Apple Watch Sleep Tracking: Auto-Start Or Manual?

The Apple Watch is equipped with the hardware to track sleep patterns. However, to access this feature, users must first set up sleep tracking. This can be done by opening the Sleep app on the Apple Watch or the Health app on the iPhone. Once set up, the Apple Watch will track sleep based on the sleep schedule created or when Sleep Focus is manually turned on. To receive sleep data from the Apple Watch, it must track sleep for at least four hours each night.

Sleep tracking on Apple Watch requires a schedule or manual activation

The Apple Watch has a built-in sleep tracker, but it does not automatically start tracking your sleep. To use the sleep tracking feature, you need to set up sleep tracking on your Apple Watch.

Firstly, ensure your Apple Watch is charged to at least 30% before going to bed. You can turn on charging reminders to notify you to charge your watch before bedtime.

Secondly, you need to pair your Apple Watch with your iPhone. If you have already set up your Apple Watch, you can still turn on sleep tracking. To do this, open the Watch app on your iPhone, tap the 'My Watch' tab, then tap 'Sleep'. Finally, tap 'Track Sleep with Apple Watch' to turn on this setting.

Thirdly, you need to set up your sleep schedule or manually activate sleep tracking. You can do this by opening the Health app on your iPhone and tapping 'Get Started' under 'Set Up Sleep'. Here, you can set your sleep goals, bedtime, and wake-up times. Alternatively, you can manually turn on Sleep Focus when you go to bed. The Apple Watch will use your sleep schedule or Sleep Focus to detect when you are sleeping and estimate the different stages of sleep.

You can also use third-party apps, such as Sleep Cycle, SleepWatch, and AutoSleep, to track your sleep automatically. These apps can be downloaded from the App Store and paired with your Apple Watch.

Sleep tracking apps for Apple Watch

The Apple Watch has a built-in sleep tracking feature that can be turned on manually. However, there are also third-party apps that can be used for sleep tracking on the Apple Watch. These include:

Sleep Cycle

The Sleep Cycle app can be accessed through the Apple Watch. It has an auto-sleep tracker that automatically tracks your sleep when you fall asleep with the Apple Watch on. It also allows you to set an alarm to wake you up at a certain time. The app provides sleep analysis, which can be viewed on your phone.

SleepWatch

SleepWatch is a top-rated sleep tracker on the App Store. It offers personalized coaching with AI-powered insights to help you improve your sleep habits. It also has a smart alarm and bedtime feature to help you wake up during your optimal sleep stage. The app provides in-depth sleep reports, including total sleep time, total restful sleep time, average sleeping heart rate, sleep rhythm, sleep disruptions, and sleeping blood oxygen levels. It also has a snore-tracking feature and a customizable white noise library.

AutoSleep

AutoSleep is another popular app for sleep tracking on the Apple Watch. It offers full integration with the Sleep Stages from the Apple Sleep app, allowing you to view all your sleep information in one place. AutoSleep includes features such as Time Asleep, Sleep Rating, Sleep Rings, Apple Sleep Stages, Sleep Apnea detection, and Sleep Blood Oxygen measurements. The app provides feedback to help you improve your sleep health and make informed decisions about your sleep habits.

Superset

Superset is a versatile app that tracks not only sleep but also body strain and exercise. It can help you understand how much sleep you need for adequate recovery based on your daily activities.

Apple Watch's Sleep app

The Apple Watch is equipped with a built-in sleep tracker that can be used to monitor sleep patterns. The Sleep app on the Apple Watch works in conjunction with the Health app on the iPhone, allowing users to set sleep goals and create a customised sleep schedule. This includes setting a bedtime and wake-up time, as well as enabling Sleep Focus to reduce distractions and notifications during sleep.

