How to Improve Your Sleep Score
Follow these tips to get a better sleep rating
One of the first things we ask each other in the morning is “How did you sleep?” or “What’s your sleep score?”
Is it a little competitive? Yes.
Do we care about each other’s well-being? Yes.
For Carly and I it is a way of checking in to see how the other slept last night.
Any way you slice it, we both want to have good sleep scores.
Your sleep score, based solely on Garmin’s data, is based on how long you slept, how well you slept, and your HRV (heart rate variability).
This has only become a real thing since Carly joined the Garmin family. Prior to her new watch, she had a Fitbit and I don’t think it gave her a score like Garmin does.
My Sleep
Now, when I tell people [which isn’t all that often] what my sleep score is, they kinda look at me funny. It’s a number, kind of like your Vdot, that doesn’t really mean anything without more context.
I usually get decent sleep. I’m a monster if I don’t get good sleep, so over the years, I’ve done what I can to optimize my sleep habits.
A high sleep score for me usually means I got good REM sleep, got more than 7 hours, and didn’t drink alcohol (usually the case).
What Makes Up A Sleep Score
Factors that make up your sleep score:
This comes straight from Garmin, I didn’t make it up: “Your nightly sleep score is calculated based on a blend of how long you slept, how well you slept, and evidence of recovery activity occurring in your autonomic nervous system derived from heart rate variability data. The following categories are considered when assigning a score:
• Sleep Duration
• Average stress score during sleep
• Total deep sleep
• Total light sleep
• Total REM sleep
• Awake time
• Restlessness
What I Do With the Data
I use the data and I also don’t use the data. I am aware of what the number on my watch says, but I also check in with myself before looking at it.
If I had a really hard workout or stayed up late, I know my sleep score is going to be lower than normal. I will have already planned on having an easier day so I don’t bury myself in a hole.
Do I ever look at my watch and say “I got a great sleep score, time to crush a workout!” No. That would be ridiculous.
And even if I have a bad sleep score, but I know my body feels rested, I can still have a good workout. The numbers on my watch don’t tell the whole story, and that’s the case with running splits and sleep scores.
I know that my Garmin watch doesn’t dictate what kind of workout I do, but it does support how I feel after I wake up.
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…And From the Newsletter:
The 1 Thing I’ve Changed To Improve My Sleep
How to Use Garmin to Improve Your Running
Quote of the Week:
Never let the memory of a bad workout keep you from having a great workout.
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