World Sleep Day took place last Friday, and if the event left you determined to improve your snoozing habits, perhaps it’s time to invest in a sleep tracker. The more you know about your nocturnal patterns, the easier it is to pinpoint where the problems are and take steps to solve them. Some of the more advanced trackers on the market will offer not just data, but also advice on how to improve your sleep.
As a former Sleep Editor, I have a good idea of the different options around, and I’ve gathered my top recommendations in this feature. All of the sleep trackers below have been tried and tested by TechRadar’s experienced reviewers and have the stamp of approval, offering accurate, in-depth, and useful data. There are superb smart rings, intelligent wrist-based fitness trackers, and a wildcard collection of alternative sleep tracking options if you want something a little different.
Smart Rings
Let’s start with smart rings. They tend to be less obtrusive to wear than a wrist-based tracker, and also benefit from not having a screen to distract you when you should be focusing on dropping off.
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Finally, those on a tighter budget should check out the AmazFit Helio Ring. While there are some limitations, we found this more affordable smart ring delivered solid sleep tracking, offering a good amount of data and advanced features like relaxation tracking and personalized sleep music.
Smart bands
Another great solution for sleep tracking is the more traditional smart watch. Lots of today’s best fitness trackers also offer very capable sleep monitoring, but there are a few standouts if that’s your priority. On test, we found the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 delivered accurate stats and was comfortable to wear overnight. We also enjoyed the feature that assigns you a ‚Sleep Animal‘ with characteristics to match your nocturnal habits.
If you’re plugged into the Apple ecosystem, take a look at the Apple Watch Series 11. This wearable takes all your in-depth nighttime information and turns it into one easily digestible ‚Sleep Score‘ and an accompanying color-coded ring that breaks this down into ‚bedtime, duration, and interruptions‘ scores. That means you have something simple and actionable to work with, rather than being overwhelmed with data.
Finally, at the more budget-friendly end of the spectrum is the FitBit Charge 6. Although it’s not perfect as a fitness tracker overall, the sleep functions are a key strength. In our tests, the information gathered tallied with our reviewer’s experience — although you will need to sync your FitBit with your phone before you can see last night’s data.
Wildcard options
There are other, more unique and specialized snooze-trackers to explore, too. The Withings Sleep Analyzer pad slips surreptitiously under your mattress. Its sleep data is based on changes in pressure and noise during the night, and our tester was both impressed by the amount of information that could be gleaned in this manner, and the accuracy of its results — generally speaking, the Withings‘ data tallied with that of a wrist-based tracker. There are clear benefits for those who find wearables irritating and distracting to wear for sleep, although be aware that it works best with a solid base (so if your bed frame has slats, you’ll need to put something solid on top of the slats).
The Soundcore Sleep A30 by Anker are earbuds designed to be worn overnight. The sleep tracking is fairly basic, but our tester still found it useful, and there’s a plethora of other benefits for restless sleepers too: active noise cancellation to block distractions from noisy neighbors or snorey bed-mates, a library of sleep-focused soundscapes accessible from within the companion app, and a low-profile shape designed to be comfortable to wear even when lying on your side.
Finally, if you have the budget and want an all-in-one solution that not only tracks your sleep but can also take steps to improve it, check out the Eight Sleep Pod. There are various generations with slightly different features, but in essence, this is a cover that slips over your mattress and records sleep data. It’s plumbed with fine, water-filled tubes that deliver dual-zone cooling and heating to your exact preferences, and it can adjust to the settings it knows will help you sleep better.
