Sleep Tracking

[u/BrandonReddit12]

Hi all, hope you’re doing well.

I’m currently an Apple Watch user and I’m considering making the switch to Garmin. However, I’ve read quite a few comments online suggesting that Garmin’s sleep tracking isn’t as accurate as some of its competitors, such as Oura, Apple Watch and Whoop.

This got me wondering: if Garmin’s sleep tracking isn’t particularly accurate, how reliable is the other data it provides, such as Body Battery and Training Readiness?

I’m asking because I would have thought that sleep is one of the main foundations that these metrics are based on. So, if the sleep data isn’t accurate, does that have a knock-on effect on the accuracy of the other metrics?

Would be interested to hear what people’s experiences have been.

[u/capitulum]

I'm currently wearing both a whoop and a Garmin Fenix 8, the sleep amounts are often different by 30-60 minutes. Anecdotally, I find whoops data more accurate. last night Garmin shows 8h 3m of sleep, 1h 11m deep, 2h 1m rem, 4h 51m light, 51m awake. Whoop shows 8h 29m of sleep, 2h 25m deep, 1h 59m rem, 4h 5m light, 34m awake.

Whoop is showing 61% recovery with HRV of 81 and rhr of 43. Garmin showing low training readiness (49), HRV of 73 and rhr of 41.

Anecdotally gamins training readiness tracks with whoops recovery score and both are reasonable estimates of how I'll feel going into a run.

I believe there's currently a lawsuit against Oura claiming these wearables can't accurately detect sleep stages, which will apply to other wearables as well.

I've found the whoop to be internally consistent and I imagine as I wear the Fenix more it will be similar, they'll measure the metric differently but going up or down by half a standard deviation between days corresponds to an effect that I can physically feel.

[u/Huge_Pool7424 → u/capitulum]

garmin sleep is decent, not whoop level. if recovery is the main draw, look at what training readiness actually gives you before committing, its the one part that felt worth it to me

[u/BrandonReddit12 → u/capitulum]

Thanks for this.
I ask as someone who is quite heavily into running but I also like the idea of having good quality recovery data (ideally without having two different devices)

[u/capitulum → u/BrandonReddit12]

There's quite a bit that I like about the whoop but the subscription model is pretty irritating. I upgraded my Garmin watch, I'm wearing both while I let the whoop subscription run out, but it's been interesting to see the discrepancies between the two.

[u/xsagadude]

It’s been pretty accurate in my years of owning. Directionally at least. Every time I try whoop or Oura ring along side my fenix it’s pretty much always showing the same trends and info directionally. Trends over time time is what’s most important with any device.

Time in different stages may be different but the score I get is pretty much on par with how I feel

[u/Angry_Mountain_Man]

I’ve had Instinct 1, AW 8, Instinct 3, AWU3, and now F8. I will say this, the I3 was AWFUL with sleep tracking. The F8 is WAY more accurate! However, Apple in general has more accurate sensors. This isn’t something to be argued with, it is what it is. Garmin detects naps, which is nice.

I still own my AWU3, and wear both. But the majority of the time I’m wearing F8. With the AW I miss Apple Pay on my wrist, and easily responding to texts. Hell today, someone called me while i was wearing my AirPods with the F8 and had to figure out how to answer the call on my watch for the first time. I know how now lol.

[u/Melldorwin]

Ingen sömn spårning är bra. Oavsett klocka. Apple är definitivt inte bra. Förskönar alla värden om man jämför med garmin, coros och suunto. Hade alltid 95-100% på Apple oavsett hur dåligt jag sov 🤷‍♂️

[u/BigMisterLawyerDude]

I currently own a Oura gen 4, AWU3 and Forerunner 970. Each has their strengths, but nothing can touch Oura ring for sleep and step tracking.

[u/Mascardiii]

Now you’re thinking correctly. Garmin’s quite a ways off on sleep tracking accuracy estimate. As a result, there’s a cascading data estimation error into all the other fitness metrics.

That’s partly why you’re seeing some many clips if folks making fun of Garmin’s recommendations being opposite of his they feel. They’re documenting the same flaw.

If you’re going Garmin, you have to accept that your data quality’s essentially really poor but the sports watch features are worth it.

If getting the best sleep tracking data accuracy is a priority then Eight Sleep, Oura Ring, Apple Watch Series, Apple Watch Ultra & Fitbit Air in that order. Not a Garmin.