, blood oxygen levels, and snoring data. The app provides a sleep score and offers sleep coaching options to help users improve their sleep quality.

Snoring detection

The snoring detection feature on Samsung phones uses the phone's microphone to listen for and record snoring. This feature is available on the Samsung Health app (version 6.18 or later) and can be set to 'Always' or 'Once'. The phone should be placed within 2 feet of the user's body on a flat, stable surface with the bottom microphone pointing towards the user's head. The snoring data can be viewed the next morning by opening the Samsung Health app and tapping the Sleep tracker.

For the Galaxy Watch 4, 3, and Active 2 models, the phone's bottom microphone(s) are used to check for snoring, so the phone must be placed near the user while sleeping. The watch models also offer the option to record snoring as audio clips, which are automatically deleted after 7, 31, or 100 days. The watch uses the user's heart rate to determine when they are sleeping and then starts tracking their sleep and looking for snoring sounds.

The Galaxy Watch 5 can detect snoring using its own microphone, so a nearby phone is not required. The watch notifies the phone to use its microphone to analyze and listen for snoring once it detects that the user has fallen asleep. To ensure accurate snoring detection, the phone should be placed on a flat surface near the user's head, with the 'Detect snoring' option toggled on in Samsung Health, and permission granted for microphone access.

To enable snoring detection, users can go to Samsung Health > Sleep > More button (three vertical dots) > Snore detection. They can then decide if they want to record audio for snoring and how long to keep the recordings. Users can also enable the 'Bedtime mode', which disables all audio and vibration alerts except for the alarm, and ensures that the 'Always-on display', 'touch screen to wake', and 'raise wrist to wake' functions are disabled.

Sleep scoring

The Samsung Health app provides a sleep score that can be compared to the scores of other users in the same age and gender groups. This score is accompanied by a word-based descriptor, such as "good", "average", or "terrible". The app also displays sleep stage data in chart and graph form, including a timeline of the latest sleep spell with a breakdown of sleep stages on the y-axis.

The app also offers a sleep coaching program that provides personalized advice and missions to improve sleep habits. This program includes daily goals and coaching programs based on sleep data to help users form better sleep habits. The sleep coaching feature requires users to wear the watch for at least 7 days and nights before it can be used.

To ensure accurate sleep tracking, users should wear the watch correctly. According to Samsung, the watch should be positioned the width of two fingers above the ulna bone on the wrist. Additionally, the phone should be placed on a flat surface near the head, with the "Detect snoring" option toggled on in the Samsung Health app.

Sleep stages analysis

The Samsung Health app provides a sleep monitoring feature that allows you to track your sleep patterns and view your sleep time. This feature is available for the Galaxy Watch, Galaxy Watch Active2, Galaxy Watch3, Galaxy Watch4, Galaxy Watch5, Galaxy Watch5 Pro, and Galaxy Fit2. To use this feature, you need to ensure that your Galaxy device is connected to your phone via the Galaxy Wearable app.

Sleep stage analysis is a crucial component of Samsung Health's sleep monitoring. It offers an in-depth analysis of your sleep stages, providing insights into the duration of each sleep phase and how they contribute to your overall sleep quality. The app presents this information in a clear and visual manner, with a sleep stage breakdown on the Y-axis of the sleep chart. This allows you to easily understand the distribution of your sleep across different stages.

Additionally, Samsung Health provides a comparison of your sleep score with other users in the same age and gender groups. This helps you understand how your sleep patterns stack up against others in your demographic group. The app also offers daily goals and coaching programs tailored to your sleep data, guiding you towards forming better sleep habits.

To enable sleep stage analysis, open the Samsung Health app on your Galaxy device and navigate to the Settings. From there, you can enable the features you want to measure during sleep, such as sleep stage tracking. By utilizing the sleep monitoring and coaching features, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of your sleep patterns and make informed decisions to improve your sleep quality.

Blood oxygen monitoring

Samsung Health's sleep monitoring feature on the Galaxy Watch can track your blood oxygen levels while you sleep. This feature is also available on the Galaxy Ring. To enable it, open the Samsung Health app on your watch, swipe to and tap Settings, then tap the switch next to Blood Oxygen during sleep.

Blood oxygen levels indicate how effectively your blood is carrying oxygen throughout your body, which can tell you whether you're breathing effectively. A typically healthy blood oxygen range is between 95% and 100%, but factors like exercise, elevation, and health conditions can affect your levels.

To measure your blood oxygen levels with the Galaxy Watch, place your hand on a table near your heart. Remain still while your watch takes the measurement. Make sure your watch is on the top of your wrist, not the underside, and ensure it's not pressing against your bone. If your hands and arms are cold, remove your watch, rub your wrist gently to warm up your skin, and try again.

The Galaxy Watch4 series is the only series that can measure blood oxygenation levels during sleep. While the Galaxy Watch3 has a blood oxygen widget, it doesn't record blood oxygen levels during sleep.

Sleep coaching

Sleep is an essential part of our lives, and technology can play a crucial role in helping us understand and improve our sleep patterns. The Samsung Health app, compatible with the Galaxy Watch, offers a sleep coaching program to help you establish healthier sleeping patterns.

To get started with sleep coaching, you must first ensure that your Galaxy Watch or Fit is connected to your phone via the Galaxy Wearable app. Once connected, open the Samsung Health app on your phone and tap the Sleep card. From there, you can select Sleep coaching and follow the on-screen instructions. Before starting the sleep coaching program, you will be required to answer some survey questions about your sleep habits and goals. This information will help tailor the coaching program to your specific needs.

The sleep coaching program will provide you with daily goals and personalised advice based on your sleep data. It will guide you through the best practices for improving your sleep quality, including optimising your sleep environment and establishing a consistent sleep schedule. The program will also offer "missions" or challenges to help you form better sleep habits. These may include setting a bedtime routine, limiting screen time before bed, or incorporating relaxation techniques such as meditation or deep breathing exercises.

In addition to sleep coaching, the Samsung Health app offers sleep tracking features. It can monitor your sleep patterns, track your sleep movements, and provide a sleep score based on your age and gender group. This data will be used by the sleep coaching program to tailor its recommendations and help you understand your progress. The app can also detect and record snoring, measure blood oxygen levels during sleep, and provide audio data to help determine the intensity of your snoring.

By utilising the sleep coaching and tracking features of the Samsung Health app, you can take control of your sleep habits and work towards achieving healthier and more restful sleep. Remember, improving sleep quality is a gradual process, and it may take time to see significant results.

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