Sleep Trackers Took the Center Stage at the IFA 2018 in Berlin

Sleep trackers ifa
Image: Creative commons

People aren’t getting enough sleep; I can safely say that based on the products showcased at the IFA 2018 in Berlin. Yet, those who get 8 hours of sleep aren’t getting enough deep sleep. Deep sleep is very important to your health. It is the stage of sleep you need to feel rejuvenated when you wake up in the morning.

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Sleep tracking was a major topic at the event; from earbuds to nosebuds to patches various companies displayed products which were focused on providing you with a good night’s sleep.

Philips introduced SmartSleep – the world’s first and only clinically-proven wearable solution for consumers to improve deep sleep quality for people who do not get enough sleep due to lifestyle, according to the company. SmartSleep is a soft foam headband that’s meant to wear while sleeping. Once you slip on the headset, 2 small built-in sensors connect to your forehead and behind your ears to monitor brain activity and using advanced algorithms accurately identifies your different sleep stages during the night.

Fitbit introduced its Charge 3 – a smartwatch disguised as a fitness tracker. The waterproof wearable comes with a full-touch screen, smart features, an added sensor and seven days of battery life. On top of heart rate monitor, sleep tracking, altimeter and NFC payment, the smartwatch features SpO2 sensor blood oxygen sensor previously only available in the Versa and Ionic.

Sleep trackers ifa
Image: Garmin

Garmin saved its unveil of the newest Vivosmart fitness tracker for IFA this year. For the Vivosmart 4, the company added a “pulse ox2 oximeter,” which measures the oxygen saturation in your blood. Oximeter is that small device that a nurse clips to your finger. But, in Garmin’s case, the company’s oximeter tries to determine how well you are sleeping at night. It could also tell you if you stopped breathing during your sleep – a common condition known as sleep apnea. This is the biggest hardware addition to the Garmin’s tracker although the company’s also updating its software to have an effective sleep-monitoring system that lets wearers to check in on their sleep quality once they’re awake.

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Although Samsung’s Galaxy Watch didn’t quite debut at IFA 2018, it was very close. The Galaxy Watch has the smartwatch feel with traditional look and an analogue watch style. The smartwatch has all the phone notifications, receive calls and tracks your sleep with an improved tracker. It also monitors your heart rate, tracks your fitness and plays music. Schedules and reminders are another neat feature to help you stay on top of things.

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Sam Draper
Sam Draper () is Online Editor at WT | Wearable Technologies specialized in the field of sports and fitness but also passionated about any new lifestyle gadget on the market. Sam can be contacted at press(at)wearable-technologies.com.