Polar brings SleepWise to older watches, boosting rest & performance

Polar has announced earlier today it is expanding support for SleepWise to a few more watches. This includes Ignite, Unite and Vantage M and Vantage V.

Interestingly enough, a few users have noticed that those watches have been compatible with Sleepwise for a couple of months now. You just needed to add Grit Pro Vantage V2 or another supported SleepWise watch to Polar Flow. Regardless, the feature is official on these older watches from today.

Polar watches have excellent sleep tracking

Polar’s reputation for offering exceptional sleep tracking capabilities is well-established, with algorithms that provide more insights and actionable advice than many of its competitors. SleepWise, first introduced with the launch of the Ignite 3, enhances Polar’s sleep tracking abilities even further.

The SleepWise feature operates unobtrusively in the background, requiring no special input from users. The results are displayed in the Polar Flow app, with new metrics becoming available once at least five days of sleep data are recorded within a week.

SleepWise offers valuable insights by considering factors such as sleep duration, quality, timing, and sleep-wake cycles to estimate person’s alertness levels throughout the day. Users can then consult their watch to determine whether they’re prepared for activities such as a long drive or intense workout. This information is consolidated into a “Boost from sleep” metric, which simplifies daily sleep data comparisons across different days.

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Additionally, SleepWise provides an hour-by-hour breakdown of users’ readiness to perform during the day, represented by color-coded Boost values on a chart. A lighter shade corresponds to a higher boost level.

Similar to Whoop’s sleep tracker, SleepWise also suggests optimal times for users to get additional sleep by considering their circadian rhythms. By maintaining consistent sleep and wake times, users can improve their sleep quality, resting heart rate, and heart rate variability, ultimately promoting healthier sleep habits.

All in all this is a very comprehensive sleep and recovery tracking solution. Most other brands have catching up to do on this count.

SleepWise now available on most of Polar’s range

As mentioned, SleepWise was initially only available on the Ignite 3. This was later expanded to the Grit X Pro, Pacer, Pacer Pro, and Vantage V2. Subsequent compatibility was extended to the Ignite 2, Grit X, and Vantage M2 in February.

Now, owners of Ignite, Unite, Vantage M, and Vantage V watches can also access the SleepWise feature in the Polar Flow app. The company should be commended for not leaving these older watches out of the loop. To ensure compatibility, users should update to the latest version of their smartphone software.

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