Sleep is a crucial part of recovery for athletes and individuals who engage in regular physical activity. Quality sleep is necessary for the body to repair and regenerate, ensuring optimal performance. However, there are times when getting regular, high-quality sleep may not be possible due to various factors. In such situations, napping can be a valuable tool to boost recovery and athletic performance. Surprisingly, many popular Garmin smartwatches do not acknowledge or track naps, leaving a gap in their sleep tracking capabilities.
As someone who occasionally struggles with insomnia and relies on Garmin devices for training, I was disappointed to discover that none of the smartwatches in my review closet accounted for naps. During my recent training with the Epix Pro and the Fenix 7S Pro, my insomnia resurfaced, disrupting my sleep patterns. However, I have learned from experience that strategically timed naps can help me function until my insomnia subsides. Given the prevalence of sleep tracking features in most smartwatches and activity trackers, I naturally assumed that Garmin, a popular brand among athletes, would include nap tracking as well. Unfortunately, that is not the case.
Despite extensive settings and features available on Garmin devices, nap tracking seems to be absent. According to Garmin’s support page, their activity trackers are only designed to track the primary sleep time set by the user and do not display separate nap or rest times. While previous Garmin models had some nap tracking capabilities through Sleep Mode, it is no longer possible with current models. Instead, Garmin users are prompted to set a sleep window, similar to Apple’s Sleep Schedule for the Apple Watch and iPhone. Garmin’s sleep tracking feature will only monitor sleep within those designated hours. Although users can manually edit their sleep hours, Garmin devices will only track a single sleep session per day.
The lack of nap tracking is problematic for several reasons. For instance, if an individual takes a nap outside of their designated sleep window or has multiple sleep periods in a day, Garmin devices will not account for these additional periods of rest. This limitation can affect the accuracy of sleep scores and recovery metrics. Additionally, it fails to recognize the potential benefits of napping on an individual’s overall recovery time. Other fitness-focused wearables, such as the Oura Ring, Whoop 4.0, Fitbit, and Samsung devices, automatically detect and factor in naps when calculating sleep scores and readiness data. Although auto-detection may not be perfect, it provides users with a more comprehensive understanding of their sleep patterns.
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The exclusion of nap tracking is not only relevant to athletes and individuals with insomnia but also to various other groups, such as tired parents, jet-lagged travelers, and shift workers. These individuals could greatly benefit from nap tracking features, as napping can significantly improve their overall sleep quality and recovery. It is disappointing that Garmin, a renowned brand in the smartwatch industry, has overlooked the importance of nap tracking.
While I am fortunate as a wearables reviewer to have access to multiple platforms, allowing me to compensate for Garmin’s lack of nap tracking, this is not the case for everyone. Many individuals rely solely on their Garmin devices and miss out on valuable insights into their sleep patterns and recovery due to the absence of nap tracking. This oversight by Garmin undermines the potential benefits that napping can have on an individual’s overall well-being and athletic performance.
In conclusion, sleep, including napping, plays a vital role in recovery and athletic performance. Although Garmin smartwatches are popular among athletes and fitness enthusiasts, they currently do not offer nap tracking capabilities. This omission undermines the accuracy of sleep scores and recovery metrics, as well as limits the valuable insights individuals can gain from their sleep patterns. Garmin would greatly benefit from incorporating nap tracking features into their devices, allowing users to optimize their recovery and performance.
