The best sleep trackers of 2025: I slept with these sleep trackers to find the best one
Ah, sleep. Everybody needs it and nobody gets enough of it. Doing so is great for all aspects of our wellbeing -- from heart health and focus to diet and mood. Experts recommend that adults get at least seven hours of sleep each night, but everyone is different. Even with seven hours of sleep, waking up well-rested is not guaranteed. Sleep trackers and wearables can help determine how you've actually slept throughout the night. Also: I test sleep trackers for a living: 5 tips I've learned about getting better sleep While not perfect, sleep trackers can measure heart rate, skin temperature, and time spent in each sleep phase. ZDNET has thoroughly tested sleep trackers to find the best options based on features, affordability, and availability. Whether you're in the market for a sleep tracker that's a smart ring or a smartwatch, we've gone hands-on with them all. What's the best sleep tracker right now?We found that the Oura Ring 4 is the best sleep tracker on the market for its comfortable, lightweight fit, impressive battery life, and discreet build, which makes it ideal for sleeping. Plus, it provides a wealth of sleep data through the app. The only downside is it comes with a annual subscription if you want to access the full breadth and depth of your data. If you'd like to avoid that, go for the Galaxy Ring instead, which costs around the same without a subscription. I also recommend the Whoop 5.0, as well as the Apple Watch Series 10, if you'd rather wear a fitness band or watch to bed. Read on to explore the most popular options, as well as some lesser-known choices, to help you find the best sleep tracker for a better night's sleep.
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The best sleep trackers of 2025 Show less View now at Best Buy Why we like it: The Oura Ring is the best sleep tracker for a few reasons. It's discreet and far more comfortable to wear to bed compared to a health band or smartwatch. Oura's data capture is accurate, with its sleep staging algorithm matching the performance of a polysomnography sleep lab test. The objective sleep and readiness scores it provides after I wake up often are in line with how I'm feeling on a day-to-day basis. It also isn't hardcore about getting perfect sleep, which allows for normal people who may be working later, raising kids, or experiencing health conditions to use the smart ring and not feel disheartened. One night, I received a sleep score of 68. The ring notified me that this was below my typical range but told me that it's normal to have nights like these, "so be gentle with yourself." Then it prompted me to reflect on the influencing factors of my poor and reminded me "it's about progress, not perfection." Another reason the smart ring is my favorite sleep and health tracker is because it takes your daily biometrics to paint a fuller, long-term picture of your health through features like Resilience and Cardiovascular Age. If I am consistent with my sleep, I see how it translates into "Solid" or "Exceptional" resilience, which further encourages me to keep up the trend. A week of poor sleep takes a year off my Cardiovascular Age of below seven years. This data is great for already active and health-conscious individuals, but it may overwhelm someone who's just getting into health and sleep tracking. Still, if you're ready to learn more about your health in the context of sleep, activity, and stress, the Oura Ring is health-tracking's top dog. Plus, the smart ring can track your meals and pair that data with glucose insights with a Dexcom Stelo CGM. This can tell you right as you're getting sick, as it did for me during one nasty week of spring allergies, through its Symptom Radar feature. Who's it for: This is a sleep tracker for people who want to improve their sleep quality and their overall health. The ring offers both short-term sleep tracking that examines your rest, as well as long-term sleep and health-tracking that paints a holistic picture of wellbeing.Also: The best smart ringsThe ring starts at and comes with a annual subscription. The smart ring is best for people who are willing to pay this high price and who will regularly check and find use in their biometric data. If you get easily overwhelmed looking at your biometric data, the Oura Ring may offer too much information. Who should look elsewhere: If you don't want to be graded on your sleep, readiness, or activity levels every morning, I'd recommend the Apple Watch. The smartwatch doesn't use sleep or readiness scoring mechanisms. Instead, you can check if your wrist temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, and sleep duration are within a typical range through the Apple Watch's Vitals app. Android users could look for the Galaxy Ring instead if they want a similar smart ring sleep tracker but don't want to pay the monthly subscription fee. Oura Ring Gen 4 specs: Up to eight days battery life | Sleep cycles | Bluetooth | Up to 100m water resistant | Blood oxygen, skin temperature sensor, heart rate monitoring | iOS and Android compatible
Battery life
8
Additional features
10
Health tracking
10
Comfort and wear
9
App functionality
10
Pros
Accurate sleep tracking
Data illustration that informs your sleep and activity routines
Comfortable build for all-day wear
Cons
Paid membership required to unlock all data the ring collects
Battery life isn't as long as advertised
Oura Ring Gen 4 Best sleep tracker overall
4.7
/ 5
Score
Why we like it: The Oura Ring is the best sleep tracker for a few reasons. It's discreet and far more comfortable to wear to bed compared to a health band or smartwatch. Oura's data capture is accurate, with its sleep staging algorithm matching the performance of a polysomnography sleep lab test. The objective sleep and readiness scores it provides after I wake up often are in line with how I'm feeling on a day-to-day basis. It also isn't hardcore about getting perfect sleep, which allows for normal people who may be working later, raising kids, or experiencing health conditions to use the smart ring and not feel disheartened. One night, I received a sleep score of 68. The ring notified me that this was below my typical range but told me that it's normal to have nights like these, "so be gentle with yourself." Then it prompted me to reflect on the influencing factors of my poor and reminded me "it's about progress, not perfection." Another reason the smart ring is my favorite sleep and health tracker is because it takes your daily biometrics to paint a fuller, long-term picture of your health through features like Resilience and Cardiovascular Age. If I am consistent with my sleep, I see how it translates into "Solid" or "Exceptional" resilience, which further encourages me to keep up the trend. A week of poor sleep takes a year off my Cardiovascular Age of below seven years. This data is great for already active and health-conscious individuals, but it may overwhelm someone who's just getting into health and sleep tracking. Still, if you're ready to learn more about your health in the context of sleep, activity, and stress, the Oura Ring is health-tracking's top dog. Plus, the smart ring can track your meals and pair that data with glucose insights with a Dexcom Stelo CGM. This can tell you right as you're getting sick, as it did for me during one nasty week of spring allergies, through its Symptom Radar feature. Who's it for: This is a sleep tracker for people who want to improve their sleep quality and their overall health. The ring offers both short-term sleep tracking that examines your rest, as well as long-term sleep and health-tracking that paints a holistic picture of wellbeing.Also: The best smart ringsThe ring starts at and comes with a annual subscription. The smart ring is best for people who are willing to pay this high price and who will regularly check and find use in their biometric data. If you get easily overwhelmed looking at your biometric data, the Oura Ring may offer too much information. Who should look elsewhere: If you don't want to be graded on your sleep, readiness, or activity levels every morning, I'd recommend the Apple Watch. The smartwatch doesn't use sleep or readiness scoring mechanisms. Instead, you can check if your wrist temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, and sleep duration are within a typical range through the Apple Watch's Vitals app. Android users could look for the Galaxy Ring instead if they want a similar smart ring sleep tracker but don't want to pay the monthly subscription fee. Oura Ring Gen 4 specs: Up to eight days battery life | Sleep cycles | Bluetooth | Up to 100m water resistant | Blood oxygen, skin temperature sensor, heart rate monitoring | iOS and Android compatible
