Garmin Index Sleep Monitor might be real but seems oddly limited

Garmin seems to be gearing up for the launch of a new device called the Index Sleep Monitor. According to info from Fitness Tracker Test, it’s an upper-arm wearable with no screen, no buttons and, based on early info, a singular focus on sleep tracking.

Hardware keeps things simple

Reportedly, the unit is made to wrap around the upper arm with a Velcro strap, while the optical sensor tucks into a small pocket within the band. It looks to be the familiar Elevate setup from their watches, just removed from a traditional casing.

There are no metallic parts on the underside, so ECG is off the table. The whole thing is screenless. Just a single LED sits near the sensor to give you a sense of battery life. You won’t find physical controls either. Charging is done via Garmin’s usual proprietary cable, and the battery should last about a week if you’re logging a full night’s sleep each night.

That’s about it, at least in terms of what we know from the leak.

From a usability standpoint, this is clearly not something Garmin expects you to fiddle with. It seems almost entirely passive. If you want to use it as an alarm, you’ll feel a vibration instead of hearing a sound. You can tap the band to snooze or stop it, but that’s the extent of interaction mentioned so far.

It tracks a lot but… doesn’t your watch already?

Garmin watches already give you things like Sleep Score, Sleep Stages, SpO₂, Respiration Rate, and even Body Battery. So if this device is just doing the same stuff, why release it? That’s where things get fuzzy.

It’s possible this band pulls more accurate data from the upper arm compared to the wrist, especially during deep sleep. Or maybe it’s just a comfort option for people who don’t like wearing watches in bed.

Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets

Right now, it slots into Garmin’s Index range alongside the Index S2 smart scale and Index BPM blood pressure monitor. So it could also be about building out a more medical-style ecosystem, rather than just offering another tracking option.

This feels incomplete

If this really is just a passive sleep band with nothing new under the hood, then I’m not sure who it’s for. But I doubt that’s the whole story. Garmin usually doesn’t release single-purpose devices without a bit of extra thought. My guess is that there’s more going on with metrics or recovery analysis that hasn’t surfaced yet.

The obvious comparison is with Whoop, but even that feels slightly off. Whoop is a 24/7 system, while this seems like a nighttime-only companion. If it’s truly limited to sleep, then the only people I see picking it up are those who want to leave their main watch off at night. Which is fine, but niche.

The estimated price of €170 isn’t outrageous, but also not low enough to make it an impulse buy.

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