Iwatch 3: Can It Track Sleep?

The Apple Watch Series 3 does not have a built-in sleep tracking feature. However, there are many third-party apps that can be downloaded to fill this gap. These apps can track sleep duration, quality, restlessness, heart rate, and more. Some popular sleep tracking apps for the Apple Watch include AutoSleep, Sleep Pulse 3, SleepMatic, and Sleep Cycle. These apps can help users build better sleep habits by focusing on consistency and sleep hygiene rather than just hours slept. While the Apple Watch Series 3 may not have native sleep tracking capabilities, the availability of third-party apps allows users to utilize their device to monitor and improve their sleep.

Third-party apps for sleep tracking

The Apple Watch Series 3 does not have a built-in sleep tracking feature. However, there are several third-party apps available in the App Store that can be used to track sleep on the Apple Watch Series 3. Here are some of the most popular and highly-rated options:

AutoSleep

AutoSleep is a popular sleep tracking app for the Apple Watch that automatically tracks your sleep without requiring any input from the user. It provides a range of information, including sleep duration, sleep rating, sleep rings, heart rate, deep sleep, REM sleep, sleep apnea, blood oxygen levels, respiration rate, environmental noise measurements, sleep analysis, sleep fuel, bedtime recommendations, readiness, temperature, and sleep consistency. AutoSleep has no user analytics tracking, advertising plugins, or third-party code, ensuring total privacy for users. The app offers a one-time payment with no ongoing subscriptions or surprise charges.

SleepWatch

SleepWatch is another automatic sleep tracking app that utilizes artificial intelligence to provide insights into your sleep patterns. It measures sleep hours, quality, restlessness, heart rate, and presents data using Apple Health-style visuals. SleepWatch also offers a "smart" alarm feature that can wake you up during a light sleep phase, helping you feel more refreshed.

HeartWatch

HeartWatch provides a detailed analysis of the information collected by your Apple Watch, including sleep data. It offers a free upgrade to HeartWatch 4 for existing users, while new users can purchase the app for $3.99. It is compatible with iOS 11.0 and watchOS 4.0 or later and can also be used with iPhone and iPod Touch.

Beddit

Beddit is a free sleep tracking app for the Apple Watch that does not require wearing the watch during sleep. Instead, it uses a Beddit Sleep Monitor (Model 3.5) placed on your bedsheet to track your sleep patterns, heart rate, breathing, temperature, and humidity in the bedroom. The app provides comprehensive analysis and charts to help you understand your sleep habits and make improvements.

Pillow, Sleep++, and Sleep Pulse 3

Other notable third-party sleep tracking apps for the Apple Watch include Pillow, Sleep++, and Sleep Pulse 3. These apps offer various features such as sleep duration tracking, heart rate monitoring, and analysis of sleep cycles.

It is important to note that while these third-party apps provide valuable insights into your sleep patterns, they may have limitations in terms of accuracy and battery life. Additionally, some apps may require separate devices or sensors for more accurate sleep tracking.

Heart rate and blood oxygen tracking

The Apple Watch Series 3 and later versions can track your heart rate and blood oxygen levels. The watch's heart rate sensor uses infrared light beams to detect your pulse and measure your heart rate. This feature is particularly useful for understanding your sleep quality.

To track your heart rate, the Apple Watch uses a combination of green LED lights, photodiodes, and custom sensors to detect the amount of blood flowing through your wrist. This data is used to calculate your heart rate and provide insights into your overall health and fitness.

Additionally, the Apple Watch Series 3 and later models can also monitor your blood oxygen levels. This feature uses similar technology to the heart rate sensor, but it specifically measures the colour of your blood to determine the oxygen saturation level. This information can be crucial for identifying respiratory issues or sleep apnea.

By tracking your heart rate and blood oxygen levels, the Apple Watch provides valuable insights into your sleep patterns and overall health. It can help you understand your sleep quality and identify any potential issues. However, it's important to note that while the Apple Watch is a useful tool, it should not be considered a medical device. If you have any concerns about your heart rate, blood oxygen levels, or sleep quality, it is always recommended to consult a healthcare professional.

Sleep duration and quality tracking

The Apple Watch Series 3 does not have a built-in sleep tracking feature. However, there are many third-party apps that can be downloaded from the App Store to fill this gap and track your sleep duration and quality. These apps can monitor how long you sleep and how well, and some can even identify breathing disturbances associated with sleep apnea.