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Show Expert Take Show less Show less Why we like it: If you want a sleep tracker that will keep your athletic goals in mind, the Whoop is your best bet.Whoop delivers daily sleep and recovery scores, but it also gives you a strain target you're encouraged to meet, based on the night's sleep and morning's readiness. I'm currently following a weight-training and diet regimen, and I've found the strain target invaluable. The Whoop's daily outlook tab summarizes my morning data and then provides me with exercises and durations for hitting my strain target. For example, one morning it prescribed me either a 30-minute run, a 70-minute elliptical session, or a 30-minute weightlifting session to reach my 13.5 strain target. The tracker made these recommendations after it registered my 88% sleep score and 80% recovery score. The Whoop is another reliable, accurate sleep tracker. One study performed by Central Queensland University found that the Whoop was 99.7% accurate in measuring heart rate and 99% accurate in measuring heart rate variability during sleep. Compared to polysomnography, the Whoop also correctly identified sleep and calculated total time spent asleep. The sleep debt feature is also a great way to keep track of your caught-up -- or not-caught-up -- sleep. Whoop tells you once you've reduced or gained sleep debt and encourages more or maintained rest. It also comes packed with graphs displaying weekly averages, your sleep hours versus your sleep need, performance, and consistency. Unlike Oura, which employs separate tabs for daily and weekly sleep data, I enjoy how all my sleep data is available in one place. Also: I wore the Whoop 5.0 -- it gave me the best of Apple Watch, Oura Ring, and moreWho's it for: Whoop just announced its three new annual subscription tiers starting at and going all the way up to At the Whoop One membership is the least feature-rich option with only sleep, strain, and recovery tracking. It also features V02 max and heart rate zone monitoring, alongside hormonal health insights. For Peak has all the aforementioned features, plus Whoop's new Healthspan and Pace of Aging feature, a Health Monitor feature, and stress monitoring. Life is the most expensive tier at This tier adds blood pressure and ECG monitoring, as well as advanced health sensor tech. The Life tier comes with a Whoop MG -- medical grade -- band, while the One and Peak tiers come with the Whoop 5.0 band. In short, it's going to cost you at least a year to use this device. You could buy an older generation Apple Watch for that very price and never have to pay a subscription on it. The ideal customer for the Whoop is someone who is an avid health and fitness junkie, kind of like a more intense Oura user. This person is actively training and refining their athletic performance and also wants to learn more about their body's capacity through features like Healthspan or Pace of Aging. The Whoop will be an effective sleep tracker for people who want to optimize their training regime for a steep price.Who should look elsewhere: The Whoop is the most expensive sleep tracker on this list. If you want a sleep tracker with similar functionalities but a cheaper or nonexistent subscription, I'd recommend the Oura Ring 4. The ring costs and then for an annual subscription that offers full access to all your health data. Some users are even happy with the limited access provided without a subscription. If all this health data is overhwelming, I'd also recommend the Apple Watch Series 10 instead or even an earlier model if you wanted a cheaper sleep tracker. The Apple Watch Series 8 and later include the Vitals app, which is essential for sleep tracking.Whoop 4.0 specs: Up to 14 days battery life | Sleep cycles | Bluetooth | 1.5 x 1.5 x 0.45 inches | IP68 water resistant | Blood oxygen, skin temperature sensor, heart rate, menstrual tracking | iOS and Android compatible Pros
Detailed sleep tracking for athletes
Personalized sleep coach
Sleep debt feature
Cons
Annual membership subscription that just got even more expensive
Why we like it: If you want a sleep tracker that will keep your athletic goals in mind, the Whoop is your best bet.Whoop delivers daily sleep and recovery scores, but it also gives you a strain target you're encouraged to meet, based on the night's sleep and morning's readiness. I'm currently following a weight-training and diet regimen, and I've found the strain target invaluable. The Whoop's daily outlook tab summarizes my morning data and then provides me with exercises and durations for hitting my strain target. For example, one morning it prescribed me either a 30-minute run, a 70-minute elliptical session, or a 30-minute weightlifting session to reach my 13.5 strain target. The tracker made these recommendations after it registered my 88% sleep score and 80% recovery score. The Whoop is another reliable, accurate sleep tracker. One study performed by Central Queensland University found that the Whoop was 99.7% accurate in measuring heart rate and 99% accurate in measuring heart rate variability during sleep. Compared to polysomnography, the Whoop also correctly identified sleep and calculated total time spent asleep. The sleep debt feature is also a great way to keep track of your caught-up -- or not-caught-up -- sleep. Whoop tells you once you've reduced or gained sleep debt and encourages more or maintained rest. It also comes packed with graphs displaying weekly averages, your sleep hours versus your sleep need, performance, and consistency. Unlike Oura, which employs separate tabs for daily and weekly sleep data, I enjoy how all my sleep data is available in one place. Also: I wore the Whoop 5.0 -- it gave me the best of Apple Watch, Oura Ring, and moreWho's it for: Whoop just announced its three new annual subscription tiers starting at and going all the way up to At the Whoop One membership is the least feature-rich option with only sleep, strain, and recovery tracking. It also features V02 max and heart rate zone monitoring, alongside hormonal health insights. For Peak has all the aforementioned features, plus Whoop's new Healthspan and Pace of Aging feature, a Health Monitor feature, and stress monitoring. Life is the most expensive tier at This tier adds blood pressure and ECG monitoring, as well as advanced health sensor tech. The Life tier comes with a Whoop MG -- medical grade -- band, while the One and Peak tiers come with the Whoop 5.0 band. In short, it's going to cost you at least a year to use this device. You could buy an older generation Apple Watch for that very price and never have to pay a subscription on it. The ideal customer for the Whoop is someone who is an avid health and fitness junkie, kind of like a more intense Oura user. This person is actively training and refining their athletic performance and also wants to learn more about their body's capacity through features like Healthspan or Pace of Aging. The Whoop will be an effective sleep tracker for people who want to optimize their training regime for a steep price.Who should look elsewhere: The Whoop is the most expensive sleep tracker on this list. If you want a sleep tracker with similar functionalities but a cheaper or nonexistent subscription, I'd recommend the Oura Ring 4. The ring costs and then for an annual subscription that offers full access to all your health data. Some users are even happy with the limited access provided without a subscription. If all this health data is overhwelming, I'd also recommend the Apple Watch Series 10 instead or even an earlier model if you wanted a cheaper sleep tracker. The Apple Watch Series 8 and later include the Vitals app, which is essential for sleep tracking.Whoop 4.0 specs: Up to 14 days battery life | Sleep cycles | Bluetooth | 1.5 x 1.5 x 0.45 inches | IP68 water resistant | Blood oxygen, skin temperature sensor, heart rate, menstrual tracking | iOS and Android compatible
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Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Walmart Why we like it: The Galaxy Ring is a discreet, comfortable sleep-tracking solution with Samsung Health integrations. If you do own a Galaxy Watch and use it for fitness, your sleep data will be stored in the same place on the app. Out of all the sleep trackers I've tried, the Galaxy Ring provides the highest sleep and energy -- its version of readiness -- ratings. The smart ring is ideal for people who don't want to feel terrible about their rest while they track their sleep. Its battery life is also comparable to the Oura Ring at around seven days. The ring's app doesn't have a lot of the other special touch features that some of its competitors. It keeps the metrics it monitors simple and doesn't stray from sleep, activity, energy, and stress. It's a great smart ring for people who just want to track their sleep on a daily basis and don't need in-depth health insights. Who's it for: The Galaxy Ring is best for Android users who want to keep their data within the Samsung ecosystem. Additionally, it's a great smart ring for those who are intrigued by the Oura Ring -- but not the subscription price tag. Unlike the Oura Ring, whose price increases depending on the ring's finish, every Samsung Galaxy Ring finish costs the same, sweet price of Who should look elsewhere: This smart ring is only available to Android users, since the data is stored on the Samsung Health app. So iOS users should look to the Oura Ring 4 or Ultrahuman Ring Air instead. Also: Samsung's Galaxy Ring is smarter than my Apple WatchSamsung Galaxy Ring specs: Up to seven days battery life | Sleep cycles | Bluetooth | Water resistant | Blood oxygen, skin temperature sensor, heart rate monitoring | Android compatible Pros
Best smart ring for Android users
Sleep and energy tracking that doesn't make you feel bad
Great for entry-level health trackers
Cons
Not as feature-rich as the Oura Ring
Why we like it: The Galaxy Ring is a discreet, comfortable sleep-tracking solution with Samsung Health integrations. If you do own a Galaxy Watch and use it for fitness, your sleep data will be stored in the same place on the app. Out of all the sleep trackers I've tried, the Galaxy Ring provides the highest sleep and energy -- its version of readiness -- ratings. The smart ring is ideal for people who don't want to feel terrible about their rest while they track their sleep. Its battery life is also comparable to the Oura Ring at around seven days. The ring's app doesn't have a lot of the other special touch features that some of its competitors. It keeps the metrics it monitors simple and doesn't stray from sleep, activity, energy, and stress. It's a great smart ring for people who just want to track their sleep on a daily basis and don't need in-depth health insights. Who's it for: The Galaxy Ring is best for Android users who want to keep their data within the Samsung ecosystem. Additionally, it's a great smart ring for those who are intrigued by the Oura Ring -- but not the subscription price tag. Unlike the Oura Ring, whose price increases depending on the ring's finish, every Samsung Galaxy Ring finish costs the same, sweet price of Who should look elsewhere: This smart ring is only available to Android users, since the data is stored on the Samsung Health app. So iOS users should look to the Oura Ring 4 or Ultrahuman Ring Air instead. Also: Samsung's Galaxy Ring is smarter than my Apple WatchSamsung Galaxy Ring specs: Up to seven days battery life | Sleep cycles | Bluetooth | Water resistant | Blood oxygen, skin temperature sensor, heart rate monitoring | Android compatible
