Miya Pearson
Sleep tracking is one of the most useful features of a Garmin watch, helping you to understand and improve your sleep. Garmin's Advanced Sleep Monitoring provides a sleep score out of 100, tracking your sleep time, quality, duration, stages, awake time, heart rate, respiration, blood oxygen saturation, body movement, and more. The four sleep stages that Garmin watches track are awake spells, REM sleep, light sleep, and deep sleep. Deep sleep is when your eye and muscle movements stop, and your heart rate and breathing slow down. It is associated with energy restoration, cell repair, and maintaining a healthy immune system.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Sleep stages | Light sleep, deep sleep, REM sleep, awake spells |
| Deep sleep stage | Eye and muscle movements stop, heart rate and breathing slow down |
| Sleep score | A number between 0-100 that summarises sleep quality |
| Sleep score factors | Sleep duration, sleep stages, awake time, heart rate, respiration rate, blood oxygen saturation, body movement |
| Sleep tracking | Tracks sleep time and quality, duration and timing of each sleep stage, total sleep time, heart rate, respiration rate, blood oxygen saturation, body movement, body battery |
| Sleep tracking devices | vívoactive® 3, Forerunner® 645, Forerunner® 935, vívosport™, vívosmart® 3, vívomove® HR, vivoactive 3 Music, Forerunner 645 Music, fēnix® 5, fēnix® 5 Plus, Forerunner 970, Epix Pro (Gen 2), Forerunner 965, Forerunner 955 Solar |
| Sleep tracking accuracy | Largely accurate, occasional errors and inconsistencies |
| Sleep tracking improvements | Newer models have improved accuracy, enhanced measurements, additional data such as heart rate variability |
| Sleep insights | Training readiness, training status, body battery, breathing variations, tips to improve sleep |
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What You'll Learn
How deep sleep is tracked
Garmin's Advanced Sleep Monitoring system tracks several metrics to help users monitor and improve their sleep. This includes tracking sleep time and quality throughout the night, as well as providing a sleep score (0-100) that summarises sleep quality based on factors like sleep duration, sleep stages, and awake time.
Garmin devices track the duration and timing of each sleep stage (light, deep, and REM) throughout the night, as well as awake periods. They also track total sleep time, recording the total amount of time spent in bed and asleep. This is done by tracking the user's heart rate and respiration rate, as well as body movement data, to help identify sleep stages and periods of wakefulness.
Garmin watches make a note of how long the user spends in each sleep stage and how long they should be spending in each. For instance, Garmin recommends spending between 17-35% of total sleep in the deep sleep stage. This is because the deep sleep stage is important for restoring body tissue, improving immune health, and preparing the mind for the following day.
To ensure accurate tracking, users should wear their Garmin watch securely but comfortably a few hours before bed and throughout the night. They should also ensure that Battery Saver is disabled during sleep. While Garmin's sleep tracking has been found to be largely accurate, it is important to note that no device is truly 100% accurate.
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Benefits of deep sleep
Sleep is a complex and multidimensional phenomenon, and a good night's sleep is the foundation of a healthy lifestyle. While science has not fully explained the mysteries of sleep, it is understood that deep sleep is associated with a range of benefits that support our overall health and well-being.
Deep sleep is vital for energy restoration. During this stage, our body renews and repairs itself, and our heart rate and breathing slow down. This is also when the body enhances its ability to make ATP, an energy molecule. As a result, we wake up feeling refreshed and energised.
Deep sleep is also a time when the brain clears out waste and strengthens short-term memories, moving them into long-term storage. This improves our memory and learning functions, and enhances our ability to process information.
Additionally, deep sleep supports our physical growth and development. The pituitary gland secretes important hormones, including the human growth hormone, which leads to the growth and development of the body. Deep sleep is also when the body regenerates cells and repairs tissues, bones, and muscles.
Furthermore, deep sleep is essential for maintaining a healthy immune system. During this stage, the immune system releases protective proteins called cytokines, which help promote sleep and fight infections or inflammation. Sleep deprivation decreases the production of these cytokines and reduces infection-fighting antibodies and cells.
To promote deeper sleep, it is recommended to maintain a consistent bedtime and wake-up schedule, even on weekends. This helps regulate our internal body clock, enabling our brain to more efficiently transition into deeper sleep stages. Creating a soothing bedtime routine, such as meditation or reading, and avoiding electronics can also help signal to our brain that bedtime is near, facilitating a quicker entry into deeper sleep.
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Recommended duration of deep sleep
Sleep is essential for health and well-being, and deep sleep is the most important of all for feeling rested. Deep sleep, also known as slow-wave sleep, is necessary for proper brain function, memory, and the restoration of energy. It also plays a role in cell repair and regeneration, maintaining a healthy immune system, and keeping hormones balanced.
