Best sleep tracker for 2025, tested and reviewed

Type: Wearable tracker ring | Sensors: Infrared photoplethysmography sensors (PPG) for heart rate and respiration, sensor for body temperature, 3D accelerometer for movement | Sleep metrics tracked: Total sleep, REM sleep and deep sleep, heart rate when sleeping | Battery life: Charge lasts about a week | Water resistant: Yes

The Oura Ring is like having a sleep coach on your finger. It tracks everything from your time in bed to total sleep, sleep efficiency, resting heart rate and even the time spent in different sleep stages. It provides detailed insights into how light or deep your sleep is and offers graphs to monitor trends weekly or monthly. It's no wonder the Oura Ring is so popular — it's comfortable, lightweight and packed with data.

However, this ring isn't something you can use straight out of the box. First, you need to use a sizing kit to ensure the perfect fit, which takes about a day. Once your ring arrives a few days later, it takes a few weeks of tracking before the app starts delivering a detailed analysis. This might not be the best option if you're after immediate results. That said, once the data starts rolling in, it’s as good as it gets and we're excited to continue using it long-term.

Setting it up is simple: Download the Oura app, create your profile and set up your subscription. The app asks detailed questions about your sleep patterns, goals and what you want to track, including heart rate, oxygen levels and even menstruation patterns, all of which can affect sleep quality. Once that's done, you just put the ring on and wear it day and night.

As someone who travels frequently, I noticed the ring does get uncomfortable if my fingers swell from flying or from other common triggers, like eating salty foods or drinking cocktails, but that's true with any ring. Still, it excels at tracking your activity no matter where you are. The app even sends motivational reminders to wind down before bedtime, so it's like having a sleep coach right on your finger. It's impressive how much data this tiny ring can track.

"The Oura Ring is the minimalist's dream sleep tracker," says Dr. Dylan Petkus, host of the Optimal Circadian Health YouTube channel, which focuses on sleep apnea. "What sets it apart is its ability to track your sleep with near clinical precision while being almost unnoticeable on your finger. It's perfect for those who want top-tier sleep insights without the bulk of a wristband or watch," he adds.

Type: Wristband | Sensors: Accelerometer, gyro sensor, HD PPG heart rate sensor, SpO2 sensor, skin temperature sensor, low latency off-body sensor, barometer, compass | Sleep metrics tracked: Sleep stages, snore recording, heart rate, blood oxygen, respiratory rate, temperature | Battery life: Over 90 hours in Smart Mode and up to 45 days in Essential Mode | Water resistant: 5 ATM water resistance

There are plenty of wristband-style sleep trackers on the market, but the best ones do more than just track sleep — they double as a full-fledged smartwatch. After all, who wants to clutter their arm with multiple devices when one can do it all? The ideal smartwatch should capture everything from your sleep patterns to your daily activity, all while being stylish and functional.

One standout feature we loved while testing the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro is that it auto-detects when you fall asleep and even includes "snoring detection." If you're concerned you might have sleep apnea, tracking this data can be particularly helpful when sharing your concerns with your doctor, as snoring is one common symptom of the condition. We also loved its ability to sync with third-party fitness apps like Adidas Running or Nike Run Club.

And let's talk about the battery life — this thing powers through for days without needing a charge. It's perfect for those who want a reliable device that transitions seamlessly from day to night.

Although this smartwatch has a higher price tag, its value and features make it worth the investment.

"The TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro is built for the rugged adventurer who doesn't want to sacrifice sleep quality," says Petkus. "It's a robust smartwatch that tracks your sleep stages and integrates that data with your daily activity levels, making it a great tool for those who live an active lifestyle. It's like having a tough, no-nonsense trainer who's just as focused on your recovery as your performance."

Type: Under mattress | Sensors: Sleep cycles, continuous heart rate & snore detection.| Sleep metrics tracked: Heart rate, light, deep and REM sleep stages, how frequently you wake up throughout the night and total time asleep | Battery life: Plugs in | Water resistant: no

If you want sleep lab-quality tracking without the hassle of wearing a device, an under-mattress sensor is a good solution. This one from Withings is easy to set up and offers an array of valuable insights.

The Withings Sleep Tracking Mat monitors everything from your sleep patterns to your heart rate, and it even detects snoring and breath rates throughout the night.

When we began testing, we knew it might not offer the same level of detail as a ring or wristband, but the convenience is unbeatable. Setting it up was a breeze. You just slide the mat under your mattress and forget about it — no need to remember to put on or check the charge of your wearable each night. 

It's also enjoyable to monitor your sleep insights through the app, which we found easy to navigate and use. However, because the product isn't a wearable device, its sensitivity can sometimes be off. For instance, if you're lying in bed scrolling through your phone, it might think you're asleep. Likewise, if you're sharing your bed with a partner or pet, their movements and data could interfere with what the mat tracks. 