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Show Expert Take Show less Show less Why we like it: The Apple Watch Series 10 is the most approachable sleep-tracking option for people who want a general sense that they're hitting their sleep goals. The functions on the Apple Watch aren't going to grade you on how you rested, but it will tell you if key metrics are within normal or abnormal ranges and accurately capture your sleep data. The Apple Watch shows you your time spent awake, in REM, core, and deep sleep, as well as whether your sleep duration has increased or decreased over the past week. The Vitals app is going to be your Apple Watch's best friend if you want some biometric-tracking mechanisms. The smartwatch app displays your sleeping wrist temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, and sleep duration on a graph. It will also notify you whether these datapoints are in or out of your typical range. We chose the Apple Watch Series 10 because it is the thinnest and most comfortable smartwatch Apple's produced. This makes it a little easier to sleep with compared to its bulkier counterparts in the Apple Watch lineup. It also comes with several sleep-friendly functionalities, like a bedtime reminder feature that automatically goes into do not disturb at your set bedtime. For those with breathing disturbances, the smartwatch has an FDA-cleared Sleep Apnea Detection feature that can help catch the often-undiagnosed condition. Who's it for: Apple owners, first and foremost. Unlike the other picks on this list, the Apple Watch has a screen and is your iPhone's personal assistant first and a health tracker second. You can take calls, set timers, send texts, create reminders, and even use it as a de facto wallet. Secondly, it's for people who don't mind the feel of wearing a smartwatch to bed. This might be the most comfortable smartwatch Apple's ever made, but it's still pretty bulky and distracting.The smartwatch is a great solution for people looking for a subscription-free health tracker with medical grade, yet simple and judgement-free, features. Apple updates its firmware regularly and adds new health-minded features every year, so you can get a lot out of keeping this smartwatch around your wrist. Who should look elsewhere: The Apple Watch Series 10 battery life is better than its predecessors, but it's still shorter than the other options on this list. You'll have to charge your smartwatch everyday if you want around-the-clock usage, which may be a deterrent for people. If that's you, I'd recommend the Whoop instead, since it's a similar wrist band form factor but with a 14-day battery life and a wearable charging case.Review: Apple Watch Series 10Apple Watch Series 10 specs: Up to 18-hour battery life | Sleep cycles and sleep apnea-tracking | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and/or cellular options | 42mm and 46mm models | IP6X dust and water resistant | Blood oxygen, body temperature sensor, EKG, irregular heart rate alerts | iOS only
Health & wellness
10
Build quality/durability
9
Advanced features
6
Applications
10
Core functionality
9
Pros
Sleep cycle tracking
No subscription to track sleep
Sleep apnea detection
Vitals app
Cons
Must be paired with iPhone
Shorter battery life than other wearables
No sleep scores
Apple Watch Series 10 Best sleep tracker for iPhone owners
4.4
/ 5
Score
Why we like it: The Apple Watch Series 10 is the most approachable sleep-tracking option for people who want a general sense that they're hitting their sleep goals. The functions on the Apple Watch aren't going to grade you on how you rested, but it will tell you if key metrics are within normal or abnormal ranges and accurately capture your sleep data. The Apple Watch shows you your time spent awake, in REM, core, and deep sleep, as well as whether your sleep duration has increased or decreased over the past week. The Vitals app is going to be your Apple Watch's best friend if you want some biometric-tracking mechanisms. The smartwatch app displays your sleeping wrist temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, and sleep duration on a graph. It will also notify you whether these datapoints are in or out of your typical range. We chose the Apple Watch Series 10 because it is the thinnest and most comfortable smartwatch Apple's produced. This makes it a little easier to sleep with compared to its bulkier counterparts in the Apple Watch lineup. It also comes with several sleep-friendly functionalities, like a bedtime reminder feature that automatically goes into do not disturb at your set bedtime. For those with breathing disturbances, the smartwatch has an FDA-cleared Sleep Apnea Detection feature that can help catch the often-undiagnosed condition. Who's it for: Apple owners, first and foremost. Unlike the other picks on this list, the Apple Watch has a screen and is your iPhone's personal assistant first and a health tracker second. You can take calls, set timers, send texts, create reminders, and even use it as a de facto wallet. Secondly, it's for people who don't mind the feel of wearing a smartwatch to bed. This might be the most comfortable smartwatch Apple's ever made, but it's still pretty bulky and distracting.The smartwatch is a great solution for people looking for a subscription-free health tracker with medical grade, yet simple and judgement-free, features. Apple updates its firmware regularly and adds new health-minded features every year, so you can get a lot out of keeping this smartwatch around your wrist. Who should look elsewhere: The Apple Watch Series 10 battery life is better than its predecessors, but it's still shorter than the other options on this list. You'll have to charge your smartwatch everyday if you want around-the-clock usage, which may be a deterrent for people. If that's you, I'd recommend the Whoop instead, since it's a similar wrist band form factor but with a 14-day battery life and a wearable charging case.Review: Apple Watch Series 10Apple Watch Series 10 specs: Up to 18-hour battery life | Sleep cycles and sleep apnea-tracking | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and/or cellular options | 42mm and 46mm models | IP6X dust and water resistant | Blood oxygen, body temperature sensor, EKG, irregular heart rate alerts | iOS only
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Show Expert Take Show less What are the tariffs in the U.S.?The recent U.S. tariffs on imports from countries like China, Vietnam, and India aim to boost domestic manufacturing but are likely to drive up prices on consumer electronics. Products like smartphones, laptops, and TVs may become more expensive as companies rethink global supply chains and weigh the cost of shifting production.Headphones and wearable devices, which are predominantly manufactured in these regions, are now subject to tariffs as high as 54% on Chinese imports and 46% on Vietnamese goods. As a result, consumers may see price increases of approximately 20% on these items. Manufacturers are exploring options like relocating production to countries with lower tariffs, but such shifts are complex and may not provide immediate relief. In the short term, shoppers should anticipate higher costs for headphones and wearables due to these trade policies.Right now, it looks like some tech may be exempt from the issued tariffs, but since it's always changing and developing, we are keeping an eye on it and will update you on the latest.Also: Tariff exemptions for electronics offer a break for tech - but not for longWhat is the best sleep tracker? The best sleep tracker overall is the Oura Ring 4, thanks to its comprehensive features that provide a deeper understanding of the health data behind your sleep score. It is more comfortable to wear than a smartwatch and offers the most detailed summaries and recommendations for your night's sleep.Best sleep trackerCostBattery lifeiOS/AndroidSleep cyclesSubscription needed?Oura Ring 48 daysiOS and Android✔YesWhoop 5.0 Starts at annually 14 daysiOS and Android✔YesSamsung Galaxy Ring daysAndroid only✔NoApple Watch Series 10hoursiOS only✔No
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Which is the right sleep tracker for you? That depends on your needs. Do you prefer a device with a screen or one without? Are you an athlete looking to combine sleep data with training metrics, or are you casually interested in tracking your nightly sleep score? Do you want to pay a monthly fee to access all your data, or do you want to keep the costs low? We've compiled a list of options to suit a variety of preferences and use cases. Choose this best sleep tracker...If you want...Oura RingThe best sleep tracker overall, with a battery life that lasts nearly a week, comprehensive sleep data, and a discreet form factor.Whoop 4.0The best sleep tracker for athletes who don't want a screen on their wrist. Get insights and recommendations through Whoop's personalized sleep coach and learn how you can recover from your workouts with the right amount of sleep that Whoop calculates for you.Galaxy Ring Any easy-going sleep tracker that won't make you feel bad about your night's sleep. The smart ring is subscription-free and is only compatible with Android devices -- sorry iPhone owners. Apple Watch Series 10The best sleep tracker for Apple users with easy Apple integration, sleep cycle information and sleep apnea detection, and a larger, thinner, and brighter display.
