Garmin Ditches Screens For Dedicated Sleep Tracking Wearable

Forbes

4 hours ago

Garmin Index Sleep Monitor
Sleep tracking is hugely popular these days, and Garmin is out to cater for just that audience with the Garmin Index Sleep Monitor.
Quite a departure from Garmin's Forerunner and Fenix watches, the Index Sleep Monitor is a screen-free device worn around the upper arm, and is only meant to be attached when you go to sleep.
While the Garmin Index Sleep Monitor initially appears to have little in common with a Garmin watch, plenty of the stats on offer here are shared with the brand's watch series.
Each night you'll get a sleep score, out of 100, and see a graph that outlines the stages of sleep you were in as the hours rolled by. That's deep, light, REM and awake.
Garmin's algorithms are pretty good at noticing when you're under the weather, or drank enough alcohol to affect your sleep quality.
The Garmin Index Sleep Monitor will report your breathing rate, skin temperature and blood oxygenation. Skin temperature readings are also used to power menstrual cycle tracking, including estimates as to when you will begin ovulation.
Similarly, from heart rate data, the Garmin Index Sleep Monitor can extrapolate stress scores. And the entire breadth of stats will feed into Body Battery, one of Garmin's most engaging stats.
A conventional optical heart rate reader harvests metrics
Body Battery looks into how worn out your Garmin thinks you are. One of the interesting elements to see in the Index Sleep Monitor is how useful the Body Battery and stress scores will be, in the context of a band you only wear overnight.
Stress? Most of us reach the peak of our stress levels while awake, and the Body Battery feature usually is only useful when your Garmin is worn all the time.
It sounds like Garmin is primarily pitching Body Battery for those who also own a Garmin watch, and just don't want to wear it overnight.
'Users who wear a compatible smartwatch while awake can get a more complete picture of their energy levels—day and night,' says Garmin.
Garmin Index Sleep Monitor comes in two sizes
The Garmin Index Sleep Monitor also features its own version of one of Garmin's latest features, smart wake. This uses a vibrate motor to wake you up when you're in a sleep stage that won't leave you feeling groggy. But it works within a window, so you won't be late for work because of it either.
'Wearing this smart sleep band every night can provide in-depth sleep insights and a more complete picture of fitness and recovery so users can wake up ready to seize the day,' says Susan Lyman, Garmin's Vice President of Consumer Sales and Marketing.
As with heart rate chest straps like the Garmin HRM 600, the brain module of the Garmin Index Sleep Monitor can be removed, letting you safely wash the strap. It's made of a stretchy fabric that is 70% nylon and 30% spandex. Garmin says you'll be able to use the tracker for a week before needing to recharge the battery, based on eight hours of sleep a night.
The Garmin Index Sleep Monitor comes in two sizes, costs $169.99. It's currently listed as available in '3-5 weeks' on the U.S. Garmin store.