That said, for nonintrusive sleep tracking, the value of this mat is hard to beat. "It's like having a dedicated sleep expert living under your bed, quietly collecting data while you sleep, and it's ideal for anyone who wants to avoid the hassle of wearing a device overnight," says Petkus.

Type: Wearable wristband | Sensors: Blood oxygen, body temperature, heart rate | Sleep metrics tracked: Time in bed, total hours asleep, time in sleep stages, wake events, respiratory rate, sleep consistency | Battery life: 14+ days | Water resistant: Yes

While this device excels in many areas — from sleep tracking to health and fitness analytics — its standout feature is ultimate comfort. The Whoop's lightweight, woven wristband is so comfortable that you'll forget you're even wearing it. In fact, I found myself unintentionally wearing it to formal events because it blended seamlessly with my outfit (and I sort of forgot I had it on).

Its ability to measure the four stages of sleep and track your sleep performance is impressive. It even assesses how much sleep your body needs and offers personalized sleep recommendations based on that data. While you're awake, it monitors your heart rate, daily activities and calorie intake, and it can sync with other fitness apps for a comprehensive view of your health.

As such, the Whoop is a particularly good option for serious athletes and fitness enthusiasts who are aiming to optimize every aspect of their recovery. "Unlike most sleep trackers, it's all about the data — monitoring your sleep debt, strain and recovery to provide actionable insights. It's like having a high-performance coach constantly analyzing your sleep to help you squeeze out that extra 1% in performance," says Petkus. It's not just tracking sleep; it's turning that data into a plan for peak recovery and performance.

Number of sound options: 11 | Extra features: Clock, 10+ lighting options, rechargeable, temperature/humidity sensor, cry detection, routines

I've never fallen in love with a sound machine as quickly as I did with the Nanit Sound & Light. It's designed specifically for babies and young children, and the features prove Nanit put a lot of thought into its design. The sound quality is superb, and I haven't had any issues with audio looping.

"White noise has been proven to help reduce the amount of time it takes infants to fall asleep and prevents unnecessary wakings due to disruptive environmental noise throughout the night," says Bossio. And while Nanit boasts a great selection of white noise options, you can also set routines to activate your favorite lights and sounds at specific times. The cry detection is also a nice perk — it alerts your device when your baby starts to fuss, and you can quickly soothe them at the touch of a button.

This is the white noise machine I've settled on for my youngest, but it's worth noting that some reviewers have experienced connectivity issues. One said, "The setup of this product to connect to a phone took a few tries. Once connected, it hasn’t had a problem." Keep this in mind if tech issues tend to frustrate you.

Type: App | Sensors: Not applicable | Sleep metrics tracked: Sleep time, grogginess, how much sleep needed | Battery life: Not applicable | Water resistant: Not applicable

Wearables and under-mattress pads aren't everyone's cup of tea when it comes to sleep tracking. But an app? That's as easy as downloading it to your phone, which we all have within arm's reach. When it comes to sleep-tracking apps, this one stands out.

I was initially skeptical about how an app could effectively track my sleep without being synced to something on my wrist or finger. Unlike wearables, this app doesn't monitor your sleep in quite the same way. Think of it more as a digital diary where you input your sleep concerns — like insomnia or anxiety — and goals, including how much sleep you're currently getting versus what you'd like to achieve. You can even sync it with apps like Apple Health to incorporate your health data and history into the app's insights and suggestions.

Once set up, the app is almost hands off. You simply use your phone as usual, set it aside for the night and pick it up in the morning. The assumption is that most people don't use their phones while sleeping, although, if you're like me, you might be guilty of checking it every few hours! Still, research has shown that phone usage can be a surprisingly accurate way to track sleep-wake cycles.

This app differs from other sleep-tracking apps because it doesn't just focus on how much sleep you're getting. Instead, it looks at how you spend your energy throughout the day. "It tells you when, based on your circadian rhythm, you're at your highest and lowest peaks of energy potential. Rise is a digital coach whose goal is not just improving your sleep but your entire daily lifestyle and whose care extends well beyond the bedroom," says Petkus. It's perfect for anyone tired of that mid-afternoon slump and who can't afford to miss out on life. "The app delivers an innovative and science-backed approach to raising your energy levels throughout the day, making it a unique and powerful player in the sleep app world," he adds.

Type: Headband | Sensors: EEG brain signals | Sleep metrics tracked: Sleep cycles, sleep efficiency, restlessness, time to fall asleep, total time asleep | Battery life: Must be charged daily | Water resistant: Yes

Unlike other entries on our list, Elemind measures electroencephalography (EEG) to compile sleep data. In other words, it measures your brain waves. More specifically, Elemind measures your alpha brain waves, which occur when you are in a relaxed but alert state, much like when you're drifting off to sleep.