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Factors to consider when choosing a sleep tracker Poor sleep quality can lead to an increased risk of dementia, obesity, cardiovascular disease, depression, and even certain types of cancer. Sleep is vital.To find the best sleep trackers, ZDNET relied on hands-on testing and thorough research into product quality as well as sleep studies on these devices. Additionally, we considered the following factors:Sleep Tracking: Sensors in your sleep tracker can collect a variety of data such as heart rate, heart rate variability, time asleep, sleep stages, and even how much you snore. All of this data is collected and analyzed, and the best sleep trackers present this information clearly.Comfort: If you're wearing a device to bed, it should be comfortable. We've considered smartwatches, bands, and rings that are lightweight, compact, and unobtrusive.Additional features: Some sleep trackers may also provide additional features, like a smart alarm or health and fitness tracking. These insights can help you live a better life during the day, so you sleep better at night. Subscription: To access some features, you may need a subscription. Some subscriptions require a one-time fee, while others may charge an ongoing monthly fee. Be sure to review the terms of the subscription before purchasing. While generally affordable, this is an additional cost that you should factor into the total price.Price: Sleep trackers can be reasonably priced but get expensive as you add extra features. I found that the cost of the best sleep trackers ranges from to depending on the model.User sentiment: We read customer reviews for each product to see what people liked and disliked about each sleep tracker.
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How did we choose these sleep trackers? We understand how much of an investment any type of personal tech can be. When we select products for our lists, we give them careful consideration. We rigorously test these products for days and weeks, read customer reviews, and evaluate whether they deliver on their value and cost.The ZDNET team is constantly testing and ranking products, swapping out older models for newer ones, and removing products that are no longer competitive. Whether a product costs or we want you to get your money's worth.
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What is a sleep cycle? A sleep cycle consists of three stages: light sleep, deep sleep, and rapid eye movement. Typically, when you first fall asleep, you'll enter either light or deep sleep, likely one after the other, before entering a REM phase.This cycle lasts about 1.5 hours, then repeats in intervals closer to two hours, possibly with a few awake minutes in between, but it always ends with REM sleep. As the night progresses, you'll likely spend less time in deep sleep, while the REM stages become longer.A regular night of sleep should include about 50% light sleep, 20% REM sleep, 20% deep sleep, and 10% awake.
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How can I improve my sleep? The National Sleep Foundation recommends improving your sleep by practicing certain habits throughout the day and before bed. Following a consistent bedtime routine -- waking up and going to bed at the same time each day -- is one way to signal to your body to ease into sleep. Dimming the lights a few hours before bed, limiting screen time, and creating a cozy, dark, and cool bedroom environment are all ways to improve your sleep schedule. Regular exercise and limiting alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine consumption can also help you stay asleep.
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How much REM do I need? Nearly a quarter of your sleep should be REM sleep, according to health experts. If you're sleeping eight hours a night, the recommended average, two hours of REM sleep each night is ideal.
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Are sleep trackers really accurate? If you need your sleep analyzed, doctors will usually order a sleep study, which examines a person's oxygen level, heart rate, breathing, eye movement, and leg movement while simultaneously running an electroencephalogram.An EEG shows your brainwaves during different stages and cycles of sleep. A wearable smartwatch or fitness tracker on your wrist, however, is far from your brain.The most popular wearables from Fitbit, Apple, Garmin, and Samsung collect a combination of the following measurements: heart rate and heart rate variability, movement, breaths per minute, and skin temperature. Devices that track sleep cycles use an algorithm to estimate your sleep cycles based on the data.A 2017 study compared a polysomnography with the performance of a Fitbit Charge 2 in 35 adults. Researchers found the Fitbit device detected sleep onset with 96% accuracy, but overestimated time spent asleep by nine minutes on average. In the study, the Fitbit detected light sleep with 81% accuracy, deep sleep with only 49% accuracy, and REM sleep with 74% accuracy.A newer study published in April of 2022 compared the performance of the Fitbit Alta HR to results from an EEG conducted simultaneously on 40 college athletes while sleeping. This study found Fitbit data to effectively track sleep onset, time spent asleep, and sleep cycles. Fitbit can be a useful tool for athletes' sleep management.While not 100% accurate, the Fitbit data showed a strong correlation with polysomnography results.
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What types of sleep trackers are there? There are several types of sleep trackers to choose from. Smartwatches, rings, and under-mattress nearables are the three most popular options.Smartwatches: These can be either smartwatches or wristbands, depending on the level of technology you need. Smartwatches often include smart assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant and offer a range of features, such as GPS tracking and fitness tracking, in addition to sleep tracking.Rings: This is another wearable sleep tracker but far more basic. It uses sensors along the inside of the ring to collect data and track your sleep. Under mattress or nearables: There are some models, like the Withings Sleep Tracker Pad, that simply slide under your mattress for an unobtrusive solution to sleep trackers.
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What are the best sleep trackers that don't require a subscription? The Apple Watch Series 10, Samsung Galaxy Ring, Google's Pixel Watch 2, and the Garmin Venu 3S are all impressive smartwatches that offer great sleep-tracking capabilities without a subscription. If you're a casual sleep tracker, I'd recommend the Apple Watch for those in the Apple ecosystem and the Galaxy Ring for Android users. If you're an athlete, I'd suggest the Garmin Venu 3S.
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Other products we tested With so many sleep trackers available, there are many alternatives worth considering. Here are our top picks for alternative sleep trackers that we have tested and can recommend.
