Suunto's Sleep Tracking: Understanding Your Rest With Technology

Suunto offers sleep tracking features on its watches, including the Suunto 3 Fitness, Suunto 5, Suunto 9, and Suunto Race. The watches use an accelerometer, a motion-sensor that detects movement from the wrist, to measure sleep duration. Users can set their sleep schedule in the watch settings, and the watch will determine when the user is sleeping during that time frame. The watch also provides a sleep summary, including the total sleep duration, estimated time awake, and time spent in deep sleep. In addition to duration, the watch can assess sleep quality by monitoring heart rate variability. While the sleep tracking feature has received mixed reviews, it offers users insights into their sleep habits and helps them set sleep targets.

Suunto watches track sleep using an accelerometer, a motion-sensor that detects movement from the wrist

The watch also determines when you are in deep sleep (time with no movement) and when you are awake (time with significant movement). When you wake up, you are greeted with a summary of your sleep, including the total duration of your sleep, the estimated time you were awake, and the time you were in deep sleep. You can access this information from the Sleep display on the watch face.

In addition to duration, your watch can also assess sleep quality by following your heart rate variability during sleep. Sleep quality is shown on a scale from 0 to 100 in the sleep summary, with 100 being the best quality. To get this data, you need to ensure that Daily HR is enabled. You can also choose to have your watch in Do Not Disturb mode during your sleeping hours.

While the watch uses accelerometer data to track sleep, it is important to note that all sleep measurements are based on movement only, so they are estimates that may not always reflect your actual sleep habits. For example, a user on Reddit noted that their watch sometimes indicated they were sleeping when they were just rolling around in bed or reading the news in the morning.

The watch determines when you are in deep sleep (no movement) and when you are awake (significant movement)

Suunto watches use an accelerometer, a motion-sensor that detects movement from your wrist, to track your sleep. The watch determines when you are in deep sleep and when you are awake based on your bedtime and your movements within that timeframe. Your bedtime consists of two values: the earliest time you usually go to sleep and the latest time you usually wake up. If you get up for a drink of water during the night, for example, your watch still counts any sleep after that as the same session. However, if you go to bed before your bedtime and wake up after your bedtime, your watch does not count that as a sleep session.

To enable sleep tracking, go to your watch settings, scroll down to Sleep, and press the middle button. Then, toggle on Sleep tracking and set the times for going to bed and waking up according to your normal sleep schedule. You can also choose to have your watch in Do Not Disturb mode during your sleeping hours.

In addition to duration, your watch can also assess sleep quality by following your heart rate variability during sleep. Sleep quality is shown on a scale from 0 to 100 in the sleep summary, with 100 being the best quality. To get feedback on your heart rate, HRV, and blood oxygen level while sleeping, ensure that Daily HR is enabled.

It's important to note that all sleep measurements are based on movement only, so they are estimates that may not always reflect your actual sleep habits. For example, one user reported that their watch said they slept all night even when they were just rolling in bed or going to the bathroom.

Sleep quality is assessed by following heart rate variability

Suunto watches track sleep using an accelerometer, a motion sensor that detects movement from your wrist. The watch determines when you are sleeping based on your bedtime and movements within that timeframe. You can set your bedtime in the watch settings, which consists of two values: the earliest time you usually go to sleep and the latest time you usually wake up.

In addition to tracking sleep duration and movement, the watch can also assess sleep quality by monitoring your heart rate variability (HRV) during sleep. HRV refers to the variation in time between consecutive heartbeats, which is controlled by the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The ANS is further divided into the sympathetic nervous system (the fight-or-flight mechanism) and the parasympathetic nervous system (the relaxation response). If the ANS is in a more relaxed state, the variation between heartbeats tends to be higher, indicating better cardiovascular fitness and resilience to stress. Conversely, a lower HRV suggests that the body is in a fight-or-flight mode and may be a sign of stress, sleep deprivation, or other health issues.

By tracking HRV, the Suunto watch provides a sleep quality score on a scale from 0 to 100, with 100 being the best quality. This score is based on how well your sleep is helping you rest and recover. To enable this feature, users must ensure that Daily HR is turned on. While the watch provides additional feedback on heart rate and HRV during sleep, it is important to note that wrist-worn devices may not be sensitive enough for accurate HRV detection. For more sensitive measurements, medical devices such as electrocardiogram (EKG) machines or chest monitors are typically used.

Overall, the Suunto watch's sleep tracking feature provides insights into sleep duration, movement, and heart rate variability, offering a comprehensive understanding of sleep quality and its impact on rest and recovery.

Suunto watches allow you to set a sleep target

To set up sleep tracking, go to your watch settings, scroll down to 'Sleep', and press the middle button. Here, you can toggle on sleep tracking and set your bedtime by inputting the times you normally go to bed and wake up. You can also choose to have your watch in Do Not Disturb mode during your sleeping hours, so you won't be disturbed by notifications.

Once sleep tracking is enabled, you can set your sleep target. The recommended sleep duration for adults is between 7 to 9 hours per day, but you can adjust this target based on your personal needs. Each morning, you will receive a summary of your sleep, including the total duration, the estimated time you were awake, and the time spent in deep sleep.

You can view your sleep data by accessing the Sleep display on your watch face. Here, you can swipe left to see your average sleep over the last seven days, or swipe up to see your actual sleeping hours for the same period. In addition to sleep duration, your watch can also assess your sleep quality by tracking your heart rate variability during sleep. This data is presented on a scale from 0 to 100 in the sleep summary, with 100 being the best quality of sleep.

The sleep tracking feature on Suunto watches provides a comprehensive overview of your sleep habits, allowing you to set and work towards achievable sleep targets for optimal rest and recovery.

The watch can be set to Do Not Disturb mode during your sleeping hours

The Suunto 3 Fitness, Suunto 5, and Suunto 9 watches can track your sleep. This is done by measuring sleep duration via an accelerometer, a motion sensor that detects movement from your wrist. The watch detects whether you are sleeping based on your bedtime and your movements within that timeframe. Your bedtime consists of two values: the earliest time you usually go to sleep and the latest time you usually wake up.

Once you have enabled sleep tracking, you can set your sleep target. A typical adult needs between seven and nine hours of sleep per day, though this may vary. When you wake up, you will be greeted with a summary of your sleep, including the total duration of your sleep and the estimated time you were awake (moving around) and the time you were in deep sleep (no movement). You can also follow your overall sleep trend with the sleep insight.

In addition to the sleep summary, you can also assess your sleep quality by following your heart rate variability during sleep. The variation is an indication of how well your sleep is helping you rest and recover. Sleep quality is shown on a scale from 0 to 100 in the sleep summary, with 100 being the best quality. To get sleep quality measured, ensure that Daily HR and sleep tracking are enabled.

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