It’s National Sleep Awareness Month, and we can’t think of anything more helpful for sleep awareness than the best sleep tracker. Be it in watch, ring, or other form, these devices monitor your sleep quality (including heart rate, breathing rate, sleep onset and duration, sleep position, and more) to give you actionable advice for tweaking your habits and, therefore, improving your rest.
Sleep quality is crucial to staying healthy and maintaining longevity. In fact, poor sleep has been linked to heightened risk of heart disease, diabetes, and depression, among other conditions. So there’s no harm in keeping tabs on your zzzs with some of the latest and greatest tech, especially if it could improve your quality of life.
Meet the Experts: Raj Dasgupta, M.D., a sleep specialist; Chisom Ikeji, M.D., a critical care doctor and NatureMade wellness ambassador
There’s a variety of sleep gadgets on the market, which can make trying to find the right one for you downright daunting. “A good sleep tracker should be comfortable, have a good battery life, an easy-to-use app, and should be within your budget,” says Chisom Ikeji, M.D., a critical care doctor and NatureMade wellness ambassador.
Raj Dasgupta, M.D., a sleep specialist, adds that the best sleep tracker for you will depend on your individual needs and preferences. “If you are not sure which functions are important to you, talk to your doctor or a sleep expert,” he suggests. In the meantime, we can hopefully help guide you in the right direction with some products that cater towards different goals and needs, some of which are beloved by Prevention editors.
Best Sleep Tracker Overall
Oura Ring 4
Our testing has found the Oura Ring to be the gold standard for people serious about understanding their sleep with consumer tech. Worn on your finger instead of your wrist, it tracks sleep stages, heart-rate variability, temperature trends, and even nighttime movement. Its NTC skin sensor technology and infrared light work to provide a read of your health stats that may be acquired with the more commonly used green light sensors.
The latest model adds improved sensors and a slimmer design, making it more comfortable for round-the-clock wear. The app’s personalized “readiness” and “sleep” scores translate your nightly data into practical insights, helping you understand not just how long you slept, but how well. “Studies show that it had comparable results to invasive sleep monitoring devices. It’s also fashionable and doubles as a fitness tracking device,” says Dr. Ikeji. “I prefer the ring because I find it less cumbersome than a wrist device to wear to bed.”
Senior Commerce Editor Charlotte Finigan swears by hers. “I love my Oura,” she says. “I find it helpful in reassuring me, regarding what I already know—I am a pretty bad sleeper, but it tracks exactly what affects those nights that I wake up feeling groggy and still exhausted, so I can alter my habits little by little. Things like eating too late, having a particularly stressful workout, and even one glass of wine make a notable difference. I love that Oura tells me gently how I can improve my bad sleep scores in truly tangible ways.”
And if the price tag on the latest model—Oura Ring Gen 4—is too steep, the 3rd-generation model is still worth your consideration.
Best Sleep Tracker for Athletes
WHOOP 5.0
The WHOOP 5.0 functions as a fitness and sleep tracker, but puts a particular emphasis on recovery, which can make it attractive to athletes and anyone more interested in how sleep impacts the whole picture. This low-profile, screen-less band’s data-driven system continuously monitors heart-rate variability, strain, and sleep performance to help you fine-tune your training. It even adjusts your daily training recommendations based on your previous night’s sleep and recovery score.
A notable difference between WHOOP and other trackers is that the subscription plan you choose plays a major role in your experience. Prevention’s Digital Director Allie Early, who participates in marathons and fitness competitions, subscribes to the middle-tier WHOOP Peak plan, which includes real-time health and stress monitoring. While this does mean you’re continuously paying for your device, Early has stuck with it because she finds it helpful, especially during hardcore training periods.
“Test it out during a training season to get the most for your money (there’s even a free trial to see if you like it…which you will),” she wrote in a past product review.
Best Watch With Sleep Tracker
Apple Watch Series 10
Key Features
| Battery Life | 18 hours |
| Type | Watch |
| Metrics | Sleep duration, heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, blood oxygen*, and more |
TheApple Watch may not be a dedicated sleep tracking or fitness device, but whether that’s a positive or a drawback depends on your needs. If you want a device that does a good job at keeping tabs on your vitals and lets you know when a phone call is coming in, the Apple Watch Series 10 is the way to go. Deputy Digital Director Emily Goldman swears by hers, loving that it monitors the quality of sleep she gets, hours and types, and the ability to set a sleep schedule, which helps you wind down after a long day by prompting you to pull back on screen time. “I’m a type 1 diabetic, and I get alerts from my continuous glucose monitor during the night if my levels go out of range. The Apple Watch is one of the only sleep trackers that allows me to set my blood sugar alarm to break through the sleep setting. So I still get alerts,” she says.
