Apple Series 5: Sleep Tracking And More

The Apple Watch Series 5 does not have a built-in sleep tracking feature. However, there are third-party apps, such as SleepWatch, AutoSleep, and Sleep++, that can be used to track sleep on the Apple Watch Series 5. These apps can log sleep history and times to the Apple Health App and provide insights to help build and maintain better sleep habits. Apple has also made improvements to its newer watch models with sleep tracking in mind, such as the Apple Watch Ultra, which has a 36-hour battery life, useful for overnight sleep tracking.

Third-party apps for sleep tracking

The Apple Watch Series 5 does not have a built-in sleep-tracking feature. However, there are third-party apps that can be used to track sleep on the Apple Watch Series 5. These apps can help you monitor your sleep patterns, set sleep goals, and improve your overall sleep quality. Here are some popular third-party sleep-tracking apps available for the Apple Watch Series 5:

• AutoSleep: This app automatically tracks your sleep without requiring you to press any buttons. It offers features such as sleep apnea tracking, sleep analysis, sleep rating, sleep rings, and more. AutoSleep prioritizes privacy and does not include user analytics tracking or advertising plugins. It also integrates with the Apple Sleep app, allowing you to view your sleep data in both AutoSleep and the native Apple app.
• SleepWatch: SleepWatch provides insights into your sleep patterns and helps you build and maintain a better night's rest. It can log your sleep history and times to the Apple Health App. Additionally, it offers features like smart alarms, adaptive bedtime suggestions, and a SleepWatch Score to help you track your sleep quality.
• Sleep Cycle: Sleep Cycle is a sleep tracker and alarm clock app that wakes you up during your lightest sleep phase, helping you feel more energized in the morning. It offers detailed sleep analysis, sleep statistics, and daily sleep graphs. It also integrates with Apple Health and provides features like sound recording, sleep aid, and customizable wake-up windows.

These third-party apps can be useful if you want to track your sleep using your Apple Watch Series 5. However, it's important to note that since they are not native to the device, the analytics may not factor in other metrics tracked by the watch.

Apple Watch design

Apple Watch Series 5 does not have a built-in sleep tracking feature. However, Apple Watches from Series 7 onwards have a low-power conservation mode, charging reminders, and an upgraded cable that improves charging speed. The Apple Watch Ultra has 36 hours of battery life, which is useful for overnight use.

Third-party apps such as SleepWatch, AutoSleep, and Sleep++ can be used to track sleep on the Apple Watch Series 5. These apps can log sleep history and times to the Apple Health App, and some provide insights and suggestions to help optimize sleep rhythm. However, these apps may not factor in other metrics tracked by the watch.

While the Apple Watch Series 5 does not have native sleep tracking, it does have an always-on Retina display, period cycle tracking, and an Activity Trends app. The focus of the Series 5 appears to be on heart health features, with an ECG reader and heart rate monitor.

The Apple Watch is a powerful sleep tracker, and newer models from Series 3 onwards can track sleep using the Sleep app, introduced with watchOS 9. The Sleep app is a simple, set-and-forget feature that runs automatically each night, tracking sleep duration and providing insights into sleep trends. The Apple Watch can also track breathing rate and wrist temperature, which can be useful for respiratory health and cycle tracking, respectively. However, it is important to note that the Apple Watch cannot diagnose sleep conditions, and its data interpretation and summary may not be as advanced as those of its competitors.

Heart health features

The Apple Watch Series 5 does not have built-in sleep tracking capabilities. However, Apple has made improvements in recent versions of the watch with sleep tracking in mind, including a low-power conservation mode, charging reminders, and an upgraded cable that improves charging speed on watches from the Series 7 onwards.