The recommended duration of deep sleep varies depending on the total sleep time and the individual's age. Most adults should aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night, with 1.5-2 hours of that being deep sleep. However, the amount of deep sleep one needs may also depend on their unique sleep architecture and sleep quality.
Deep sleep occurs in multiple stints throughout the sleep period. Typically, you enter deep sleep within an hour of falling asleep and experience progressively shorter periods of deep sleep as the night goes on. During deep sleep, your eye and muscle movements stop, and your heart rate and breathing slow down significantly.
If you're sleeping for 7-8 hours per night but don't feel refreshed in the morning, you may not be getting enough deep sleep. Sleep deprivation can lead to symptoms such as difficulty with memory and concentration, and it has also been linked to more serious conditions like heart disease and Alzheimer's disease.
While there is no one-size-fits-all answer to how much deep sleep is recommended, most adults should aim for 7-9 hours of total sleep time, with approximately 1.5-2 hours of that being deep sleep. However, it's important to remember that sleep is complex, and individual sleep needs may vary.
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Tips to increase deep sleep duration
Sleep is a complex and multidimensional phenomenon that is essential for our health, mood, and overall well-being. Most adults should aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night, which includes light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep. Deep sleep, in particular, is associated with energy restoration, cell repair, and maintaining a healthy immune system.
- Understand your sleep needs: Recognize the importance of sleep in your life and understand that getting adequate sleep is not just a luxury but a necessity. Most deep sleep occurs in the first hour or two of sleep, so prioritize getting enough total sleep by maintaining a consistent sleep schedule. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends, to regulate your body's circadian rhythm.
- Create a sleep-friendly environment: Ensure your bedroom is comfortable, dark, quiet, and cool. Consider using blackout curtains, earplugs, or a fan to create a relaxing and distraction-free sleep environment.
- Manage stress: Stress and anxiety can interfere with your sleep. Practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or yoga to calm your mind and body before bed. Additionally, consider seeking professional help if you feel that stress is impacting your sleep cycle or daily life.
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol: Caffeine and alcohol can disrupt your sleep quality. Avoid consuming caffeine at least 3-4 hours before bedtime, and limit alcohol consumption to moderate levels. Alcohol may make you feel sleepy initially but can cause disruptions throughout the night and lead to early morning awakenings.
- Limit screen time: The blue light emitted by electronic devices can interfere with your sleep. Avoid screens at least an hour before bedtime, and if possible, keep your phone and other devices out of the bedroom to create a tech-free sleep zone.
- Practice a relaxing bedtime routine: Develop a calming pre-sleep routine to signal to your body that it's time to wind down. This could include reading a book, taking a warm bath, listening to soothing music, or practicing relaxation techniques.
- Consult a healthcare professional: If you continue to experience sleep problems despite your best efforts, consider seeking professional help. A doctor can help identify any underlying sleep disorders or medical conditions that may be impacting your sleep. They may recommend sleep studies, medications, or other treatments to improve your sleep quality and duration.
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Accuracy of deep sleep tracking
Sleep tracking on Garmin devices has become more accurate over time. Older devices used movement and heart rate to analyze sleep, while newer devices also use heart rate variability, respiration rate, body movement, and other key inputs to identify sleep and sleep stages.
Research suggests that Garmin devices are about 78% accurate in measuring sleep versus awake time, 38% accurate in measuring how long it takes the user to fall asleep, and less accurate in measuring sleep stages (deep sleep, light sleep, REM sleep). However, the accuracy of sleep tracking devices like Garmin is improving with each sensor hub update. One user reported that their Instinct 2 device was accurate 1 out of 3 nights, while another user reported that their device was "pretty spot on".
To get the most accurate reading on a Garmin device, it is recommended to wear the device securely and comfortably a few hours before bed and throughout the entire sleep period.
While Garmin's sleep tracking technology has improved, the most accurate way to measure sleep stages is still through a polysomnography test, which measures brain waves, heart rate, breathing, blood oxygen levels, and eye movements by attaching electrodes to the scalp and other areas of the skin.
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Frequently asked questions
Deep sleep is one of the four sleep stages that Garmin tracks, the others being awake spells, REM sleep, and light sleep. This stage is important for restoring body tissue, improving bodily immune health, and preparing the mind for the following day.
Make sure your compatible watch is set as your preferred activity tracker. For the best reading, ensure that your watch is on securely—but comfortably—a few hours before bed and throughout your sleep. Also, double-check that Battery Saver is disabled during sleep.
Garmin's Advanced Sleep Monitoring feature provides a sleep score (0-100) that summarizes your sleep quality based on factors like sleep duration, sleep stages, awake time, heart rate, respiration, blood oxygen saturation, and body movement. This data can help you understand your sleep patterns and make adjustments where necessary.