As a sleep tracker, you’ll get basic stats like how long you spent in REM, core, and deep sleep, as well as info about your temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate. Something particularly useful is the FDA-cleared Sleep Apnea Detection feature. For the most part, you can grab any somewhat recent Apple Watch if you want a do-it-all device, but for sleep apnea benefits, you’ll want to make sure you stick to Series 9 or later.
Ultimately, the Apple Watch is a great choice for iPhone users interested in wearable smart tech but still on the fence about a dedicated sleep tracking device.
Best Affordable Sleep Tracker
AmazFit Active 3 Premium Watch
“I’ve been a fan of Amazfit wearables for the past year and a half, and lately I’ve been using the Active 3 Premium watch alongside the Amazfit Helio Ring to really understand my sleep,” says Prevention Food Producer Tina Martinez. “The watch tracks my sleep score, duration, and stages like deep and REM sleep, while the ring adds another layer of insight with metrics like overnight heart rate, respiratory rate, and recovery.”
Both accessories’ data comes together in the Zepp app—including weekly trend reports—which Martinez says makes it easy to spot patterns and tweak her routine. “I’ll admit, I’ve become a bit of a sleep-data nerd, and this combo is perfect if you like to geek out on sleep metrics,” she adds. “What’s especially impressive is the value: The watch is around $170 and the Helio Ring is about $110 on Amazon, so even together, they cost less than many other wearable sleep trackers. Plus, the watch’s 12-day battery life means I never have to worry about charging it overnight and missing valuable sleep data.”
Best Sleep Tracker for Those With Androids
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8
Key Features
| Battery Life | 1-2 days |
| Type | Watch |
| Metrics | Fitness, heart rate, sleep, stress levels, and more |
For Android users who want more than just a sleep tracker, the Galaxy Watch 8 offers full smartwatch capabilities plus robust overnight monitoring. It records sleep stages, heart rate, peripheral oxygen saturation, skin temperature, and even includes an FDA-cleared sleep-apnea notification feature like the Apple Watch.
The integrated AI allows for the watch’s Advanced Sleep Coaching and Running Coach features, which have generally received positive reviews from customers. If you want to upgrade, you can also jump to the Galaxy Watch Ultra or Galaxy Watch 8 Classic for better specs and a different look, but be aware that the pricing makes quite a hefty jump, too.
Best Dedicated Sleep Tracker
Garmin Index Sleep Monitor
Key Features
| Battery life | 7 nights |
| Type | Arm |
| Metrics | Heart rate, respiration rate, energy, sleep, breathing variations, past ovulation estimates, skin temperature, and more |
Unlike a smartwatch or fitness band, the Garmin Index Sleep Monitor focuses solely on one thing: your sleep. Worn comfortably on the upper arm, it measures your heart rate, movement, respiration, and blood oxygen throughout the night, then sends your stats to the Garmin Connect app.
The best thing about this particular device is its simplicity. You won’t be distracted by step counts or message alerts, and can instead use it solely to procure detailed insights into your rest and recovery. It’s the perfect pick for people who want reliable overnight tracking without the potential discomfort of a watch or wristband getting in the way.
Best Non-Wearable Sleep Tracker
Withings Sleep
Key Features
| Battery Life | Plug-in only |
| Type | Sleeping mat |
| Metrics | Sleep, heart rate, breathing rate, and more |
If you simply can’t stand wearing anything while you sleep, the Withings Sleep pad is a great hands-off option. The thin pad slips under your mattress and automatically tracks sleep stages, snoring, heart rate, and even breathing disturbances—all without getting in your way as you sleep.
The brand says its accuracy has been validated against clinical polysomnography, making it an extremely reliable tracking device. There’s nothing to wear and nothing to charge. You’ll wake up to a detailed report each morning, have the option to generate a sleep diary to share with your doctor, and there are even smart-home integrations that can dim the lights or adjust the temperature based on whether you’re getting in or out of bed.
Best Sleep Tracker App
SleepScore
Key Features
| Battery life | N/A |
| Type | App |
| Metrics | Breathing rate |
The SleepScore came in as our favorite sleep tracking app in 2024, and it still holds the title. While wearables—especially ones you keep on all day—may provide more comprehensive tracking and information, the SleepScore app does a surprisingly good job with sleep stages, breathing rate, and body movements using just your smartphone. A subscription option is available monthly or annually if you want deeper insights, such as a weekly report and customized sleep challenges, but even without it, there’s plenty of accessible data to help guide you towards better sleep habits.
Read the full article here