A proper night’s sleep is critical for physical health, mental clarity, and overall performance, which is why sleep tracking is essential to maintaining good health. Many wearable devices include sleep monitoring features to help users optimize their sleep, and while smartwatches and smart rings stand out as the most popular options, many are beginning to recognize the distinct advantages in wearing a ring.
Smart rings are gaining popularity, and it’s not hard to see why. They are sleek, less intrusive, and offer very accurate sleep tracking. So, why are they the best option for sleep tracking compared to smartwatches? Let’s dive into the details.
Why sleep tracking matters
Before we explore why smart rings excel in sleep tracking, let’s take a moment to understand the importance of sleep and why tracking it matters.
The impact of sleep on overall health and performance
Sleep plays a crucial role in physical and mental health. A consistent lack of sleep can contribute to several health issues, including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and mental health disorders like depression and anxiety. Better sleep boosts mood, productivity, memory retention, and cognitive performance, and studies have shown the correlation between all of those factors over decades of research.
The challenge has always been not knowing the details for yourself. In the past, sleep clinics could learn a lot about your sleep habits but now when you track your own sleep, you can identify patterns that help you improve it. Understanding how long and restful you sleep, as well as how many times you wake up, can give you valuable insights into improving your overall well-being.
Key sleep metrics
To make sense of the data, there are several key sleep metrics that good tracking devices monitor:
- Sleep stages: The breakdown of light sleep, deep sleep, and REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep.
- Heart rate variability (HRV): A key indicator of stress and recovery, HRV fluctuates throughout the night depending on how restful or disrupted your sleep is.
- Oxygen levels: Some smart rings also measure blood oxygen saturation, which can help identify issues like sleep apnea.
These are important metrics because they can help you assess whether you slept soundly or not and guide you toward improvements in your lifestyle or sleep habits. It’s not inconceivable that you could sleep long enough yet still lack in overall quality due to disruptions or a lack of REM, for instance. Over weeks and months, patterns might emerge that are either positive signs or a cause for concern.
The downsides of smartwatches for sleep tracking
Although smartwatches are a popular choice for monitoring health, they come with some significant drawbacks when it comes to sleep tracking.
Bulky design & discomfort while sleeping
It’s one thing to wear a watch while awake but another when wearing one in bed. One of the most common complaints about wearing smartwatches to bed is their bulky design, where the size of the device can be uncomfortable and disruptive. This can be especially true for light sleepers who find it difficult to wear their smartwatch all night. The large face and heavy design can feel intrusive, particularly when lying down or turning in your sleep.
Short battery life requiring frequent charging
Battery life is paramount for sleep tracking because you don’t want the smartwatch to die while passed out. While this is not the case for all models, you do need to charge some of the most popular smartwatches every night to ensure they function throughout the day. If you want to track your sleep, you may have to recharge the device during the night instead or use it intermittently, neither of which is ideal in such a scenario.
Less accurate sensor placement on the wrist
Smartwatches are typically worn on the wrist, which allows them to gather sleep-related data. It just may not be the most optimal location to do the job. Your wrist is more likely to move around during sleep, which can alter contact and precision for the onboard sensors and affect the reliability of the data they track. This is why placement matters for metrics like heart rate and oxygen levels.
Why smart rings are the best for sleep tracking
Now that we’ve outlined the limitations of smartwatches, let’s discuss why smart rings are quickly becoming the preferred choice for sleep tracking.
Comfort and lightweight design
Unlike bulkier smartwatches, smart rings are small, lightweight, and far less intrusive. The compact design means that they’re comfortable to wear at night without causing any discomfort, making them ideal for people who struggle to sleep with devices on their body. A smart ring fits snugly on your finger, and its minimal design ensures you can sleep without feeling like something’s in your way.
Better sensor placement on fingers for improved accuracy
Smart rings are worn on your finger, which offers a more stable and reliable platform for tracking sleep metrics. A finger won’t move as much compared to a wrist, leading to more accurate readings for heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), and blood oxygen levels. The better the fit and placement, the more accurate and precise sleep data becomes.
Longer battery life
Smart rings hold a major advantage in battery life because you simply don’t need to charge them as often. Certain smartwatches may get you past a day or two, but most smart rings offer several days’ worth of battery life. You don’t need to worry about charging it in the middle of the night, so you can track your sleep without interruption.
