Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
We all know that getting a good night’s sleep is key to overall health, but does the Apple Watch track sleep? The short answer is yes, a little. With the latest watchOS 7 updates, Apple Watches Series 3 or later now track sleep in the Sleep app, a set-and-forget feature that’s easy to start and runs automatically every night. However, as we mentioned in our Series 6 review, Apple’s data is mediocre at best.
How to track sleep on Apple Watch
Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
Use your Apple Watch to create a routine and develop better sleep habits. The CDC recommends adults close their eyes at least seven hours each night, and the Apple Sleep app can help you get on the right track. Create your personal sleep plan by following the instructions on your device. Once it’s set up, you can adjust your sleep goal and schedule on your iPhone or Apple Watch. Here’s how to set up sleep tracking on your Apple Watch.
On your iPhone
- Open that Health App and tap sleep.
- Tap Full schedule & options, then under Additional options, tap Sleep goal and choose your desired amount.
On your Apple Watch
- Open that sleep App on your Apple Watch.
- Follow the instructions on the screen to create a Sleep goal, Bedtime, and Wake up Time.
When you’ve got everything set up, all that’s left to do is wear your Apple Watch to bed. When in sleep mode, Lift to Wake is automatically disabled so you don’t wake up a bright screen while you get comfortable. To temporarily wake up from sleep mode, tap your screen and rotate the Digital Crown to unlock it. Make sure to adjust your charging habits so that your device has enough battery to last through the night.
What is the Apple Watch recording?
If you only care about the basics – think about general sleep trends – you can be satisfied. The Sleep app records your total sleep time and records your heart rate and calories burned every time you woke up all night. It also tracks how much time you spend in bed and provides weekly and monthly sleep time averages. This data is based on your movement in sleep mode.
In particular, the app offers the ability to create multiple sleep plans, including a selected bedtime, preferred wake-up time, an alarm clock, and a sleep goal. Based on the schedule you set, your device will automatically go into sleep mode (which limits distractions before bed and protects you from interruptions while you sleep).
View your sleep history
Wake up in the morning with an informative greeting, then check your night’s sleep and compare it to the rest of the week. To see your sleep history, open the Sleep app on your Apple Watch and scroll down to check your data. For more statistics like weekly and monthly averages or to find out how your heart rate fluctuates during the night, access the app on your paired iPhone.
Where does Apple Watch’s sleep tracking fall short?
So yes, now you can find out how much you’re sleeping (or not), but Apple still misses the mark when it comes to really insightful data.
Sleep phases
While devices like the Garmin Venu 2 use motion, heart rate, and heart rate variability – the time between heartbeats – to distinguish REM sleep from non-REM sleep, the Apple Sleep app doesn’t provide a breakdown of how much time you’re spending each Sleep phase (light, deep or REM). Many other wearables on the market also offer sleep phase tracking, so we hope Apple will add this feature in future versions.
Sleep values
Do you roll back and forth all night or treat yourself to real, relaxing rest? Many wearables, including newer Fitbit devices, offer a Daily Sleep Score that summarizes your sleep in helpful and actionable ways. Who doesn’t find motivation in a grading system? Without tracking the phases of sleep, the sleep app cannot provide this insight or data interpretation.
Trouble sleeping
The Apple Watch cannot diagnose sleep disorders, so you still need to see a doctor if you notice anything. The Withings ScanWatch is one of the few wearables that can use a medical EKG and pulse oximeter to detect signs of sleep apnea or severe atrial fibrillation. Your Apple Watch may be able to alert you of some irregularities, but it is not approved as a medical device.
Simply put, the Apple Watch tracks quantity, but not necessarily quality.
While the Apple Watch tracks sleep, the native app still has a way to go before it becomes very useful. Coupled with the fact that many wearables outperform the Apple Watch in terms of battery life, and Apple still seems to be lagging behind in the race to track sleep data.
See also: The best sleep trackers you can buy
Get more out of your Apple Watch sleep tracking
Don’t settle for limited information. Many Apple Watch owners use third-party apps to complement the Sleep app and to gather more details.
- The widely used Autosleep app can be seamlessly integrated into Apple Health and even offers an experience similar to that of Apple’s activity rings. Autosleep tracks your sleep duration and quality and informs you about your readiness or how well you are prepared for the day based on your rest times.
- Another highly rated option, Sleep ++, offers data-driven sleep tracking that lets you know how many times you have entered deep sleep per night.
- Pillow offers detailed sleep analysis diagrams and an intelligent alarm clock function that wakes you up at the optimal time for maximum refreshment.