I didn't buy a ton of stuff over the Black Friday/Cyber Monday shopping extravaganza, but there was one thing I was keeping an eye out for: a sleep tracking device.
I've been wanting to track my sleep for awhile now, hoping to glean insights that would improve my sleep and overall health. And while I'm an Apple baby — this was typed on a MacBook Air, with my iPhone and AirPods sitting next to me and an Apple TV 4K playing a screensaver in the background — I didn't want to buy an Apple Watch. Why? I simply do not like wearing watches on a regular basis. Never have, never will. Not even Apple can change my mind on that.
Since I wasn't going to wear a smartwatch or fitness tracker during the day, only at night, I didn't want to invest in anything that cost more than $50. My plan was to buy a cheap sleep tracking watch or band that was even more discounted for Black Friday. Instead, a friend recommended a watch they'd seen on TikTok: the Lifebee Multifunctional Smartwatch. "It works just like an Apple Watch," they raved.
And when I looked it up on the TikTok Shop, Lifebee's Apple clone was on sale for just $20 (right now, the price is even lower at $15, which I'm feeling a bit salty about). I've been using it for the past five nights and reader, I'm impressed.
Lifebee's dupe works just like an Apple Watch
The Lifebee smartwatch arrived a week after I ordered it. It came with two bands, the neutral shade I chose and a special Christmas-themed one. Set-up was a breeze — the watch connects via Bluetooth to the GloryFit app on your phone.
As I familiarized myself with the watch, I saw that it seemed very similar to an Apple Watch. Though I've never worn one before, I've seen friends use one a million times. It has most of the same functions, like calling and texting. You can listen to music, check the weather and play a game.
The main point of the Lifebee smartwatch is health monitoring, so you can check your step count, heart rate and other vitals. And of course, there's sleep tracking, which is why I bought it.
Surprisingly accurate sleep tracking
I really wasn't expecting much out of the Lifebee smartwatch; it was $20 after all. I decided I'd be content if it gave me at least a general sense of my sleep pattern.
I've used it for five nights and so far, I've found the sleep tracking to be accurate — a pleasant surprise. All five nights, it logged the time I strapped on the watch as "bedtime," but showed that I was still awake for brief periods at the start. There were a few nights when I woke up in the early hours of the morning to use the bathroom and the watch noted that as being "awake."
As you can see from my sleep stats, I got a woeful 6 hours and 44 minutes one night. So, the next evening, I made sure to get to bed at a more reasonable time and ended up logging an impressive 8 hours and 16 minutes.
This is exactly the reason I wanted a sleep tracking device — to see how well (or poorly) I'm sleeping and to make adjustments as necessary. It'll be interesting to see my sleep pattern over time.
I've been so happy with this cheapity-cheapo Apple Watch clone that I'm passing on the recommendation to other friends ... and to you, dear readers. It's a great option if you're looking for a budget smartwatch or a stocking stuffer gift. Unlike me, you might use it during the day and fully enjoy all of its capabilities. Meanwhile, I'll be getting a good night's sleep knowing what a great deal I scored. And off TikTok no less!
