3 reasons the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is my favorite smartwatch for sleep tracking

Source: Android Authority

Ever since buying the Fitbit Charge 2 in 2016, I’ve been a huge fan of smartwatches and fitness trackers. While smartwatches are great for their “smart” features and workout tracking capabilities, that’s not why I love them. The underlying health metrics that modern smartwatches measure are irreplaceable, though.

To get a complete picture of my health, I need to wear a smartwatch or fitness tracker to bed for sleep tracking — something that proved trickier than expected. After trying almost every category of tracker from Apple, Samsung, Google, Whoop, and Garmin, I came up empty until the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 arrived. Its redesign solved my comfort issues, and Samsung’s growing health software made it my favorite for sleep tracking. Here’s why.

The slim design maximizes comfort

Samsung switched to a squircle chassis for the Galaxy Watch 8 series, following the Galaxy Watch Ultra’s footsteps. The screen remains circular, creating a controversial look, but the squircle case spreads internal components out while making the overall profile thinner.

• Thickness: 8.6 mm for both 40 mm and 44 mm sizes (about 11 % thinner than its predecessor).
• Dynamic lug system: Lugs stick straight out horizontally rather than angling downward, so the watch sits flatter on the wrist. This design helps the health sensors stay flush with the skin.

Compared with rivals:

• Google Pixel Watch 4 – 12.3 mm thick
• Apple Watch Series 11 – 9.7 mm thick
• Most OnePlus, Garmin, or Amazfit models – thicker as well

(All manufacturers omit the protruding sensor bump from official specs, so the numbers are roughly comparable.)

The thin, flat profile and dynamic lugs make the Galaxy Watch 8 the most comfortable and lowest‑profile watch I’ve ever used, especially as a side sleeper. The sensors dig into my skin less than any other flagship smartwatch, allowing me to wear it all night without discomfort.

Accurate daily sleep and energy scores

I prefer quick, glanceable data over granular nightly breakdowns. Samsung Health provides:

• Sleep score (out of 100) that factors in total sleep time, deep sleep, REM, restfulness, and sleep latency.
• Energy score that adds the previous day’s activity, activity consistency, sleeping heart rate, and heart‑rate variability to the sleep data.

These scores give me a clear idea of how I slept and how I’ll feel the next day—helpful for deciding whether to tackle a tough workout or heed early signs of a cold. Samsung’s explanations for each metric are thorough, making the data feel educational rather than cryptic.

A fun touch is the “sleep animals” feature: after about a week of tracking, Samsung assigns an animal based on your sleep habits (I’m a penguin, meaning I get enough sleep but wake up too often). It’s another way the watch translates complex metrics into simple, memorable cues.

Seamless Galaxy Ring integration

Sometimes I want a break from anything on my wrist. The Samsung Galaxy Ring pairs with the Galaxy Watch 8 to keep Sleep and Energy scores accurate when the watch isn’t worn at night. While the ring is a premium accessory, it offers a comfortable alternative for those who prefer not to wear a watch while sleeping.

Other brands (e.g., Garmin, Amazfit) sell separate sleep‑tracking bands, but they still sit on the wrist. The Galaxy Ring lets users give their wrists a full rest while maintaining high‑quality sleep data—a unique advantage of Samsung’s ecosystem.

The best sleep tracker is the one I’ll actually wear

My needs are simple: a smartwatch must be comfortable enough for all‑night wear, have great software, and present data in an easily digestible format. The Galaxy Watch 8 consistently meets those criteria. Add Samsung’s Gemini feature for effortless alarm setting, and the watch becomes a staple of my nighttime routine.

In short, the combination of a thin, flat design, intuitive sleep‑and‑energy scoring, and optional ring integration makes the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 my go‑to device for reliable, comfortable sleep tracking.