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#best #sleep #trackers #slept #withThe best sleep trackers of 2025: I slept with these sleep trackers to find the best one
Ah, sleep. Everybody needs it and nobody gets enough of it. Doing so is great for all aspects of our wellbeing -- from heart health and focus to diet and mood. Experts recommend that adults get at least seven hours of sleep each night, but everyone is different. Even with seven hours of sleep, waking up well-rested is not guaranteed. Sleep trackers and wearables can help determine how you've actually slept throughout the night. Also: I test sleep trackers for a living: 5 tips I've learned about getting better sleep While not perfect, sleep trackers can measure heart rate, skin temperature, and time spent in each sleep phase. ZDNET has thoroughly tested sleep trackers to find the best options based on features, affordability, and availability. Whether you're in the market for a sleep tracker that's a smart ring or a smartwatch, we've gone hands-on with them all. What's the best sleep tracker right now?We found that the Oura Ring 4 is the best sleep tracker on the market for its comfortable, lightweight fit, impressive battery life, and discreet build, which makes it ideal for sleeping. Plus, it provides a wealth of sleep data through the app. The only downside is it comes with a annual subscription if you want to access the full breadth and depth of your data. If you'd like to avoid that, go for the Galaxy Ring instead, which costs around the same without a subscription. I also recommend the Whoop 5.0, as well as the Apple Watch Series 10, if you'd rather wear a fitness band or watch to bed. Read on to explore the most popular options, as well as some lesser-known choices, to help you find the best sleep tracker for a better night's sleep.
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The best sleep trackers of 2025 Show less View now at Best Buy Why we like it: The Oura Ring is the best sleep tracker for a few reasons. It's discreet and far more comfortable to wear to bed compared to a health band or smartwatch. Oura's data capture is accurate, with its sleep staging algorithm matching the performance of a polysomnography sleep lab test. The objective sleep and readiness scores it provides after I wake up often are in line with how I'm feeling on a day-to-day basis. It also isn't hardcore about getting perfect sleep, which allows for normal people who may be working later, raising kids, or experiencing health conditions to use the smart ring and not feel disheartened. One night, I received a sleep score of 68. The ring notified me that this was below my typical range but told me that it's normal to have nights like these, "so be gentle with yourself." Then it prompted me to reflect on the influencing factors of my poor and reminded me "it's about progress, not perfection." Another reason the smart ring is my favorite sleep and health tracker is because it takes your daily biometrics to paint a fuller, long-term picture of your health through features like Resilience and Cardiovascular Age. If I am consistent with my sleep, I see how it translates into "Solid" or "Exceptional" resilience, which further encourages me to keep up the trend. A week of poor sleep takes a year off my Cardiovascular Age of below seven years. This data is great for already active and health-conscious individuals, but it may overwhelm someone who's just getting into health and sleep tracking. Still, if you're ready to learn more about your health in the context of sleep, activity, and stress, the Oura Ring is health-tracking's top dog. Plus, the smart ring can track your meals and pair that data with glucose insights with a Dexcom Stelo CGM. This can tell you right as you're getting sick, as it did for me during one nasty week of spring allergies, through its Symptom Radar feature. Who's it for: This is a sleep tracker for people who want to improve their sleep quality and their overall health. The ring offers both short-term sleep tracking that examines your rest, as well as long-term sleep and health-tracking that paints a holistic picture of wellbeing.Also: The best smart ringsThe ring starts at and comes with a annual subscription. The smart ring is best for people who are willing to pay this high price and who will regularly check and find use in their biometric data. If you get easily overwhelmed looking at your biometric data, the Oura Ring may offer too much information. Who should look elsewhere: If you don't want to be graded on your sleep, readiness, or activity levels every morning, I'd recommend the Apple Watch. The smartwatch doesn't use sleep or readiness scoring mechanisms. Instead, you can check if your wrist temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, and sleep duration are within a typical range through the Apple Watch's Vitals app. Android users could look for the Galaxy Ring instead if they want a similar smart ring sleep tracker but don't want to pay the monthly subscription fee. Oura Ring Gen 4 specs: Up to eight days battery life | Sleep cycles | Bluetooth | Up to 100m water resistant | Blood oxygen, skin temperature sensor, heart rate monitoring | iOS and Android compatible
Battery life
8
Additional features
10
Health tracking
10
Comfort and wear
9
App functionality
10
Pros
Accurate sleep tracking
Data illustration that informs your sleep and activity routines
Comfortable build for all-day wear
Cons
Paid membership required to unlock all data the ring collects
Battery life isn't as long as advertised
Oura Ring Gen 4 Best sleep tracker overall
4.7
/ 5
Score
Why we like it: The Oura Ring is the best sleep tracker for a few reasons. It's discreet and far more comfortable to wear to bed compared to a health band or smartwatch. Oura's data capture is accurate, with its sleep staging algorithm matching the performance of a polysomnography sleep lab test. The objective sleep and readiness scores it provides after I wake up often are in line with how I'm feeling on a day-to-day basis. It also isn't hardcore about getting perfect sleep, which allows for normal people who may be working later, raising kids, or experiencing health conditions to use the smart ring and not feel disheartened. One night, I received a sleep score of 68. The ring notified me that this was below my typical range but told me that it's normal to have nights like these, "so be gentle with yourself." Then it prompted me to reflect on the influencing factors of my poor and reminded me "it's about progress, not perfection." Another reason the smart ring is my favorite sleep and health tracker is because it takes your daily biometrics to paint a fuller, long-term picture of your health through features like Resilience and Cardiovascular Age. If I am consistent with my sleep, I see how it translates into "Solid" or "Exceptional" resilience, which further encourages me to keep up the trend. A week of poor sleep takes a year off my Cardiovascular Age of below seven years. This data is great for already active and health-conscious individuals, but it may overwhelm someone who's just getting into health and sleep tracking. Still, if you're ready to learn more about your health in the context of sleep, activity, and stress, the Oura Ring is health-tracking's top dog. Plus, the smart ring can track your meals and pair that data with glucose insights with a Dexcom Stelo CGM. This can tell you right as you're getting sick, as it did for me during one nasty week of spring allergies, through its Symptom Radar feature. Who's it for: This is a sleep tracker for people who want to improve their sleep quality and their overall health. The ring offers both short-term sleep tracking that examines your rest, as well as long-term sleep and health-tracking that paints a holistic picture of wellbeing.Also: The best smart ringsThe ring starts at and comes with a annual subscription. The smart ring is best for people who are willing to pay this high price and who will regularly check and find use in their biometric data. If you get easily overwhelmed looking at your biometric data, the Oura Ring may offer too much information. Who should look elsewhere: If you don't want to be graded on your sleep, readiness, or activity levels every morning, I'd recommend the Apple Watch. The smartwatch doesn't use sleep or readiness scoring mechanisms. Instead, you can check if your wrist temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, and sleep duration are within a typical range through the Apple Watch's Vitals app. Android users could look for the Galaxy Ring instead if they want a similar smart ring sleep tracker but don't want to pay the monthly subscription fee. Oura Ring Gen 4 specs: Up to eight days battery life | Sleep cycles | Bluetooth | Up to 100m water resistant | Blood oxygen, skin temperature sensor, heart rate monitoring | iOS and Android compatible
