Samsung Health update improves Sleep Coaching and Running Coach

Samsung Health has had Sleep Coaching for a while now, but getting it going required a full week of sleep data collected within a month. Today, Samsung announced an update to the app that cuts that requirement down, makes the coaching more personalized, and brings a few new features for runners as well.

You can now start Sleep Coaching with just three days of sleep data from the past two weeks. During setup, you fill out a survey about your sleep regularity, interruptions, alcohol and caffeine intake, and how satisfied you are with your sleep. Based on that and your sleep data, the app assigns you a Sleep Animal and builds a four- to eight-week coaching program, which adapts its weekly recommendations as your sleep patterns change. You get daily habit checklists and tips too, like avoiding screens an hour before bed or skipping late caffeine.

There's a new pentagon-shaped Sleep Balance graph in the app, which combines five aspects of your sleep - sleep time, sleep regularity, awake time during the night, sleep satisfaction, and Energy Score - into one view. Morning insight messages review the previous night, and they tie into weekly and final reports. Sleep Coaching needs Samsung Health v6.24 or newer on a Galaxy phone running Android 11 or later, paired with a Galaxy Watch4 series or newer watch, a Galaxy Fit3 or newer, or a Galaxy Ring.

Running Coach is also getting an upgrade, with training tiers expanding from 10 to 12 levels to better cater to intermediate and advanced runners. Your plan is still based on a 12-minute running test or your past running data. You can now export your workouts into share-ready templates for social media, and thanks to a partnership with Strava, you can import your favorite Strava Routes for running, trail running, and cycling straight into Samsung Health.

Running Coach requires Samsung Health v6.30.2 or newer on an Android 10 or later phone, a Samsung account, and a Galaxy Watch8 series or newer watch. The new features will start rolling out gradually through Samsung Health app updates this month, though Samsung notes that availability and timing may vary by market and model.

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