To enable sleep tracking on the Apple Watch, users need to turn on the "Track Sleep with Apple Watch" setting. This can be done during the initial setup or later by accessing the Watch app on the iPhone and navigating to the ""My Watch" tab, followed by "Sleep", and then toggling on "Track Sleep with Apple Watch". Additionally, users should ensure their Apple Watch is charged to at least 30% before sleep and consider turning on Charging Reminders to receive notifications if the battery is low.

Once sleep tracking is enabled, users can wear their Apple Watch to bed, ensuring it is unlocked and has wrist detection turned on if a passcode is set. The Apple Watch will then use the sleep schedule or Sleep Focus to determine when the user is sleeping. During this time, it will track sleep by detecting movements and phone usage, estimating the different stages of sleep.

The Sleep app on the Apple Watch provides insights into sleep stages, time asleep, sleep trends, and monthly and yearly highlights. It also displays the user's heart rate during the night. Additionally, third-party apps like SleepWatch, Sleep Cycle, and AutoSleep offer more advanced sleep analysis, providing features such as smart alarms, bedtime suggestions, and sleep scores. These apps can be downloaded from the App Store and synced with the Apple Watch.

It is important to note that the Apple Watch's sleep tracking may not always be completely accurate, and issues with recording sleep data have been reported by some users. However, by following the setup instructions and ensuring the watch is charged and properly configured, users can maximise the chances of accurate sleep tracking.

Apple Watch's Health app

The Apple Watch has a built-in sleep tracker, which can be used to track sleep. The Health app on the iPhone can help you set a sleep goal and create a customised sleep schedule. To access the sleep tracking feature on the Health app, tap "Browse" at the bottom of the screen, then tap "Sleep". If you have Sleep saved to your Favourites list, you can access it from the Summary page in the Health app. Tap “Full Schedule & Options”, then “Wind Down” or “Sleep Goal” under “Additional Details”. Adjust your time, then tap “Wind Down” or “Sleep Goal” to save your changes.

To ensure that your Apple Watch will track your sleep, you need to configure your Watch-specific sleep settings in the Watch app. Open the Health app, and at the bottom of the screen, tap "Manage Sleep with Apple Watch". This will send you to the Watch app. Turn on "Track Sleep with Apple Watch". The Apple Watch will use the sleep schedule to know when you might be sleeping. During this time, it uses your movements and your phone usage to detect whether you are sleeping and to estimate the stage of sleep you are in.

Third-party apps such as Sleep Cycle, SleepWatch, and AutoSleep can also be used to track sleep on the Apple Watch. These apps can be downloaded from the App Store.

Apple Watch sleep tracking accuracy

The Apple Watch has a built-in sleep tracking feature, which can be used to measure and record the number of times you breathe in a minute, as well as your nightly wrist temperature. However, it should be noted that the sleep tracking feature is not available on watches that were set up using Apple Watch For Your Kids.

To enable sleep tracking on your Apple Watch, you need to configure your Watch-specific sleep settings in the Watch app. You can do this by opening the Health app on your iPhone and tapping "Browse" at the bottom of the screen, then tapping "Sleep". From there, you can adjust your wind-down and sleep goal as needed. To enable tracking, simply turn on "Track Sleep with Apple Watch" in the Watch app. It is recommended that you also turn on Charging Reminders so that the Watch can notify you to charge it before bedtime if your battery is low.

In terms of accuracy, the Apple Watch has been shown to be the best performer when compared to 37 other devices, although no app or watch can accurately measure sleep stages. They are all based on algorithms and are simply making their best guess. The Apple Watch is about 85% accurate for deep sleep detection and less accurate for REM sleep. It is important to note that the accuracy of sleep tracking also depends on individual factors such as BMI, sleep efficiency, and the apnea-hypopnea index.

There are also third-party apps available for sleep tracking on the Apple Watch, such as Sleep Cycle and AutoSleep, which may offer different features and accuracy levels. However, some users have reported discrepancies in sleep tracking results between the Apple Watch built-in feature and third-party apps like AutoSleep, with the Apple Watch reporting significantly lower amounts of deep sleep.

Frequently asked questions