Beyond the EEG tech, Elemind also helps users get to sleep with the help of sleep sounds. However, instead of integrating headphones, Elemind delivers sound in the form of pink noise via bone conduction on the forehead. Ultimately, Elemind senses your brain waves and creates custom-tailored acoustic feedback that helps put your brain to sleep. The best way to describe the noise is a distant sound of marching band drums layered over rain sounds, peppered with old-school TV static. However, I'll add that while the pink noise may sound similar, the timing is unique to the individual, as it's based on your specific alpha waves.

Setting up the Elemind headband was quite easy. You download the app, connect your device and the app walks you through it all. I'm not particularly tech-savvy, but at no point did I feel lost or confused. The headband itself is lightweight and quite comfortable. I didn't feel any discomfort throughout the night on my forehead, behind my ears or while sleeping on my side. To get started each night, you simply tap the "Start Session" button on the app or double-tap the action button on the headband itself. Sleep sessions (pink noise) run in 30-minute increments, and, of course, you can initiate additional sessions if you're not asleep by the time the first 30 minutes ends.

All in all, the Elemind headband is quite user-friendly, and I found myself enjoying the pink noise. As someone who tends to overthink at bedtime, I found myself focusing on the pink noise rather than my running to-do list, which I thought was helpful.

In the morning, it's easy to check your sleep stats by simply opening the app and tapping the "data" button. Much like other sleep trackers, the app reports how long it took you to fall asleep as well as how long you spent in REM sleep, light sleep and deep sleep. Additionally, the app will show your total time spent asleep, your sleep efficiency (time in bed versus your time asleep) and how many restless bouts you had per hour.

While it's hard to corroborate the information (as with any sleep tracking device), the Elemind headband looks promising. From what we can tell, it may deliver more accurate sleep stats because they're based on EEG brain waves as opposed to heart rate, oxygen levels and movement. It would certainly be interesting to use this headband continuously to track the results over time.

Type: Mattress pad | Sensors: Biometric and environmental sensors that track heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), respiratory rate, snore detection, room temperature and humidity | Sleep metrics tracked: Sleep stages, snoring, sleep latency (time to fall asleep), and wake-up times | Battery life: Plugs in | Waterproof: Yes

We were excited to test the Eight Sleep Pod 4 because, in addition to being a nonwearable sleep tracker, this mattress pad also manages temperatures while you sleep. If you're like me, temperature disagreements are a nightly occurrence. At this stage in my life, I need my bed a little cooler, while my husband likes things to be warm and toasty. Testing a device that could track my sleep and help my marriage? That sounded like a good deal. 

First, let's talk about the setup, as it's a bit complicated. Admittedly, the idea of setting up a water-filled hub that's connected to a mattress pad with a hose was a bit concerning. Even before I got started, I was worried my own technical ability would make it more challenging. Fortunately, Eight Sleep makes it super-easy.

Once you open the boxes and scan the QR code inside, instructions follow. In a nutshell, you download the app, enter the activation code and follow the prompts — put the cover over your mattress (much like a fitted sheet) and fill the pod so the water circulates through the tube system — easy enough.

In terms of sleep tracking, the Pod 4 is embedded with sensors that track the usual suspects of sleep biometrics like sleep stages, heart rate and breath rate. With that, the Pod tracks your sleep latency (how long it takes you to fall asleep), your total time asleep and your time spent in deep sleep and REM. Users can also access a snore report (if you've ever pointed the finger at your spouse, you'll now have proof). And each morning, you can easily check your stats on the app and see your overall sleep fitness score as well. According to Eight Sleep, the sensors used in the Pod are clinical-grade and 99% accurate.

Beyond efficient sleep tracking, the Pod 4 offers a dual climate control function, which, as its name implies, heats and cools each side of the bed independently. While setting up the Pod, we noticed that not only does the climate control function have an impressive temperature range (55 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit), but the Pod also automatically adjusts its temperature to help you fall asleep and stay asleep. A gradual thermal change even makes for a more pleasant wake-up in the morning. While this isn't the reason we tested the Pod 4, I will say it's a game changer, folks. Partner disagreements on temperature will be a thing of the past.

Finally, we'll add here that while we tested the Pod 4, Eight Sleep has since released the Pod 5 Core and the Pod 5 Ultra shortly. Some additions include:

• A hydro-powered blanket that connects to and mirrors the temperature of the cover

• A health check report powered by Autopilot that reports deeper health metrics like heart rate irregularities and breathing patterns

• Built-in soundscapes, white noise, and Non Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) meditations by Dr. Andrew Huberman to give your sleep a power up.