The Best Sleep Tracking Smartwatch in 2025

Sleep tracking has evolved from a novelty feature to an essential health metric that millions rely on to understand and improve their rest. Modern smartwatches don’t just count hours—they analyze sleep stages, detect disturbances, measure blood oxygen levels, and even offer personalized insights to help you wake up refreshed. Many now include advanced sleep features that go beyond basic metrics, incorporating multiple physiological signals for a more comprehensive view. With detailed sleep tracking, these devices provide in-depth analysis of your sleep quality, stages, and health metrics. They collect all the data needed for comprehensive sleep insights, helping you make informed decisions about your rest and recovery.

Whether you’re dealing with insomnia, training for athletic performance, or simply curious about your sleep patterns, the right smartwatch can collect data on your sleep and be transformative.

Introduction to Sleep Tracking

Sleep tracking is the practice of monitoring and analyzing your nightly rest to gain a deeper understanding of your sleep health. Using a variety of sleep trackers—ranging from wearable devices like smartwatches to non-wearable sleep tracking devices—individuals can collect valuable data on their sleep patterns. These devices track key metrics such as sleep duration, sleep stages (including light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep), and overall sleep quality.

By tracking sleep, you can uncover insights into your unique sleep cycle, identify how much time you spend in each sleep stage, and spot trends that may be affecting your rest. This information is crucial for improving sleep efficiency, reducing sleep debt, and supporting your overall health and well-being. Whether you’re aiming to fall asleep faster, enjoy more restorative deep sleep, or simply understand your nightly rhythms, sleep tracking empowers you to make informed decisions for better sleep and a healthier life.

What Makes a Great Sleep Tracker?

Before diving into specific models, it’s worth understanding what separates excellent sleep tracking from basic step counting. The best devices combine accurate sensors, sophisticated algorithms, and actionable insights. Look for watches that measure:

• Sleep stages: Distinguishing between light, deep, and REM sleep phases
• Heart rate variability: A key indicator of recovery and stress
• Blood oxygen saturation: Critical for detecting breathing irregularities
• Body temperature and skin temperature sensing: Emerging as valuable for sleep quality assessment and overall health insights
• Movement patterns: Detecting restlessness and sleep disruptions

Advanced sleep tracking includes monitoring multiple physiological signals—such as heart rate, blood oxygen, body temperature, and skin temperature—for a more comprehensive analysis of your sleep quality.

Equally important is comfort. A bulky watch that irritates your wrist defeats the purpose entirely, no matter how advanced its sensors. The best devices can also detect breathing disturbances and may include a sleep apnea feature for users concerned about sleep-related breathing issues. Top smartwatches offer fitness features, fitness tracking, and wellness tracking, providing a holistic health experience beyond just sleep monitoring.

Types of Sleep Trackers

When it comes to tracking sleep, there are several types of sleep trackers to choose from, each offering distinct advantages. Wearable sleep trackers, such as smartwatches and fitness bands, use built-in sensors to monitor sleep stages, sleep duration, and sleep quality directly from your wrist. These devices often provide additional health data, like heart rate and blood oxygen saturation, and some even offer personalized sleep coaching to help you optimize your rest.

For those who prefer not to wear a device overnight, non-wearable sleep trackers—like under-mattress sensors and bedside monitors—offer a comfortable alternative. These trackers use advanced sensors to detect movement, breathing patterns, and sometimes even sleep apnea, all without requiring you to wear anything while you sleep.

Many sleep trackers now include advanced features such as sleep apnea detection, blood oxygen monitoring, and detailed sleep stage analysis. When selecting the best sleep tracker for your needs, consider factors like accuracy, comfort, battery life, and the depth of insights provided. Whether you opt for a wearable or a bedside monitor, the right device can help you track sleep more effectively and take meaningful steps toward better sleep health.

Top Sleep Tracking Smartwatches

Fitbit Sense 2

Fitbit has long been synonymous with health tracking, and the Sense 2 represents the company’s most refined sleep technology. The device provides in depth sleep data for users seeking detailed analysis, including a comprehensive Sleep Score each morning as a simplified measure of sleep quality, breaking down your night into digestible metrics. It tracks all major sleep stages, including rapid eye movement, to offer a holistic view of your sleep health. What sets Fitbit apart is its Sleep Profile feature, which analyzes a month of data to identify your “sleep animal”—a playful but scientifically-backed way to understand your patterns compared to others.

The Sense 2 excels at detecting sleep disturbances and estimating blood oxygen variation throughout the night. It also features nap detection, automatically identifying and monitoring daytime sleep for more comprehensive analysis. Battery life stretches beyond six days, meaning you won’t constantly choose between charging and tracking. The lightweight design makes it genuinely comfortable for overnight wear, something heavier smartwatches struggle with.

Additionally, the Sense 2 offers smart features that enhance the user experience beyond sleep tracking, such as integration with popular apps and advanced health monitoring capabilities.

Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2

Apple was late to serious sleep tracking, but they’ve caught up impressively. The Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 now track sleep stages including REM, Core, and Deep sleep, presenting the data in Apple’s characteristically clean interface. The sleep experience integrates beautifully with iPhone features like Wind Down and Sleep Focus modes. In addition to advanced sleep tracking, the Apple Watch offers robust fitness features, fitness tracking, and wellness tracking, making it a comprehensive tool for monitoring your health. The watch can also detect when you fell asleep, providing insights into your sleep onset and overall sleep patterns.

