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Sleep is the foundation of good health. But while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends adults should get seven or more hours of sleep each night, one-third of us do not. [1]How Much Sleep Do I Need? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available on the internet at https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/how_much_sleep.html [2]Sleep and Sleep Disorders. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available on the internet at https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/index.html
A device to track your sleep can help you understand your patterns and provide the sleep data you need to get a good night’s rest. Sleep trackers can track your sleep and measure your heart rate, body movement, body temperature, and more. You can wear some trackers on your body, and others you can place under your mattress.
If you want to learn more about your sleep and work toward better sleep hygiene, find out which tracker is right for you based on our review of four top devices.
Our Reviews Team recommends products and services we believe provide value in the lives of our readers. We carried out in-depth research on sleep trackers to give you the most accurate review. To make our selections, we:
| Provider | Type of tracker | Price (device only) | Subscription | Main features | Visit Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ring | $299–$609 | Required, $5.99/mo | Tracks sleep, activity, menstrual cycle, and readiness | Visit Site | |
| Headband | $399.99–$444.98 | Optional, $12.99/mo or $49.99/year | Personal meditation and sleep coach; detects heart rate, brain activity, posture, and breathing | Visit Site | |
| Ring and fingertip holder | $99–$129 | No subscription | Monitors sleep, heart rate, heart rate variability, and blood oxygen | Visit Site | |
| Wristband | $30–$399 | Required; monthly ($30/mo), 12 months ($239), or 24 months ($399) | Monitors sleep, strain, recovery, health, and stress | Visit Site |
Sleep trackers use various techniques to record sleep habits. Each device type may work in different ways and use a combination of sensors and technologies.
Actigraphy measures your activity and sleep using an accelerometer. [10]Cleveland Clinic. Actigraphy (Actigraph). Aug. 16, 2023. Found on the internet at https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/25196-actigraphy Accelerometers detect movement and sense things like vibrations or speed of movement. When you move your smartwatch around while you sleep, the accelerometer records those movements.
Your heart rate and body temperature fluctuate during each sleep phase. [11]Harvard Health Publishing. How Does Sleep Affect Your Heart Rate? Jan. 29, 2021. Found on the internet at https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-does-sleep-affect-your-heart-rate-2021012921846 As you fall asleep, your body functions slow down. During light sleep, your heart rate settles to a resting pace, your body temperature drops and your muscles relax. During deep sleep, your heart rate slows 20% to 30% below your resting heart rate. Then, during the REM sleep, your heart rate may fluctuate depending on your dreams.
Sleep-tracking devices often detect your heart rate and body temperature to determine your sleep phase.
Some trackers use EEG sensors to detect brain activity while you sleep. For example, the Muse S (Gen 2) plays meditative sounds at an intensity to correlate with your brain activity.
Sleep trackers measure different body functions while you sleep. While every device is different, most devices track: [12]Johns Hopkins Medicine. Do Sleep Trackers Really Work? Found on the internet at https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/do-sleep-trackers-really-work
Sleep trackers can be separated into two categories: wearable and non-wearable (under-the-mattress) trackers. Wearable smart devices are:
If you’re uncomfortable wearing a device while you sleep, non-wearable sleep trackers may be a better fit. But, there are some benefits to a wearable device.
“The advantage of wearables is that it tracks an individual’s health even when they are not in bed,” said Sairam Parthasarathy, MD, professor and chief of the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine department at the University of Arizona Tucson.
Wearable sleep trackers may also be more accurate, but more research is needed to know for sure. “In general, the wearables are likely superior to non-wearable-based measures, but unless we perform head-to-head comparisons, we will not know for sure,” said Parthasarathy.
The best device for you will depend on various factors. When purchasing a sleep tracker, you should consider:
Based on our expert consultations and research, we determined the following factors to be important when shopping for a sleep tracker:
We selected each device based on these factors to ensure each brand and model is appropriate for NCOA readers.
Sleep trackers monitor your sleep to help you understand your patterns and other aspects of your health. Sleep trackers may record your heart rate, heart rate variability, blood oxygen levels, body temperature, and more. These devices can be worn on your body or placed under your mattress. Before purchasing a sleep tracker, make sure you consider the cost, accuracy, battery life, and type.
Sleep trackers cannot diagnose a sleep disorder. If you are concerned about your sleep patterns or think you may have a sleep disorder, talk with your health care provider.
Sleep trackers use various sensors and technologies to track your nightly body functions and patterns. These metrics—like heart rate, body temperature, and movement—can provide information about the quality and quantity of your sleep.
If you want to learn more about how much you sleep, how long you spend in different sleep stages, or if you wake up in the middle of the night, a tracker can help you better understand your habits. But if you want to diagnose a sleep disorder, talk with your doctor about undergoing a sleep study.
Have questions about this review? Email us at reviewsteam@ncoa.org.