More detailed sleep tracking insights
Because of the emphasis on sensor placement and minimal interference from other factors, smart rings often offer more detailed and accurate sleep tracking insights. Smart rings can track the key metrics like sleep stages, HRV, oxygen levels, and even body temperature fluctuations, though the bigger picture can be all the more comprehensive. Look at the app, and you may see graphs, charts, and insights explaining what your sleep health looks like in as short as one month to as long as one year.
Minimal disruption during sleep
Since smart rings are subtle and unobtrusive, they’re less likely to disrupt your sleep. Whether you’re a side sleeper or a back sleeper, wearing a smart ring won’t interfere with your ability to rest, unlike larger devices that can get in the way or cause discomfort.
How leading smart rings track sleep
Let’s explore some of the top smart rings available today and how they excel in sleep tracking.
Oura Ring
The Oura Ring is one of the market leading smart rings courtesy of its advanced sleep tracking features, which includes detailed insights into sleep stages, HRV, body temperature, and oxygen levels. Known for its highly accurate sensors, the Oura Ring monitors your sleep through the night to track and analyze how well or poorly you’re sleeping. The accompanying app serves up the data through personalized sleep scores and readiness scores, along with helpful feedback that’s easy to understand. This way, you have a good sense of how well-rested you are and how ready your body is for the day ahead.
Ultrahuman Ring Air
The Ultrahuman Ring Air focuses on metabolic health and offers sleep tracking as part of its broader wellness ecosystem. It provides valuable insights into your sleep patterns, including sleep stages and HRV, but also monitors glucose levels to give you a more holistic view of your health. The Ultrahuman Ring is a great choice for people who want to track not just sleep, but their overall metabolic health.
Samsung Galaxy Ring
Samsung’s Galaxy Ring takes much of the existing sleep tracking from Samsung Health and expands on it with a detailed set of tracking tools and insights. The sleep data syncs with other Samsung devices for a unified health experience, which can also culminate in an AI-powered “Energy Score” and personalized coaching you can see every day. Paired with a Samsung phone, the Galaxy Ring has the ability to detect snoring (using the phone’s microphone) and warn about sleep apnea if it notices that.
Smart ring apps and compatibility
All leading smart rings come with their own companion apps that allow users to view detailed insights into their sleep and overall health. Here’s a quick overview of the most popular smart ring apps:
- Oura App: Offers detailed sleep metrics, readiness scores, and integrations with Apple Health and Google Fit. Plus, unique features like Symptom Radar to warn if you’re coming down with an illness.
- Ultrahuman App: Provides metabolic health tracking, sleep insights, and integrates with glucose monitors and third-party wellness apps.
- Samsung Health: The primary app for the Galaxy Ring, Samsung Health can work with other Android devices as well. It keeps track of all health metrics associated with the ring.
These apps also sync with third-party wellness platforms like Apple Health and Google Fit, allowing users to consolidate their health data for a more complete picture of their overall health and wellness.
Privacy and data security in smart rings
One common concern with any wearable device is data privacy. Fortunately, many reputable brands take privacy seriously. Most smart ring companies use encryption and are GDPR compliant to ensure that your data is protected. They also allow you to delete your data upon request, ensuring you have control over your personal information.
How to get the most out of your smart ring for sleep tracking
To ensure you’re getting the most accurate sleep data, follow these tips:
- Ensure a proper fit: Choosing the right size matters. Your smart ring must fit snugly on your finger for accurate readings.
- Sync data regularly: Regularly sync your smart ring with its companion app to stay on top of your sleep progress.
- Follow best sleep hygiene practices: No gadget can replace good sleep habits, so make sure you follow a healthy sleep routine to optimize the data you collect.
Why smart rings are the superior choice for sleep tracking
Smart rings come out on top when it comes to sleep tracking compared to smartwatches since they offer a more comfortable, accurate, and unobtrusive way to monitor your sleep. Whether you choose the Oura Ring, Ultrahuman Ring, or Samsung Galaxy Ring, smart rings are the future of sleep tracking.
Ready to put one on? Visit Best Buy Canada for the latest smart rings and start your journey to better sleep today!
