Colin Snow
Sleep trackers are devices that monitor your sleep to help you understand your sleep patterns better. They can be in the form of wearables like rings, wristbands, smartwatches, headbands, and eye masks, or non-wearables like under-mattress sensors and smart mattresses. While they can provide meaningful data, they are not 100% accurate. Sleep trackers work by monitoring body movements and, in some cases, heart rate changes to estimate how much time you spend in each sleep cycle. However, as we move during all stages of sleep, movement provides limited clues about the sleep stage we are in, and many devices fail to differentiate sleep stages based on motion alone.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type | Wearable devices like bracelets, rings, and advanced smartwatches; non-wearable sensors that sit on the bedside table or under the mattress |
| Data Collected | Heart rate, blood oxygen levels, body temperature, respiration, sleep duration, sleep quality, sleep phases, environmental factors, lifestyle factors, etc. |
| Additional Features | Smart alarms, health coaching, and motivation |
| Cost | $80 to $400, with some requiring a monthly subscription |
What You'll Learn
Wearables for your hand or wrist
Oura Ring 4
The Oura Ring 4 is a lightweight, sleek, and stylish ring that monitors an impressive array of metrics to evaluate your sleep and daytime activities. It measures your heart rate, temperature trends, and blood oxygen levels throughout the day and night. It then translates this data into three scores: Sleep Score, Activity Score, and Readiness Score. The Oura Ring 4 also serves as a fitness tracker and provides tips to optimize your health. However, to access all the features, you must download the Oura App and pay for a monthly membership.
WHOOP 4.0
The WHOOP 4.0 is a lightweight and compact wristband that gathers detailed data about your sleep and works as a high-level fitness tracker. It helps optimize sleep by monitoring your heart rate, respiratory rate, blood oxygen levels, and skin temperature. It also features a smart alarm designed to prevent grogginess by gently waking you up during the ideal moment in your sleep cycle. However, WHOOP is a subscription-based service, so you'll need to pay a monthly fee to access the data.
Samsung Galaxy Ring
The Samsung Galaxy Ring is a sleek and concave ring designed for Android users who want to consolidate their devices and track their sleep and health vitals. It measures heart rate, snoring, energy, blood oxygen, stress, skin temperature, menstrual cycle, activity, and sleep performance. It also has extra features such as snore detection and gesture compatibility. The Samsung Galaxy Ring is slightly lighter and thinner than the Oura Ring and comes with a beautifully designed charging case. However, it requires a newer Galaxy phone to access all features and is not compatible with Apple devices.
Fitbit Inspire 3
The Fitbit Inspire 3 is a sleek and slim wristband that measures physical activity and sleep data. It tracks heart rate, blood oxygen levels, time spent in different sleep stages, overall sleep quality, steps, workouts, calories burned, and more. The Fitbit app is user-friendly and easy to navigate. While it doesn't offer advanced insights, it is a dependable option for those starting their sleep-tracking journey. The Fitbit Inspire 3 also provides a daily stress management score and offers mindfulness sessions. You don't need a subscription for basic sleep and workout tracking, but you'll need one for advanced features like workout classes and mindfulness sessions.
Garmin Forerunner 165
The Garmin Forerunner 165 is ideal for runners who want GPS to track their runs and insights into their sleep and recovery. It offers Sleep Coach, sleep score, and nap detection features, tracking sleep cycles, duration, HRV, restless moments, resting heart rate, and respiration rates. These metrics are used for its recovery feature, which recommends how long users should rest between workouts. While the watch is a bit bulky to sleep with, it has a long battery life of up to 11 days.
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Wearables for your head
If you're looking for a sleep tracker that you can wear on your head, there are a few options to consider. One option is the Muse S Headband Sleep Tracker + App, which is a wearable device that tracks a variety of sleep metrics, including brain activity, movement, heart rate, and breathing. The headband has sensors that measure brain activity to gauge the amount of time spent in different sleep stages. It also offers instructional meditation programs and guided meditations through the Muse app. However, some people may find it uncomfortable to sleep with a headband on.