While the Apple Watch Series 5 does not have native sleep tracking, it does offer several heart health features. These include:

• Heart rate monitoring: The Apple Watch can measure your heart rate throughout the day, providing insights into your overall heart health.
• Heart rate notifications: If your heart rate exceeds a specified threshold or drops below a resting rate, the watch can notify you, allowing you to identify potential heart health issues.
• Electrocardiogram (ECG) app: The ECG app on the Apple Watch can create an ECG similar to a single-lead electrocardiogram. This feature can help detect signs of atrial fibrillation, a common form of irregular heart rhythm, and other heart health issues.
• Heart health notifications: The Apple Watch can notify you if it detects an irregular heart rhythm that appears to be atrial fibrillation. This feature is designed to provide early warning signs of potential heart conditions.
• Fall detection: The Apple Watch can detect if you have taken a hard fall and will call emergency services if you do not respond within a minute. This feature can be potentially life-saving in the event of a fall caused by a heart-related issue, such as arrhythmia or heart attack.

While these heart health features are valuable, it is worth noting that sleep also significantly impacts cardiovascular health. Therefore, the absence of built-in sleep tracking in the Apple Watch Series 5 may be considered a limitation in providing a comprehensive view of heart health.

SleepWatch app

The Apple Watch Series 5 does not have a built-in sleep-tracking feature. However, there are third-party apps that can be used to track sleep, such as the SleepWatch app.

SleepWatch is a sleep-tracking app that can be used on the Apple Watch or iPhone. It is free to download and use, but most of the app's functions, such as sleep scores, smart alarms, and ongoing sleep analysis, require a paid subscription. The app can track sleep sounds, sleep time, heart rate, and sleep patterns, and provide a personalized sleep report and recommendations. It can also be used to record pre-bedtime activities and behaviours to help users understand how their daily activities impact their sleep.

SleepWatch's smart alarm feature wakes users during a light state of sleep, which many people find makes it easier to wake up. The app also provides adaptive bedtime suggestions based on a user's routine to help optimize their sleep rhythm. Users can also get a SleepWatch score, which represents their sleep quality as an easy-to-track number.

SleepWatch can be used to automatically track sleep by simply wearing the Apple Watch to bed. Upon waking, users can check the Apple Watch App or iPhone app to see their auto-detected sleep details. Users can also schedule 'Do Not Disturb' to turn on automatically during their typical sleeping hours to prevent any watch notifications from disturbing their sleep.

SleepWatch has been well-received by users, with many finding it easy to use and providing useful insights into their sleep habits and quality.

Sleep tracking limitations

Sleep tracking is an important feature for a device that claims to be a well-rounded health and fitness wearable. Sleep has a significant impact on our overall well-being, especially cardiovascular health. While the Apple Watch Series 5 does not include native sleep tracking functionality, there are some notable workarounds and third-party apps that can fill this gap in functionality to varying degrees of success.

Firstly, it is important to note that the Apple Watch Series 5 has an estimated battery life of 18 hours, which is the same as its Series 3 and 4 predecessors. This limited battery life could be a significant hindrance to sleep tracking as it may not be able to record a full night's sleep. Additionally, the design of the Series 5, while sleek and premium, may not be the most comfortable device to wear to bed.

Third-party apps like SleepWatch, AutoSleep, and Sleep++ can be used to track sleep on the Apple Watch Series 5. However, these apps may not provide a comprehensive analysis as they are not native to the device and may not factor in other metrics tracked by the watch. For example, the SleepWatch app can log sleep history and times to the Apple Health app, but it does not claim any health benefits such as dealing with insomnia.

Another limitation of sleep tracking on the Apple Watch Series 5 is the potential for inaccurate results. Relying solely on an accelerometer, heart rate monitor, and microphone on the wrist to measure sleep quality can lead to errors. For example, the Huawei Watch GT may mistake scrolling through your phone while sitting in bed as being in a light sleep stage.

Despite these limitations, Apple Watch Series 5 users can still gain some insights into their sleep patterns by using third-party apps or the Sleep Focus feature in the Health app. However, it is clear that Apple has chosen to focus on other health-related features and studies, such as the Apple Hearing Study and the Women's Health Study, rather than implementing native sleep tracking on the Series 5.

Frequently asked questions