Ever yanked off your smartwatch in the middle of the night because it’s uncomfortable on your wrist? I have, and typically prefer using a Whoop or smart ring instead. It’s even more of a problem on larger pro watches like those from Garmin. But the fitness giant has decided to do something about it.
Garmin just released the Index Sleep Monitor. It’s a smart band you wear on your upper arm instead of your smartwatch. It does all the same sleep tracking, so you’re not missing out on anything.
This thing isn’t trying to replace your Garmin smartwatch during the day – it’s more like its sleep sidekick. The Index Sleep Monitor quietly gathers all the data your wristwatch misses when you chuck it on the bedside table. You wear this band to bed, wake up, and have all your REM cycles, breathing patterns, skin temperature fluctuations, and other metrics neatly synced up in the Garmin Connect app. It can even nudge you awake during lighter sleep with a “smart wake alarm.”
As someone who doesn’t like wearing their smartwatch while sleeping, this is the first Garmin wearable in ages that I’d actually consider – if I had a Garmin watch, that is. It looks surprisingly unintrusive, sits on your upper arm, and looks a lot easier to wear. Garmin’s even thought ahead and made the band machine washable, which is the kind of hygiene feature that should be standard.
Naturally, it also tracks the usual suspects: heart rate, blood oxygen, skin temperature, respiration, HRV, and stress levels. The sleep scores roll into Garmin’s Body Battery system, which basically tells you how ready you are for the day. Temperature tracking can also play a role in estimating past ovulation and offering period predictions.
If you fancy slapping this new device on your arm, the Garmin Index Sleep Monitor is available now. You can get it in small-medium and large-extra large sizes for $170/£150.
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