What Apple does particularly well is contextual awareness. The watch considers factors like exercise, caffeine intake logged in the Health app, time spent outdoors, and bedtime consistency to provide personalized sleep recommendations. The downside remains battery life—you’ll need to charge daily, which requires planning your charging routine around your sleep schedule. However, the watch charges quickly enough that a morning shower can provide plenty of juice for the next night.

Garmin Forerunner 965 and Fenix 7

For athletes and fitness enthusiasts, Garmin’s approach to sleep tracking stands apart by connecting rest to performance. The Forerunner 965 and Fenix 7 don’t just tell you how you slept—they explain what it means for your training readiness through the Body Battery feature. This metric shows how much energy you have available, decreasing with activity and stress while recharging during quality sleep.

Garmin’s sleep stage detection proves remarkably accurate, validated against polysomnography in several studies. The watches also track respiration rate, pulse ox, and heart rate variability throughout the night. Battery life is exceptional, lasting weeks rather than days, eliminating the charging anxiety that plagues other smartwatches. The trade-off is a more technical interface that might overwhelm casual users.

For those who prefer not to wear a watch overnight, the Garmin Index Sleep Monitor offers a non-wearable alternative for accurate and comfortable sleep tracking.

Whoop 4.0

Technically a fitness band rather than a smartwatch, the Whoop 4.0 deserves mention for its laser focus on recovery and sleep optimization. In addition to tracking heart rate and blood oxygen levels, the Whoop 4.0 also monitors skin temperature as part of its physiological data collection. The device is designed to provide in-depth insights into your sleeping patterns and recovery. With no screen to distract you, it’s purely about data collection. Whoop calculates a Sleep Performance score and tells you how much sleep you need based on your recent strain and recovery debt.

The subscription model provides access to incredibly detailed analytics, including sleep consistency, efficiency, and respiratory rate. Many professional athletes swear by Whoop for optimizing their recovery. However, the lack of a display and mandatory subscription won’t appeal to everyone.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6

Samsung’s latest iteration brings sophisticated sleep coaching to the Android ecosystem. The Galaxy Watch 6 tracks four sleep stages and provides a sleep score with specific suggestions for improvement. The sleep coaching program adapts over weeks, offering personalized tips based on your patterns. As a leading Android-compatible sleep tracking smartwatch, the Galaxy Watch 6 stands alongside the Google Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch, both known for their advanced sleep and health monitoring features. In addition to sleep tracking, the Galaxy Watch 6 offers robust wellness tracking capabilities, integrating sleep data with other health metrics for a holistic approach to health management.

One standout feature is snore detection, which uses the phone’s microphone to record when you’re snoring and correlate it with blood oxygen levels, while also monitoring for breathing disturbances during sleep. This can be invaluable for identifying potential sleep apnea symptoms. The watch is comfortable enough for all-night wear, and the battery lasts roughly two days with typical use.

Best Sleep Trackers for Different Users

Making Sense of Your Sleep Data

Having a sophisticated sleep tracker is only valuable if you act on the insights. Focus on trends rather than obsessing over individual nights. One poor sleep score doesn’t define your health, but consistent patterns revealing insufficient deep sleep or frequent disturbances warrant attention. Many devices now provide in depth sleep data, including detailed metrics on sleep stages, HRV, and blood oxygen levels, giving you a comprehensive view of your sleep health. You can also see exactly when you fell asleep, which helps identify your sleep onset patterns and areas for improvement.

Pay particular attention to sleep consistency. Going to bed and waking at similar times, even on weekends, often improves sleep quality more than any other single change. Maintaining bedtime consistency is crucial for accurate sleep tracking and achieving better sleep quality. Your smartwatch can help you identify when you’re drifting from your optimal schedule.

If your device consistently shows low blood oxygen levels or irregular breathing patterns, discuss the findings with a healthcare provider. While smartwatches aren’t medical devices, they can reveal concerning patterns worth investigating professionally.

Tips for Improving Sleep

While sleep tracking devices provide valuable insights, the real benefits come from using that data to build healthier sleep habits. Here are some practical tips to help you improve your sleep quality and make the most of your sleep tracker:

• Stick to a consistent sleep schedule: Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day—even on weekends—can help regulate your sleep cycle and improve sleep efficiency.
• Create a restful sleep environment: Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet. Limit screen time before bed to reduce blue light exposure, which can interfere with your ability to fall asleep.
• Use your sleep data to identify patterns: Pay attention to trends in your sleep duration, sleep stages, and nightly sleep score. If you notice frequent disturbances or low deep sleep, consider adjusting your bedtime routine or sleep environment.
• Address sleep debt: If your tracker shows you’re consistently not getting enough sleep, prioritize rest to pay down your sleep debt and support your overall health.
• Monitor other factors: Use your sleep tracker’s health metrics—like heart rate variability and blood oxygen saturation—to spot potential issues and discuss them with a healthcare provider if needed.

By combining the insights from your sleep tracker with healthy habits, you can improve your sleep quality, boost your mental well-being, and enjoy better sleep night after night.

Conclusion

The best sleep tracking smartwatch depends on your priorities. Fitbit offers the most approachable and comprehensive sleep insights for general wellness. Apple provides seamless integration for iPhone users willing to manage daily charging. Garmin excels for athletes who want to connect sleep to performance. Samsung delivers strong all-around tracking for Android users.

Whichever you choose, remember that the watch is a tool, not a solution. Use the data to identify patterns, experiment with improvements, and develop better sleep habits. The most sophisticated sensors in the world can’t fix a poor sleep environment, excessive screen time before bed, or inconsistent schedules—but they can help you recognize these issues and track your progress as you address them.

Sweet dreams, and may your REM cycles be plentiful.