Another option for a wearable sleep tracker is the Bía Smart Sleep Mask, which is a multipurpose device that not only blocks out light but also tracks your sleep. The mask uses Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) technology to monitor brain activity and track your sleep stages. It also offers a simulated sunrise wake-up function and plays relaxing music to help you fall asleep. However, it is more expensive than most sleep trackers, and it may not be a good option for people who feel uncomfortable wearing something on their face while sleeping.
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Under-mattress sensors
Some popular options for under-mattress sensors include the Sleep Analyzer from Withings, which offers easy setup, advanced tracking, and home automation functions, and the Beddit sleep tracker, which is an older and less advanced option available in the UK. It is important to research and choose an under-mattress sensor that has been tested for accuracy and has positive reviews.
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Smart mattresses
One of the most popular smart mattresses on the market is the Eight Sleep Pod 3 Cover. This mattress cover fits over your bed like a fitted sheet and contains a system of wires that pump water throughout, heating and cooling you to mimic your body's natural temperature cycles during sleep. Additionally, it tracks your sleep stages, heart rate, breathing rate, and snoring. However, it is a pricey option and may change the feel of your mattress.
Another option for a smart mattress is the Withings Sleep Tracking Mat, which is placed under your mattress to track your sleep through pneumatic and sound sensors. This discreet and affordable option measures your heart rate, respiratory rate, movements, snoring, and sleep cycles. However, it requires a nearby power outlet for its USB connection and may pick up the movements of a sleeping partner or pet.
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Smartphone apps
There are many smartphone apps that can help you track your sleep and REM sleep. Here are some of the most popular and highly-rated ones:
- SleepScore is one of the most intuitive and convenient sleep-tracking apps. It works with iPhones and a limited number of Android phones. SleepScore allows you to set sleep goals and provides actionable advice for reaching them. It also offers more detailed sleep-stage data than most other apps and has a smart alarm that wakes you up slowly. The premium version, which costs $50 a year or $6 per month, offers more features such as long-term sleep tracking and personalized improvement plans.
- Sleep Cycle is another highly recommended sleep-tracking app that is compatible with both iPhones and Android phones. It offers a clean and minimalistic interface, making it easy to understand your sleep patterns. Sleep Cycle doesn't provide customized sleep advice, but it does let you see how your sleep correlates with various lifestyle habits and how it compares to others worldwide. The premium version, which costs $30 per year, includes additional features such as more alarm sounds, sleep aid content, and the ability to register your wake-up mood.
- Pillow is a sleep-tracking app that works with iPhones and Apple Watches. It uses your phone's accelerometer and gyroscope to track your movements and splits your sleep into light, deep, and REM categories. Pillow also has a smart alarm feature and a nap mode. The premium version, which costs $5 per month, offers monthly and yearly charts, custom melodies, and data export options.
- SleepWatch is an excellent choice for Apple Watch users. It seamlessly integrates with the watch and automatically collects data such as heart rate and movement to track your sleep cycles. SleepWatch provides a sleep score and an in-depth analysis of your sleep, including the length of sleep and variations in heart rate. It also has a white noise composer and a sleep education library. The premium version costs $5 per month or $40 per year.
- Calm is a sleep app designed to help you relax and fall asleep. It offers a wide variety of sleep sounds, meditations, and sleep stories. Calm also features music playlists and celebrity sleep stories. The premium version costs $15 per month or $70 per year.
- Sleep Theory is an app that provides insights into your sleeping habits and logs the basics of your sleep duration. It excels in chart production, offering various diagrams covering your sleep habits over time. Sleep Theory also includes features such as smart alarms, bedtime reminders, and music to help you fall asleep faster. The premium version, which costs $2.50 per month, unlocks additional features like bedtime exercises.
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Frequently asked questions
Examples of devices that measure REM sleep include the Oura Ring 4, Apple Watch Series 10, Google Pixel Watch 2, Garmin Venu 3S, and Whoop 4.0.
Sleep trackers use an algorithm to estimate how much time you spend asleep based on body movements and sometimes heart rate data. They collect raw data and then use an algorithm to interpret what the data says about your sleep.
Sleep trackers are only accurate 78% of the time when identifying sleep versus wakefulness. This accuracy drops to around 38% when estimating how long it took participants to fall asleep.
