Apple Watch Sleep Tracking: Accurate Or Not?

The Apple Watch is a popular device for tracking sleep, with several apps available to help you monitor your sleep cycles. The watch can estimate the amount of time spent in REM, core sleep, and deep sleep, as well as track movement disturbances and heart rate. However, the battery life of the Apple Watch has been criticised as not ideal for sleep tracking, with some users reporting that their watch died overnight. Additionally, some users have questioned the accuracy of the sleep tracking data, as it tends to show a longer total time asleep than the actual time spent in bed. Despite this, the Apple Watch is still a convenient way to track your sleep and can provide insights to help you optimise your sleep quality.

The Apple Watch can track sleep

To track your sleep using an Apple Watch, you must first set up a sleep schedule within the Sleep app. This involves specifying a bedtime and wake-up time, as well as enabling the "Sleep Focus" mode, which limits distractions before bed and protects your sleep after you're in bed. You can also set a reminder to charge your watch before your wind-down time.

Once you've set up your sleep schedule, simply wear your Apple Watch to bed, and it will automatically start tracking your sleep. The watch uses motion and heart rate sensors to detect when you fall asleep and will continue tracking throughout the night.

In the morning, you can check the Sleep app on your watch to see how much sleep you got, the time spent in each sleep stage, and your sleep average over the last 14 days. You can also view more detailed sleep data, such as your heart rate and respiratory rate, by opening the Health app on your paired iPhone.

It's important to note that the Apple Watch must be charged and have sufficient battery life to track your sleep accurately. Additionally, for the most accurate results, ensure that your watch fits comfortably on your wrist.

Third-party apps can enhance sleep tracking

The Apple Watch is a powerful sleep-tracking tool with built-in capabilities that have improved over time. However, the Apple Watch ecosystem also offers a range of third-party apps that can enhance sleep tracking and provide richer, more insightful statistics. These apps expand the feature set beyond the standard watchOS experience.

One popular third-party sleep tracking app for the Apple Watch is AutoSleep, which is favoured by Wareable. It provides a sleep rating and a readiness score in addition to the standard sleep duration metric. It also reports the amount of deep sleep and keeps track of your nightly heart rate. AutoSleep is better suited for those aiming for a consistent 8-hour sleep goal and building good habits rather than delving into granular sleep science.

Another third-party app, Sleep Pulse 3, is a fully-featured standalone sleep app for the Apple Watch. It tracks your heart rate and motion, and provides a sleep view that shows your resting heart rate and how long you've been sleeping when you wake up during the night. Sleep Pulse 3 performs all the sleep analysis on the Watch, not on your phone.

SleepWatch is another dedicated sleep tracking app mentioned in a user forum. This app may help address the issue of the watch battery dying during sleep tracking, which is a common problem with other apps.

SleepScore is another sleep tracking app that is known for its specific and easy-to-understand privacy policy. The technology behind SleepScore is based on more than 12 years of scientific research and is recommended by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. SleepScore stores information in controlled facilities rather than on third-party servers, providing an additional layer of security for your data.

The watch must be snug to collect sleep data

The Apple Watch can be used to track sleep and uses motion and heart rate sensors to provide data about sleep duration, sleep stages, heart rate, and respiratory rate. The watch uses an algorithm developed through machine learning to analyze the information according to parameters from clinical sleep studies. It then displays the results. This data includes time spent in each sleep stage, blood oxygen level, heart rate, and respiratory rate.

To get the most accurate results when wearing your watch to sleep, it is important to wear your Apple Watch at a comfortable fit. If your watch is too loose, the accelerometer might register too much movement during your natural sleep. This can affect the accuracy of the data collected.

To ensure a snug fit, adjust the band to your wrist size. The watch should be snug but comfortable, allowing for a finger-width of space between your wrist and the band. You can also try moving the watch higher or lower on your wrist to find the most comfortable position.

Additionally, it is recommended to enable the Charging Reminders function, as the Apple Watch must be charged to collect information. You can set up reminders to charge your watch before your wind-down time and receive notifications when your watch is fully charged. This will help ensure that your watch has enough battery life to track your sleep throughout the night.

The watch's battery life impacts sleep tracking

The Apple Watch's battery life is an important consideration when using the device to track sleep. While the watch can provide valuable insights into sleep patterns and duration, its battery life is a limiting factor.

To ensure accurate sleep tracking, the Apple Watch must be worn throughout the night, and a minimum of one hour of tracking is required to receive data. This extended use can result in a significant drain on the battery, especially if the device is not fully charged before sleep. Inadequate battery life can lead to incomplete or missing sleep data, as the tracking function may stop prematurely if the battery dies during the night.

To mitigate this issue, users are advised to enable charging reminders, which prompt them to charge their watch before their designated wind-down time. Additionally, charging the watch during the day, such as while in the shower or during downtime, can help ensure it has sufficient battery life to last through the night.

It is worth noting that the Apple Watch's battery life can vary depending on usage patterns and other factors. Some users have reported that the watch requires charging twice a day, especially if it is used extensively during the day. Therefore, it is essential for users to develop a charging routine that aligns with their sleep tracking goals.

By actively managing the Apple Watch's battery life, users can ensure that their device has enough power to track their sleep effectively. This enables them to take advantage of the sleep tracking features and gain valuable insights into their sleep patterns, ultimately helping them work towards improving their sleep quality.

Sleep tracking data may be inaccurate

Sleep tracking is available on watchOS 8 or later. The Apple Watch can track sleep and wake you up with an alarm. It can also track your breathing rate as you sleep, which can give you insights into your overall health. However, sleep tracking data may be inaccurate for several reasons.

Firstly, the watch must be charged to at least 30% before you go to bed. If the watch battery dies, it will not track your sleep data. Additionally, if the watch is too loose, the accelerometer may register too much movement during your natural sleep, leading to inaccurate data.

The presence of other people or pets in the same home can also impact sleep duration, sleep onset, and sleep quality. For example, a shared breakfast with others might be the main reason for getting up, even if one does not feel rested. Irregular sleep patterns and frequent movement during sleep can interfere with the watch's ability to track sleep data accurately.

Furthermore, sound interference in the sleep environment from electronic devices such as sound machines, fans, TVs, and stereos can also cause inaccuracies. It is recommended to turn off all electronic devices that emit noise throughout the night for the best results.

Lastly, multiple sleep-tracking apps in the same room can cause issues with data accuracy. It is advised to use only one app per room to avoid potential interference.

Frequently asked questions