Sleep Pulse 3 is a fully-featured standalone sleep app for your Apple Watch that tracks your heart rate and motion. It also has a sleep view that can be accessed if you wake up in the middle of the night, which will show your resting heart rate and how long you've been sleeping. It can also track naps and record sleep talking.

AutoSleep is another third-party sleep tracking app for the Apple Watch, which works automatically without needing to be told when you're getting into bed. It tracks your sleep and wake-up times and provides stats such as sleep duration, a sleep rating, and a readiness score. It also reports the amount of deep sleep and keeps tabs on your nightly heart rate.

HeartWatch gives a detailed look at the information your Apple Watch collects, and can be purchased on the App Store for $3.99. Beddit is a free sleep tracker app for the Apple Watch that does not require you to wear your watch when sleeping. Instead, you place it on your bedsheet, and the app will track your sleep pattern, heart rate, breathing, and even the temperature and humidity in the bedroom.

SleepMatic is an inexpensive app that presents sleep data clearly, showing how much light sleep and deep sleep you got, and how long it took you to fall asleep. It also has a "smart" alarm that can wake you up when it detects you're in a light sleep phase.

To use these third-party apps, you will need to turn on "Track Sleep with Apple Watch" and ensure your watch is being worn to bed, preferably with a passcode and wrist detection turned on. You can also set up a sleep schedule in the Health app on your iPhone, which will tell your phone when you're planning on sleeping.

Sleep apnea tracking

While the Apple Watch Series 3 does not have built-in sleep tracking capabilities, you can use third-party apps to track your sleep. However, these apps may not have specific sleep apnea tracking features. To use your Apple Watch for sleep apnea tracking, you need to enable the Sleep Apnea Notifications feature, which is available on newer Apple Watch models.

The Sleep Apnea Notifications feature on the Apple Watch can help identify potential sleep apnea by tracking breathing disturbances during sleep. It measures blood oxygen levels, heart rate, and motion to detect potential apnea episodes in real time. The watch will notify you if it detects consistent signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea over a period of time.

To set up sleep apnea tracking, you need to wear your Apple Watch to bed for a minimum of 10 nights over a 30-day period. The data will be analyzed every 30 days, and you can view your breathing disturbances for different time periods, such as the past month, 6 months, or year. If you receive a notification about potential sleep apnea, you can share a detailed report with your healthcare provider for further evaluation.

It's important to note that the Apple Watch's sleep apnea tracking feature is not intended for diagnostic purposes. While it can provide insights and help identify potential sleep apnea, it should not replace a professional medical diagnosis. If you suspect you may have sleep apnea, it is recommended to consult a healthcare professional for proper testing and treatment.

Third-Party Sleep Tracking Apps:

If you're looking for more general sleep tracking features, you can use third-party apps like AutoSleep, Sleep Pulse 3, Sleep Watch, or HeartWatch, which are compatible with the Apple Watch Series 3. These apps can track your sleep duration, heart rate, sleep quality, restlessness, and more. However, they may not have specific sleep apnea detection capabilities.

Battery life and charging

The Apple Watch Series 3 has a battery life of roughly 18 hours after a full recharge. However, the duration can vary depending on how you use and set up your watch. For instance, the always-on display feature available on the Apple Watch Series 5 and newer (excluding the SE) consumes a lot of battery. Similarly, the watch face you choose can impact battery life. Watch faces with bright colours or animations will drain the battery faster than those with darker screens, as each pixel on the OLED panel generates its own light.

To conserve battery life, you can turn off the "Wake Screen on Wrist Raise" feature by swiping up on your watch face and enabling Theatre Mode. This will disable notifications and raise-to-wake. You can also turn off the always-on display by going to Settings, then Display & Brightness, and toggling off the "Always On" feature.

Additionally, you can extend your battery life by managing your apps. Background app refresh and notifications are significant battery drains, so turning off non-essential apps and notifications can help. To turn off background app refresh, go to your iPhone's Watch app, select General, scroll down to Background App Refresh, and toggle it off. To delete an app, launch the Watch app on your iPhone, scroll down to the "Install on Apple Watch" list, tap the app, and disable the "Show on Apple Watch" setting.

Other tips for extending battery life include using a black or dark watch face, ensuring Bluetooth is enabled, and charging your watch while you get ready for bed or in the morning while you shower and eat breakfast.

Frequently asked questions