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Show Expert Take Show less Show less Why we like it: If you want a sleep tracker that will keep your athletic goals in mind, the Whoop is your best bet.Whoop delivers daily sleep and recovery scores, but it also gives you a strain target you're encouraged to meet, based on the night's sleep and morning's readiness. I'm currently following a weight-training and diet regimen, and I've found the strain target invaluable. The Whoop's daily outlook tab summarizes my morning data and then provides me with exercises and durations for hitting my strain target. For example, one morning it prescribed me either a 30-minute run, a 70-minute elliptical session, or a 30-minute weightlifting session to reach my 13.5 strain target. The tracker made these recommendations after it registered my 88% sleep score and 80% recovery score. The Whoop is another reliable, accurate sleep tracker. One study performed by Central Queensland University found that the Whoop was 99.7% accurate in measuring heart rate and 99% accurate in measuring heart rate variability during sleep. Compared to polysomnography, the Whoop also correctly identified sleep and calculated total time spent asleep. The sleep debt feature is also a great way to keep track of your caught-up -- or not-caught-up -- sleep. Whoop tells you once you've reduced or gained sleep debt and encourages more or maintained rest. It also comes packed with graphs displaying weekly averages, your sleep hours versus your sleep need, performance, and consistency. Unlike Oura, which employs separate tabs for daily and weekly sleep data, I enjoy how all my sleep data is available in one place. Also: I wore the Whoop 5.0 -- it gave me the best of Apple Watch, Oura Ring, and moreWho's it for: Whoop just announced its three new annual subscription tiers starting at and going all the way up to At the Whoop One membership is the least feature-rich option with only sleep, strain, and recovery tracking. It also features V02 max and heart rate zone monitoring, alongside hormonal health insights. For Peak has all the aforementioned features, plus Whoop's new Healthspan and Pace of Aging feature, a Health Monitor feature, and stress monitoring. Life is the most expensive tier at This tier adds blood pressure and ECG monitoring, as well as advanced health sensor tech. The Life tier comes with a Whoop MG -- medical grade -- band, while the One and Peak tiers come with the Whoop 5.0 band. In short, it's going to cost you at least a year to use this device. You could buy an older generation Apple Watch for that very price and never have to pay a subscription on it. The ideal customer for the Whoop is someone who is an avid health and fitness junkie, kind of like a more intense Oura user. This person is actively training and refining their athletic performance and also wants to learn more about their body's capacity through features like Healthspan or Pace of Aging. The Whoop will be an effective sleep tracker for people who want to optimize their training regime for a steep price.Who should look elsewhere: The Whoop is the most expensive sleep tracker on this list. If you want a sleep tracker with similar functionalities but a cheaper or nonexistent subscription, I'd recommend the Oura Ring 4. The ring costs and then for an annual subscription that offers full access to all your health data. Some users are even happy with the limited access provided without a subscription. If all this health data is overhwelming, I'd also recommend the Apple Watch Series 10 instead or even an earlier model if you wanted a cheaper sleep tracker. The Apple Watch Series 8 and later include the Vitals app, which is essential for sleep tracking.Whoop 4.0 specs: Up to 14 days battery life | Sleep cycles | Bluetooth | 1.5 x 1.5 x 0.45 inches | IP68 water resistant | Blood oxygen, skin temperature sensor, heart rate, menstrual tracking | iOS and Android compatible Pros
Detailed sleep tracking for athletes
Personalized sleep coach
Sleep debt feature
Cons
Annual membership subscription that just got even more expensive
Why we like it: If you want a sleep tracker that will keep your athletic goals in mind, the Whoop is your best bet.Whoop delivers daily sleep and recovery scores, but it also gives you a strain target you're encouraged to meet, based on the night's sleep and morning's readiness. I'm currently following a weight-training and diet regimen, and I've found the strain target invaluable. The Whoop's daily outlook tab summarizes my morning data and then provides me with exercises and durations for hitting my strain target. For example, one morning it prescribed me either a 30-minute run, a 70-minute elliptical session, or a 30-minute weightlifting session to reach my 13.5 strain target. The tracker made these recommendations after it registered my 88% sleep score and 80% recovery score. The Whoop is another reliable, accurate sleep tracker. One study performed by Central Queensland University found that the Whoop was 99.7% accurate in measuring heart rate and 99% accurate in measuring heart rate variability during sleep. Compared to polysomnography, the Whoop also correctly identified sleep and calculated total time spent asleep. The sleep debt feature is also a great way to keep track of your caught-up -- or not-caught-up -- sleep. Whoop tells you once you've reduced or gained sleep debt and encourages more or maintained rest. It also comes packed with graphs displaying weekly averages, your sleep hours versus your sleep need, performance, and consistency. Unlike Oura, which employs separate tabs for daily and weekly sleep data, I enjoy how all my sleep data is available in one place. Also: I wore the Whoop 5.0 -- it gave me the best of Apple Watch, Oura Ring, and moreWho's it for: Whoop just announced its three new annual subscription tiers starting at and going all the way up to At the Whoop One membership is the least feature-rich option with only sleep, strain, and recovery tracking. It also features V02 max and heart rate zone monitoring, alongside hormonal health insights. For Peak has all the aforementioned features, plus Whoop's new Healthspan and Pace of Aging feature, a Health Monitor feature, and stress monitoring. Life is the most expensive tier at This tier adds blood pressure and ECG monitoring, as well as advanced health sensor tech. The Life tier comes with a Whoop MG -- medical grade -- band, while the One and Peak tiers come with the Whoop 5.0 band. In short, it's going to cost you at least a year to use this device. You could buy an older generation Apple Watch for that very price and never have to pay a subscription on it. The ideal customer for the Whoop is someone who is an avid health and fitness junkie, kind of like a more intense Oura user. This person is actively training and refining their athletic performance and also wants to learn more about their body's capacity through features like Healthspan or Pace of Aging. The Whoop will be an effective sleep tracker for people who want to optimize their training regime for a steep price.Who should look elsewhere: The Whoop is the most expensive sleep tracker on this list. If you want a sleep tracker with similar functionalities but a cheaper or nonexistent subscription, I'd recommend the Oura Ring 4. The ring costs and then for an annual subscription that offers full access to all your health data. Some users are even happy with the limited access provided without a subscription. If all this health data is overhwelming, I'd also recommend the Apple Watch Series 10 instead or even an earlier model if you wanted a cheaper sleep tracker. The Apple Watch Series 8 and later include the Vitals app, which is essential for sleep tracking.Whoop 4.0 specs: Up to 14 days battery life | Sleep cycles | Bluetooth | 1.5 x 1.5 x 0.45 inches | IP68 water resistant | Blood oxygen, skin temperature sensor, heart rate, menstrual tracking | iOS and Android compatible
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Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Walmart Why we like it: The Galaxy Ring is a discreet, comfortable sleep-tracking solution with Samsung Health integrations. If you do own a Galaxy Watch and use it for fitness, your sleep data will be stored in the same place on the app. Out of all the sleep trackers I've tried, the Galaxy Ring provides the highest sleep and energy -- its version of readiness -- ratings. The smart ring is ideal for people who don't want to feel terrible about their rest while they track their sleep. Its battery life is also comparable to the Oura Ring at around seven days. The ring's app doesn't have a lot of the other special touch features that some of its competitors. It keeps the metrics it monitors simple and doesn't stray from sleep, activity, energy, and stress. It's a great smart ring for people who just want to track their sleep on a daily basis and don't need in-depth health insights. Who's it for: The Galaxy Ring is best for Android users who want to keep their data within the Samsung ecosystem. Additionally, it's a great smart ring for those who are intrigued by the Oura Ring -- but not the subscription price tag. Unlike the Oura Ring, whose price increases depending on the ring's finish, every Samsung Galaxy Ring finish costs the same, sweet price of Who should look elsewhere: This smart ring is only available to Android users, since the data is stored on the Samsung Health app. So iOS users should look to the Oura Ring 4 or Ultrahuman Ring Air instead. Also: Samsung's Galaxy Ring is smarter than my Apple WatchSamsung Galaxy Ring specs: Up to seven days battery life | Sleep cycles | Bluetooth | Water resistant | Blood oxygen, skin temperature sensor, heart rate monitoring | Android compatible Pros
Best smart ring for Android users
Sleep and energy tracking that doesn't make you feel bad
Great for entry-level health trackers
Cons
Not as feature-rich as the Oura Ring
Why we like it: The Galaxy Ring is a discreet, comfortable sleep-tracking solution with Samsung Health integrations. If you do own a Galaxy Watch and use it for fitness, your sleep data will be stored in the same place on the app. Out of all the sleep trackers I've tried, the Galaxy Ring provides the highest sleep and energy -- its version of readiness -- ratings. The smart ring is ideal for people who don't want to feel terrible about their rest while they track their sleep. Its battery life is also comparable to the Oura Ring at around seven days. The ring's app doesn't have a lot of the other special touch features that some of its competitors. It keeps the metrics it monitors simple and doesn't stray from sleep, activity, energy, and stress. It's a great smart ring for people who just want to track their sleep on a daily basis and don't need in-depth health insights. Who's it for: The Galaxy Ring is best for Android users who want to keep their data within the Samsung ecosystem. Additionally, it's a great smart ring for those who are intrigued by the Oura Ring -- but not the subscription price tag. Unlike the Oura Ring, whose price increases depending on the ring's finish, every Samsung Galaxy Ring finish costs the same, sweet price of Who should look elsewhere: This smart ring is only available to Android users, since the data is stored on the Samsung Health app. So iOS users should look to the Oura Ring 4 or Ultrahuman Ring Air instead. Also: Samsung's Galaxy Ring is smarter than my Apple WatchSamsung Galaxy Ring specs: Up to seven days battery life | Sleep cycles | Bluetooth | Water resistant | Blood oxygen, skin temperature sensor, heart rate monitoring | Android compatible
