Do you sleep well? I used to think I did, but more recently, I’ve noticed that I’m something of an insomniac. Sleeping through the night is a challenge most days, and as sleep is intrinsically linked to cardiovascular care, discovering how to sleep better has been a never-ending journey that I willingly stepped into.
Every wearable maker takes different approaches to sleep. Apple relies on an archaic approach that only tracks sleep during your bedtime hours. ThePixel Watch 2can track comprehensive sleep data, but more advanced analysis is hidden behind Fitbit Premium. TheWhoop bandis one of my favorites as it offers up to a week of battery life and can be charged without taking the band off, but it costs $239 annually.
Samsung’s approach to sleep combines much of the above, removes paywalls, and uses data to help you sleep better. Here’s how theGalaxy Watch 6has helped me sleep better, even as my medications have directly affected my sleep quality.
Why sleep is so important for your health
Two months ago, Samsung invited me to a panel discussion in New York to discuss sleep andthe results of its latest sleep studies. Panelists included the National Sleep Foundation’s CEO, and a clinical researcher focused on sleep. Understanding how sleep is measured was eye-opening in many ways.
Samsung’s approach to sleep has been built with input from the National Sleep Foundation. The company uses data from the Galaxy Watch 6 – or other wearables in its portfolio – including your resting heart rate (RHR), skin temperature, blood oxygen, and sleep stages. Most people won’t need or benefit from all of this data, but I love it, as it’s a fascinating insight into my body.
In the three years since my heart attack, I’ve learned how to understand my body while I’m wide awake, but theGalaxy Watch 6finally gives me a full picture of how I feel when I’m asleep. Considering that23% of Sudden Cardiac Deaths (SCD)occur while asleep – and my heart attack occurred while I was asleep – this data is incredibly valuable to monitor for any further heart problems proactively.
I’ve already spotted drops in blood oxygen overnight, which could signal conditions such as sleep apnea, and – unlike the Apple Watch Ultra – the continuous heart rate monitoring helps when I need to dig into the data further.
How the Galaxy Watch 6 helped me sleep better
I’ve used the Galaxy Watch 6 data to improve my sleep in a few ways, all before I learned my Sleep Animal. First, I noticed that my skin temperature fluctuated heavily based on my activity levels the day before, how much caffeine I consumed, and when I went to sleep. Although I haven’t completely nailed this down due to travel, illness, and other factors, I sleep much better when conscious of this in the few hours before bed. Unlike the Apple Watch Ultra, which I use daily, the Galaxy Watch 6’s data is very accurate, meaning I’m happy to rely on it. The skin temperature readings also alerted me to a small bout of illness two days before I noticed any symptoms.
Second, I noticed that the key health metrics important to me – blood oxygen and RHR – also fluctuated heavily but were largely related to my consumption of alcohol and caffeine. Both are key to my heart health, and the Galaxy Watch 6 has picked up on blood oxygen trends that led me to stop drinking alcohol at home, stop at a certain time while out at a bar, and have some of my medications tweaked. The result is more stable blood oxygen readings, which should mean I’m less likely to be diagnosed with sleep apnea, a potentially severe disease where you stop breathing overnight.
Lastly, do you remember when you last had a long night’s sleep, only to wake up exhausted? Recently, I’ve noticed this occur more and more frequently, and the Galaxy Watch 6 has helped me understand that sleep duration does not equal sleep quality. Many devices highlight the correlation between activities – such as bedtime or sleep duration and sleep quality – but require you to search for the root causes. The Galaxy Watch 6 is great at showcasing information, but also providing context so you’re able to understand why your sleep score may be good or bad.
So far, all the data has required me to seek answers actively. Still, now that I’ve finally been assigned a Sleep Animal, I’m excited to try Samsung’s coaching program to understand how I can improve my sleep with simple, actionable tips that should help anyone improve their sleep.
What are Samsung’s sleep animals?
A key part of Samsung’s approach to sleep is to use data to provide context and coaching. Like Google with the new Pixel Watch 2, Samsung combines the data from seven nights of sleep – five before a workday and two before a weekend day – to tell you which Sleep Animal you are.
The Unconcerned Lion is the best type of sleeper, which is how I used to sleep. Here are the traits you can expect from each type of sleeper – I’m sure we all know someone who fits the description of each:
The verdict: am I sleeping well enough?
It took me about six weeks to learn my Sleep Animal, mostly because I forgot to turn on the Galaxy Watch 6 after taking it off charge before bed. I also had to switch to other wearable devices, which resulted in the seven sleep counter resetting to zero. The data is fascinating as it accurately reflects how I feel in the morning and has given me real insights into why I don’t get enough sleep.
My Sleep Animal is currently the Exhausted Shark. I would have initially guessed that I was an Alligator on the Hunt as a night owl, but my lack of sleep has recently driven me to shark territory. As a competitive person, it’s now a personal challenge to see how much I can improve my sleep. Samsung says Exhausted Sharks can improve their sleep by 62% in one month or 94% in two months of coaching.
Samsung’s coaching offers a four-week plan with detailed coaching to build healthier sleep habits, and now I’m excited to see the results in a few weeks’ time. With plenty of travel, multiple timezone hops, and CES 2024 all occurring within that time period, it’ll be the ultimate test of whether sleep coaching works.
As for whether I’m sleeping well enough, it’s clear that I am not, at least not right now. There are many reasons behind this, and seeing how much I can improve this will be fascinating, especially when diligently following Samsung’s sleep coaching program over the coming weeks. Stay tuned for the results!
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is one of the best smartwatches you can buy, especially for sleep tracking. With advanced tracking and no subscription paywalls, the Watch 6 helped me uncover problems in my sleep habits I wouldn’t have noticed otherwise.
Nirave is an analyst and creator focused on the intersection of health and technology. Following a heart attack at the age of 33, he’s been focused on how we can use data to improve our health and ultimately live a long and more fruitful life. Follow him onInstagram,Threads, andYouTubefor live updates on his Sleep and Health journeys. He can also be found atMintInsights.com.
