Oura Ring outperforms Fitbit and Apple Watch in sleep study
The Oura Ring Gen 3 is more accurate at tracking sleep than Fitbit Sense 2 and Apple Watch Series 8 according to a new study.
The findings were presented at Sleep Europe 2024 and published in Sensors. Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) tested each device against polysomnography (PSG) in a controlled clinical environment. While all three wearables were effective in tracking overall sleep duration, the Oura Ring was the most accurate in identifying deep sleep stages, aligning closely with PSG data, whereas Fitbit and Apple Watch had notable discrepancies.
Now at the outset, we should mention that the research was funded by Oura. Also, the Apple Watch that was used in the study was a Series 8. The most recent edition is now up to Series 10. Oura is now up to Ring Gen 4. We have not seen new Fitbit watches in a while, so the Sense 2 is still their most recent device.
With that out of the way let’s talk about the specifics.
How the devices performed
The study involved 53 healthy adult participants who were monitored using PSG while simultaneously wearing one of the three devices. Over a total of 80 nights, participants’ sleep data were collected and analyzed to compare the devices’ ability to track sleep stages such as light sleep, deep sleep, REM sleep, and overall sleep duration.
Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets
According to the findings, the Oura Ring Gen 3 stood out for its precision in identifying sleep stages, particularly deep sleep. In comparison to the other two devices, it aligned most closely with the results obtained from the PSG. Both the Fitbit Sense 2 and Apple Watch Series 8, while accurate in tracking overall sleep duration, faced challenges in detecting sleep stages. Fitbit was particularly prone to overestimating REM sleep and underestimating deep sleep, while Apple Watch exhibited similar discrepancies, though it performed slightly better in distinguishing REM sleep.
Performance comparison:
Device | Overall Sleep Accuracy | Light Sleep Accuracy | Deep Sleep Accuracy | REM Sleep Accuracy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Oura Ring Gen 3 | High | Good | High | Good |
Fitbit Sense 2 | Good | Moderate | Low | Overestimates |
Apple Watch Series 8 | Good | Moderate | Low | Moderate |
Tracking sleep accurately is important
Most people only glance at their overall sleep length. But accurately identifying sleep stages is important for users looking to optimize their sleep quality. For instance, REM sleep plays a role in cognitive function and emotional regulation, while deep sleep is essential for physical recovery. Inaccurate tracking may lead users to draw incorrect conclusions about their sleep quality.
It should not come as too much of a surprise that smart rings are good at this sort of thing. They excel at recovery-type stats. Where they typically do struggle is when it comes to tracking heart rate accurately during exercise. This is where smartwatches come out on top.
And yes, the sleep study was funded by Oura, which could introduce some bias into the findings. Nonetheless, the research does provide interesting insights into how these popular wearables perform.
Like this article? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter and never miss out!