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Show Expert Take Show less Show less Why we like it: The Apple Watch Series 10 is the most approachable sleep-tracking option for people who want a general sense that they're hitting their sleep goals. The functions on the Apple Watch aren't going to grade you on how you rested, but it will tell you if key metrics are within normal or abnormal ranges and accurately capture your sleep data. The Apple Watch shows you your time spent awake, in REM, core, and deep sleep, as well as whether your sleep duration has increased or decreased over the past week. The Vitals app is going to be your Apple Watch's best friend if you want some biometric-tracking mechanisms. The smartwatch app displays your sleeping wrist temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, and sleep duration on a graph. It will also notify you whether these datapoints are in or out of your typical range. We chose the Apple Watch Series 10 because it is the thinnest and most comfortable smartwatch Apple's produced. This makes it a little easier to sleep with compared to its bulkier counterparts in the Apple Watch lineup. It also comes with several sleep-friendly functionalities, like a bedtime reminder feature that automatically goes into do not disturb at your set bedtime. For those with breathing disturbances, the smartwatch has an FDA-cleared Sleep Apnea Detection feature that can help catch the often-undiagnosed condition. Who's it for: Apple owners, first and foremost. Unlike the other picks on this list, the Apple Watch has a screen and is your iPhone's personal assistant first and a health tracker second. You can take calls, set timers, send texts, create reminders, and even use it as a de facto wallet. Secondly, it's for people who don't mind the feel of wearing a smartwatch to bed. This might be the most comfortable smartwatch Apple's ever made, but it's still pretty bulky and distracting.The smartwatch is a great solution for people looking for a subscription-free health tracker with medical grade, yet simple and judgement-free, features. Apple updates its firmware regularly and adds new health-minded features every year, so you can get a lot out of keeping this smartwatch around your wrist. Who should look elsewhere: The Apple Watch Series 10 battery life is better than its predecessors, but it's still shorter than the other options on this list. You'll have to charge your smartwatch everyday if you want around-the-clock usage, which may be a deterrent for people. If that's you, I'd recommend the Whoop instead, since it's a similar wrist band form factor but with a 14-day battery life and a wearable charging case.Review: Apple Watch Series 10Apple Watch Series 10 specs: Up to 18-hour battery life | Sleep cycles and sleep apnea-tracking | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and/or cellular options | 42mm and 46mm models | IP6X dust and water resistant | Blood oxygen, body temperature sensor, EKG, irregular heart rate alerts | iOS only
Health & wellness
10
Build quality/durability
9
Advanced features
6
Applications
10
Core functionality
9
Pros
Sleep cycle tracking
No subscription to track sleep
Sleep apnea detection
Vitals app
Cons
Must be paired with iPhone
Shorter battery life than other wearables
No sleep scores
Apple Watch Series 10 Best sleep tracker for iPhone owners
4.4
/ 5
Score
Why we like it: The Apple Watch Series 10 is the most approachable sleep-tracking option for people who want a general sense that they're hitting their sleep goals. The functions on the Apple Watch aren't going to grade you on how you rested, but it will tell you if key metrics are within normal or abnormal ranges and accurately capture your sleep data. The Apple Watch shows you your time spent awake, in REM, core, and deep sleep, as well as whether your sleep duration has increased or decreased over the past week. The Vitals app is going to be your Apple Watch's best friend if you want some biometric-tracking mechanisms. The smartwatch app displays your sleeping wrist temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, and sleep duration on a graph. It will also notify you whether these datapoints are in or out of your typical range. We chose the Apple Watch Series 10 because it is the thinnest and most comfortable smartwatch Apple's produced. This makes it a little easier to sleep with compared to its bulkier counterparts in the Apple Watch lineup. It also comes with several sleep-friendly functionalities, like a bedtime reminder feature that automatically goes into do not disturb at your set bedtime. For those with breathing disturbances, the smartwatch has an FDA-cleared Sleep Apnea Detection feature that can help catch the often-undiagnosed condition. Who's it for: Apple owners, first and foremost. Unlike the other picks on this list, the Apple Watch has a screen and is your iPhone's personal assistant first and a health tracker second. You can take calls, set timers, send texts, create reminders, and even use it as a de facto wallet. Secondly, it's for people who don't mind the feel of wearing a smartwatch to bed. This might be the most comfortable smartwatch Apple's ever made, but it's still pretty bulky and distracting.The smartwatch is a great solution for people looking for a subscription-free health tracker with medical grade, yet simple and judgement-free, features. Apple updates its firmware regularly and adds new health-minded features every year, so you can get a lot out of keeping this smartwatch around your wrist. Who should look elsewhere: The Apple Watch Series 10 battery life is better than its predecessors, but it's still shorter than the other options on this list. You'll have to charge your smartwatch everyday if you want around-the-clock usage, which may be a deterrent for people. If that's you, I'd recommend the Whoop instead, since it's a similar wrist band form factor but with a 14-day battery life and a wearable charging case.Review: Apple Watch Series 10Apple Watch Series 10 specs: Up to 18-hour battery life | Sleep cycles and sleep apnea-tracking | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and/or cellular options | 42mm and 46mm models | IP6X dust and water resistant | Blood oxygen, body temperature sensor, EKG, irregular heart rate alerts | iOS only
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Show Expert Take Show less What are the tariffs in the U.S.?The recent U.S. tariffs on imports from countries like China, Vietnam, and India aim to boost domestic manufacturing but are likely to drive up prices on consumer electronics. Products like smartphones, laptops, and TVs may become more expensive as companies rethink global supply chains and weigh the cost of shifting production.Headphones and wearable devices, which are predominantly manufactured in these regions, are now subject to tariffs as high as 54% on Chinese imports and 46% on Vietnamese goods. As a result, consumers may see price increases of approximately 20% on these items. Manufacturers are exploring options like relocating production to countries with lower tariffs, but such shifts are complex and may not provide immediate relief. In the short term, shoppers should anticipate higher costs for headphones and wearables due to these trade policies.Right now, it looks like some tech may be exempt from the issued tariffs, but since it's always changing and developing, we are keeping an eye on it and will update you on the latest.Also: Tariff exemptions for electronics offer a break for tech - but not for longWhat is the best sleep tracker? The best sleep tracker overall is the Oura Ring 4, thanks to its comprehensive features that provide a deeper understanding of the health data behind your sleep score. It is more comfortable to wear than a smartwatch and offers the most detailed summaries and recommendations for your night's sleep.Best sleep trackerCostBattery lifeiOS/AndroidSleep cyclesSubscription needed?Oura Ring 48 daysiOS and Android✔YesWhoop 5.0 Starts at annually 14 daysiOS and Android✔YesSamsung Galaxy Ring daysAndroid only✔NoApple Watch Series 10hoursiOS only✔No
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Which is the right sleep tracker for you? That depends on your needs. Do you prefer a device with a screen or one without? Are you an athlete looking to combine sleep data with training metrics, or are you casually interested in tracking your nightly sleep score? Do you want to pay a monthly fee to access all your data, or do you want to keep the costs low? We've compiled a list of options to suit a variety of preferences and use cases. Choose this best sleep tracker...If you want...Oura RingThe best sleep tracker overall, with a battery life that lasts nearly a week, comprehensive sleep data, and a discreet form factor.Whoop 4.0The best sleep tracker for athletes who don't want a screen on their wrist. Get insights and recommendations through Whoop's personalized sleep coach and learn how you can recover from your workouts with the right amount of sleep that Whoop calculates for you.Galaxy Ring Any easy-going sleep tracker that won't make you feel bad about your night's sleep. The smart ring is subscription-free and is only compatible with Android devices -- sorry iPhone owners. Apple Watch Series 10The best sleep tracker for Apple users with easy Apple integration, sleep cycle information and sleep apnea detection, and a larger, thinner, and brighter display.
