Should You Consider A Galaxy Watch Instead Of A Fitbit For Sleep Tracking?

Smartwatches allow you to do more than just see what time it is and track your workout. They can also track how well you slept through the night. Fitness trackers such as a Fitbit can do that, as can smartwatches like the Galaxy Watch, built by Samsung. However, one may be more fit for the job. Keep in mind that tracking your sleep with a smartwatch may not help all that much.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 from Samsung is one wearable that can be used as a sleep tracker. The Ultra 2 has a built-in sleep tracking app with several additional health metrics to monitor your health. The smartwatch is available for around $579.99, but does come with a handful of other features in addition to the sleep monitor. Fitbit, on the other hand, has the Google Fitbit Air, which also offers sleep tracking. For a much less expensive price of $99, at the time of writing, the Fitbit Air is more of a wrist strap, but may be the better of the two.

The devices come with different apps to track sleep. The Samsung Galaxy Watch uses the Samsung Health app, whereas the Fitbit Air must be used with the Google Health app. You can also find other Samsung and Fitbit wearables for sleep tracking.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 comes with several metrics for monitoring your sleep at night such as a sleep score, sleep stages, blood oxygen levels, heart rate, and skin temperature. However, you must also have a Samsung Galaxy smartphone as well as the Health app and a Samsung account to take full advantage of these measurements. Samsung also states that its watches must go through an initial setup to track sleep properly. Users must wear the watch for seven out of 28 nights to get sleep tracking data.

Google's Fitbit Air also has multiple ways to measure how well you slept at night. They range from sleep tracking, sleep score, sleep schedule, sleep duration, and sleep stages. You can access each metric through the Google Health app, which, according to Google, must be installed on either your smartphone or tablet, whichever one is connected to the Fitbit over Bluetooth.

Once you've bought the device, you can monitor your sleep for free using either app. However, for more detailed information on Fitbit, you'll need to pay for a premium subscription. This is through its AI coach feature. Comfort is also an important factor to consider when sleeping. The Ultra 2 is a bulky watch with a large display which can be uncomfortable to sleep with. Meanwhile, the Fitbit Air is a simple strap without a screen.

If you just need a device to track your sleep and monitor your health while you do so, a Fitbit may be the better option. A device like the Google Fitbit Air features a lightweight design and lack of a giant watch face or display screen make it more comfortable to wear while sleeping. Plus, its app features five metrics and you can get more information if you want to pay a subscription. It also includes other apps and tools to track workouts and your overall health.

Users on Reddit agree that Fitbit may be the better of the two when it comes to tracking sleep. Discussions touch on the fact that the Google Health app provides a more accurate description of sleep metrics, at least when compared to the Samsung app. Comments point out though that if you want to more quickly view data, you can do so on the Galaxy Watch, as opposed to the Fitbit where you have to use your phone.

Your Fitbit's sleep tracking accuracy may not always be correct either, making it important to mention that neither smart device features information directly from a medical professional. The apps are used as a guide to help inform you about your sleep and those details should then be discussed with your doctor.