I’ve worn my Garmin Cirqa and Oura Ring 5 to track my sleep for 10 days: here’s what I’ve noticed

(Image credit: Future) It seems that 2026 is the year of the screenless fitness tracker. Over the past few months, we’ve seen the release of the Oura Ring 5, Fitbit Air, and now the $199 Garmin Cirqa, which hit the market in July. It seems that users are moving away from constant notifications buzzing on their wrists and opting for distraction-free health and fitness tracking instead.A huge selling point of the screenless tracker is that, without the bright light of a screen and often a smaller, lighter design, it can make sleep tracking more comfortable and less distracting.I often remove my smartwatch entirely to sleep, as I find the likes of the Apple Watch Ultra 3 uncomfortable, but have been wearing an Oura Ring to track my sleep for years. Keen to take a look at how the data from the Garmin Cirqa compared, I wore both for 10 nights — read on to find out more. The Oura Ring 5 is the thinnest and lightest smart ring on the market. It starts at $399 for the silver and black colorways, comes in six finishes, and lasts up to nine days on a charge. Garmin Cirqa vs Oura Ring 5Before we dive into the sleep tracking capabilities of the two devices, it seems wise to point out some of the similarities and differences, if you are trying to decide between the two. The Oura Ring 5 is the more expensive of the two trackers, starting at $399 for the basic finishes. You’ll also need to pay an ongoing subscription fee, which costs $5.99 per month. The Garmin Cirqa costs $199 and has no subscription fees.Design-wise, the Oura Ring 5 is the smallest, lightest smart ring on the market. It truly disappears, and is the best option for anyone looking for a fitness or sleep tracker that looks like jewelry. The Garmin Cirqa is a stretch wristband with a single button. It’s not exactly small, and it’s bigger and heavier than the Fitbit Air. You can also buy an additional bicep strap for workouts or team sports. (Image credit: Future)Both devices have a battery life that’ll last longer than a week between charges. The Garmin Cirqa lasts 10-11 days; the Oura Ring 5 lasts around nine days, depending on the size of your ring.Both are also compatible with iOS and Android. With the Garmin, you’ll see all your data on the Garmin Connect app, whereas Oura uses its own app. Both can be synced with third-party apps like Natural Cycles for advanced female health tracking.Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. (Image credit: Future)The results But back to sleep. Before I share my results, I feel like I must point out that this test fell during a pretty stressful time, as I was right in the middle of moving house. I’m also a single mom, raising the next Houdini, and often get woken multiple times a night by my toddler climbing into my bed. All this to say, please excuse some of these sleep scores. Swipe to scroll horizontally Garmin Cirqa vs Oura Ring 5 sleep data Row 0 - Cell 0 Garmin Cirqa Oura Ring 5 July 24 89/100, Good, 7h 32m, 11:11 pm-6:49 am, Deep: 1h, Light: 4h 34m, REM: 1h 58m, Awake: 6m 84/100, Good, 6h 57m, 11:06 pm-6:50 am, Deep: 1h 32m, Light: 3h 23m, REM: 2h 3m, Awake: 47m July 25 63/100, Fair, 5h 32m, 12:18 am-7:01 am, Deep: 1h 18m, Light: 2h 54m, REM: 1h 20m, Awake: 1h 11m 67/100, Fair, 5h 53m, 12:06 am-7:01 am, Deep: 1h 12m, Light: 3h 9m, REM: 1h 33m, Awake: 1h 2m July 26 84/100, Good, 7h 9m, 12:09 am-7:29 am, Deep: 1h 25m, Light: 4h 10m, REM: 1h 34m, Awake: 11m 79/100, Good, 7h 3m, 11:35 pm-7:28 am, Deep: 1h 40, Light: 4h 5m, REM: 1h 18m, Awake: 50m July 27 82/100, Good, 6h 28m, 12:34 am-7:09 am, Deep: 1h 21m, Light: 3h 41m, REM: 1h 26m, Awake: 7m 63/100, Fair, 6h 3m, 12:01 am-7:11 am, Deep: 43m, Light: 3h 17m, REM: 2h 4m, Awake: 1h 7m July 28 74/100, Fair, 5h 58m, 12:42 am-6:43 am, Deep: 1h 17m, Light: 3h 18m, REM: 1h 23m, Awake: 3m 70/100, Good, 6h 9m, 11:47 pm-6:48 am, Deep: 1h 10m, Light: 3h 30m, REM: 1h 30m, Awake: 52m July 29 75/100, Fair, 6h 34m, 12:06 am-6:50 am, Deep: 1h 28m, Light: 3h 44m, REM: 1h 22m, Awake: 10m No data recorded July 30 87/100, Good, 7h 16m duration, 10:37 pm-6:21 am, Deep: 2h 18m, Light: 3h 4m, REM: 1h 54m, Awake: 28m 75/100, Good, 5h 42m, 12:02 am-6:20 pm, Deep: 1h 20m, Light: 2h 33m, REM: 1h 50m, Awake: 36m July 31 80/100, Good, 6h 24m duration, 11:34 pm - 6:25 am, Deep: 1h 49m, Light: 3h 5m, REM: 1h 30m, Awake: 27m 78/100, Good, 6h 16m duration, 11:29 pm - 6:25 am, Deep: 1h 34m, Light: 3h 9m, REM: 1h 33m, Awake: 40m August 1 88/100, Good, 7h 43m duration, 11:14 pm - 7:10 am, Deep: 1h 11m, Light: 4h 59m, REM: 1h 33m, Awake: 13m 87/100, Optimal, 7h 41m duration, 11:01 pm - 7:12 am, Deep: 1h 39m, Light: 3h 52m, REM: 2h 11m, Awake: 30m August 2 84/100, Good, 6h 51m duration, 12:23 am - 7:22 am, Deep: 1h 41m, Light: 3h 16m, REM: 1h 54m, Awake: 8 min 80/100, Good, 6h 43 min duration, 12:10 am - 7:22 am, Deep: 1h 26m, Light: 3h 30m, REM: 1h 48m, Awake: 29m Of course, there’s no real way of telling which of these devices was more accurate at tracking how much sleep I did (or didn’t) get without going to a sleep lab, but I found it interesting to see that most nights, my overall sleep score and advice was pretty much identical.There are a few key differences to point out: my Oura Ring 5 always recorded me as being awake for a lot longer than the Garmin Cirqa, more accurately reflecting the fact that I often lay in bed scrolling on my phone before I went to sleep. A lot of nights, the ‘awake’ part of my Oura sleep graph was at the beginning of the night.The sleep duration and stages were also pretty similar throughout the testing, except July 29, when my Oura Ring 5 died overnight, and July 30, when Garmin recorded 90 minutes more sleep.It’s worth pointing out I’ve had the Oura Ring 5 on my finger for months, whereas the Garmin Cirqa has only been on my wrist for two weeks, so it could need a little longer for more precise readings.That said, overall, the data recorded was pretty similar, and the overall message was clear: I need more sleep. If only Garmin and Oura could relay that information to my toddler. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. More from Tom's GuideI review smartwatches for a living, but these are 5 reasons why I sometimes still wear a 'dumb' watchApple Watch Series 12 rumors — everything we know so farGarmin’s rumored screen-less wearable just might be the subscription-free Whoop rival I’ve been waiting for Jane McGuire is Tom's Guide's Fitness Managing Editor, which means she looks after everything fitness-related - from running gear to yoga mats. An avid runner, Jane has tested and reviewed fitness products for the past ten years, so knows what to look for when finding a good running watch or a pair of shorts with pockets big enough for your smartphone.