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Factors to consider when choosing a sleep tracker Poor sleep quality can lead to an increased risk of dementia, obesity, cardiovascular disease, depression, and even certain types of cancer. Sleep is vital.To find the best sleep trackers, ZDNET relied on hands-on testing and thorough research into product quality as well as sleep studies on these devices. Additionally, we considered the following factors:Sleep Tracking: Sensors in your sleep tracker can collect a variety of data such as heart rate, heart rate variability, time asleep, sleep stages, and even how much you snore. All of this data is collected and analyzed, and the best sleep trackers present this information clearly.Comfort: If you're wearing a device to bed, it should be comfortable. We've considered smartwatches, bands, and rings that are lightweight, compact, and unobtrusive.Additional features: Some sleep trackers may also provide additional features, like a smart alarm or health and fitness tracking. These insights can help you live a better life during the day, so you sleep better at night. Subscription: To access some features, you may need a subscription. Some subscriptions require a one-time fee, while others may charge an ongoing monthly fee. Be sure to review the terms of the subscription before purchasing. While generally affordable, this is an additional cost that you should factor into the total price.Price: Sleep trackers can be reasonably priced but get expensive as you add extra features. I found that the cost of the best sleep trackers ranges from to depending on the model.User sentiment: We read customer reviews for each product to see what people liked and disliked about each sleep tracker.
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How did we choose these sleep trackers? We understand how much of an investment any type of personal tech can be. When we select products for our lists, we give them careful consideration. We rigorously test these products for days and weeks, read customer reviews, and evaluate whether they deliver on their value and cost.The ZDNET team is constantly testing and ranking products, swapping out older models for newer ones, and removing products that are no longer competitive. Whether a product costs or we want you to get your money's worth.
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What is a sleep cycle? A sleep cycle consists of three stages: light sleep, deep sleep, and rapid eye movement. Typically, when you first fall asleep, you'll enter either light or deep sleep, likely one after the other, before entering a REM phase.This cycle lasts about 1.5 hours, then repeats in intervals closer to two hours, possibly with a few awake minutes in between, but it always ends with REM sleep. As the night progresses, you'll likely spend less time in deep sleep, while the REM stages become longer.A regular night of sleep should include about 50% light sleep, 20% REM sleep, 20% deep sleep, and 10% awake.
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How can I improve my sleep? The National Sleep Foundation recommends improving your sleep by practicing certain habits throughout the day and before bed. Following a consistent bedtime routine -- waking up and going to bed at the same time each day -- is one way to signal to your body to ease into sleep. Dimming the lights a few hours before bed, limiting screen time, and creating a cozy, dark, and cool bedroom environment are all ways to improve your sleep schedule. Regular exercise and limiting alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine consumption can also help you stay asleep.
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How much REM do I need? Nearly a quarter of your sleep should be REM sleep, according to health experts. If you're sleeping eight hours a night, the recommended average, two hours of REM sleep each night is ideal.
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Are sleep trackers really accurate? If you need your sleep analyzed, doctors will usually order a sleep study, which examines a person's oxygen level, heart rate, breathing, eye movement, and leg movement while simultaneously running an electroencephalogram.An EEG shows your brainwaves during different stages and cycles of sleep. A wearable smartwatch or fitness tracker on your wrist, however, is far from your brain.The most popular wearables from Fitbit, Apple, Garmin, and Samsung collect a combination of the following measurements: heart rate and heart rate variability, movement, breaths per minute, and skin temperature. Devices that track sleep cycles use an algorithm to estimate your sleep cycles based on the data.A 2017 study compared a polysomnography with the performance of a Fitbit Charge 2 in 35 adults. Researchers found the Fitbit device detected sleep onset with 96% accuracy, but overestimated time spent asleep by nine minutes on average. In the study, the Fitbit detected light sleep with 81% accuracy, deep sleep with only 49% accuracy, and REM sleep with 74% accuracy.A newer study published in April of 2022 compared the performance of the Fitbit Alta HR to results from an EEG conducted simultaneously on 40 college athletes while sleeping. This study found Fitbit data to effectively track sleep onset, time spent asleep, and sleep cycles. Fitbit can be a useful tool for athletes' sleep management.While not 100% accurate, the Fitbit data showed a strong correlation with polysomnography results.
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What types of sleep trackers are there? There are several types of sleep trackers to choose from. Smartwatches, rings, and under-mattress nearables are the three most popular options.Smartwatches: These can be either smartwatches or wristbands, depending on the level of technology you need. Smartwatches often include smart assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant and offer a range of features, such as GPS tracking and fitness tracking, in addition to sleep tracking.Rings: This is another wearable sleep tracker but far more basic. It uses sensors along the inside of the ring to collect data and track your sleep. Under mattress or nearables: There are some models, like the Withings Sleep Tracker Pad, that simply slide under your mattress for an unobtrusive solution to sleep trackers.
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What are the best sleep trackers that don't require a subscription? The Apple Watch Series 10, Samsung Galaxy Ring, Google's Pixel Watch 2, and the Garmin Venu 3S are all impressive smartwatches that offer great sleep-tracking capabilities without a subscription. If you're a casual sleep tracker, I'd recommend the Apple Watch for those in the Apple ecosystem and the Galaxy Ring for Android users. If you're an athlete, I'd suggest the Garmin Venu 3S.
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Other products we tested With so many sleep trackers available, there are many alternatives worth considering. Here are our top picks for alternative sleep trackers that we have tested and can recommend.
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