When I started wearing a watch, it constantly distracted me and cause minor annoyance all day while I got used to it. At some point it just started blending into the background. Now, when I wear my watch on my other hand, I still have the same problem, but I don't notice my watch normally anymore.

I've slept with my watch for a while (stopped because the battery is crap and I need to charge it every day or it won't last past noon the next day) and I've had the same adjustment period.

I also think some people are just more sensitive to these things. Some sleep with full-on CPAP machines hooked up to their faces like it's nothing, but others can barely stand wearing clothes when they're sleeping. Plus, some watches are more comfortable than others.

> I've slept with my watch for a while (stopped because the battery is crap and I need to charge it every day or it won't last past noon the next day) and I've had the same adjustment period.

I'm guessing this is an Apple Watch? Garmins typically last a week or more.

Samsung Galaxy Watch from years ago, still running Tizen. Got it as a company Christmas present, so I'm not too fussed about the mediocre battery life. From what I can tell the Garmin models in the same price range don't last much longer either.

If it makes you feel any better, I've got a perhaps Galaxy Watch 7 from almost a year ago or so running wearOS, and it's battery life is at best at the 36 hour mark regardless. Came from an older tizen-based watch with similar battery life, and at least wearOS is far more funtional.

I dare you to sniff it

Not sure why Garmin or any of the exercise tracking watches are being used for sleep tracking. They're infamously bad at it from my experience.

The rings (notably Oura) are much better. I used to wear both and they gave completely different results, with the Oura being far more accurate to how I feel and the timings of going to sleep and waking up. Garmin almost always reckoned I woke up an hour earlier than I did and ended the tracking there.

It's honestly best not to get too involved in tracking sleep. The analysis does more to ruin your mood and give you nocebo effect than it really gives useful information.

I will confess, I do still wear my Garmin to bed because I like the vibration alarm over anything audible.

People used to sleep with watches 50 years ago too. You just get used to it.

True. Though the difference with smart watches is that they tend to be significantly bigger in size than what common watches used to be like.

Smart "bands" tend to be less perceptible.

Surprisingly, I find the Apple Watch significantly more comfortable and less perceptible than any other watch I've worn in the past. My theory is it's the contoured back for the heart rate monitor, etc. But maybe I'm just weird.

I think it depends what kind of smartwatch you choose. It should fit your wrist. The amount of people I've seen with e.g. a Galaxy Ultra watch that stands over their wrist on both sides is staggering to me.

For me, the Galaxy Watch 7 in 44mm fits perfectly

They’re not that much bigger than an automatic, though they are heavier than most.

Yeah, they get bigger if you spend more money on them.

I have a Garmin Forerunner 165, it is not very big, and not heavy compared to an old style watch made from metal.

Some plastic silicone straps with the heavier overall weight make it a worse experience that traditional watches

How didn't they sweat their watch to corrosion? Or is that just a me problem when wearing something on my wrist?

Nylon straps are pretty comfortable. The default strap with the metal buckle would dig in to my wrist, and also it was difficult to have a perfect fit since you had to pick a hole. The nylon strap allows for analogue refinement.

I'm the opposite; I do not like wearing rings. I have no issue with my watch, however.

Golf watch is another beffudler to me. I don’t want anything on my wrist when I swing. I don’t even want anything in my pockets.

I have a light Huawei ("Honor") Magicwatch 2 for €45 with an old apk, and it's much better than my son's expensive Garmin. I got a good leather bracelet from a €15 Chinese smartwatch. Very comfortable. Battery lasts a week.

Much better than a smart ring.

I don't wear one anymore, but I used to put in on an ankle overnight. I would wear a sock on that foot so that I didn't tear it off with my other foot during sleep.

The Garmin sleep tracker is reportedly pretty comfortable.

I thought the same, I just got used to it after a few days (even if I wear a slimmer watch from Suunto)

The Apple elastic bands are comfortable.