Garmin is fleshing out the sleep health potential of its wearables thanks to a newly-announced collaboration with Sleeprate.
Now, the Israeli app maker will be able to access the Garmin Health Companion SDK for a more fleshed out look at device wearers’ sleep and activity data, and will use these to offer improved tracking and personalized insights for those interested in how workouts and nightly sleep affect one another.
"This collaboration brings together industry-leading products and data and from both wellness and wearables leaders," Sean McNamara, manager of Garmin Health, said in a statement. "The Companion SDK used by Sleeprate will allow consumers to get a deeper understanding of how exercise and sleep influence each other, providing an engaging solution that helps address sleep difficulties."
WHAT’S THE IMPACT
Sleeprate’s platform has been employing its app, connected sensors and sleep analysis algorithms and approaches licensed from Stanford University’s Behavioral Sleep Division for more than half a decade. However, Sleeprate CEO Dr. Anda Baharav says that this new integration with Garmin’s devices will allow the platform to deliver more meaningful guidance for athletes and other active users.
“We do not just measure sleep — we add insights into what the measurements mean for the person who uses [the device], so they can understand why they don’t sleep enough, they don’t sleep well enough, they don’t wake up at regular times, they don’t go to bed at regular times,” she told MobiHealthNews. “It’s more than just numbers.”
Additionally, Baharav described the algorithm-driven coaching service as more interactive than those featured on Garmin’s competitors. Alongside the data collected from Garmin’s sensors, she said the platform develops its insights using input from the user on which areas of their sleep or fitness they are most concerned about.
“Besides the data from the wearables, Sleeprate also captures active data from the user, information regarding how they perceive their sleep, how they feel about how long it takes to fall asleep, how much effort they put into their workout, she said. "That’s totally different from just having objective data. Putting those two sets of data … allows us to provide very good personalized advice on what they should do.”
THE LARGER TREND
Although sleep tracking and wellness has long been a focus of consumer health technology, Garmin’s competition in this space is fairly heterogeneous.
On the one hand, Fitbit's devices will be updated tomorrow with new software features that include a sleep cycle-conscious smart alarm and on-device displays of the wearer’s “Sleep Score.” What’s more, the company’s Fitbit Premium subscription services includes guided health and fitness programs that touch on the user’s sleep and relaxation habits.
Apple, meanwhile, has been fairly underwhelming in the sleep department. Although a handful of third-party apps offer basic sleep health capabilities, the Apple Watch itself does not include on-board tracking. Still, the company acquired Beddit in 2017, and has long been rumored to be investigating sleep health features for the coming year.
