Samsung Galaxy Watch to Get Bedtime Guidance, Vascular Load Features With One UI 8 Watch Update

Samsung on Monday announced several new features that will be making their way to the Galaxy Watch with the One UI 8 Watch update. These are aimed at helping users develop healthier habits. As per the company, it will bring Bedtime Guidance, a feature which informs about the best time to go to sleep by analysing the sleep data from the past three days. Meanwhile, Vascular Load measures the amount of stress on the vascular system during sleep. Samsung says some of the features will be restricted to select Galaxy Watch models.

New Health Features in One UI 8 Watch

Samsung detailed the One UI 8 Watch features in a newsroom post. The company says its new Bedtime Guidance feature informs the user about their optimal bedtime. The Galaxy Watch evaluates sleep pressure and circadian rhythm by analysing the sleep data recorded over the previous three days.

Then, it suggests a bedtime that is optimal for maximum alertness the next day. The company claims this feature is helpful for users who are on road to recovery from irregular sleep periods.

Vascular Load will be available on Galaxy Watch Ultra and later models
Photo Credit: Samsung

Vascular Load is another new feature which will be introduced on the Galaxy Watch with One UI 8 Watch. As the name suggests, it measures the amount of stress on the vascular system during sleep and provides insights into the vascular load on the system, along with sleep, exercise and stress. Users are required to wear their smartwatch during sleep for the feature to work.

Samsung says it has designed the Running Coach feature to help users train safely for rigorous physical activities, such as a marathon. It provides real-time guidance and a personalised training regime with injury-prevention routines based on the wearer's fitness levels. To take advantage of Running Coach, users have to wear the Galaxy Watch and run for 12 minutes, which provides a performance analysis and a running score between 1 and 10. Based on this collected data, the smartwatch creates a training plan to support a marathon.

The last feature is Antioxidant measurement, which was also recently reported to arrive with the Galaxy Watch 8 series. Samsung says it measures beta carotene levels in five seconds, leveraging the light-activated BioActive Sensor at the back of the Galaxy Watch. The feature provides insights about behavioural changes, motivating users to adopt healthier habits.

Antioxidant Index, along with Vascular Load, is only available on Galaxy Watch Ultra and later models. All three features are compatible with Android phones running Android 10 or above firmware and require the Samsung Health app.