Tracking Sleep With Apple Watch: A Guide

The Apple Watch can be used to track your sleep and set up a sleep schedule. To enable sleep tracking, you need to configure your Watch-specific sleep settings in the Watch app. You can also set up a sleep goal, a bedtime reminder, and a wake-up alarm. The Apple Watch will then use your movement and phone usage to detect whether you're sleeping and to estimate the stages of your sleep. This data can be viewed in the Sleep app on your watch or the Sleep section of the Health app on your iPhone.

Setting up sleep tracking

To set up sleep tracking on your Apple Watch, you'll need to ensure your device is compatible and charged, and then follow these steps:

Firstly, open the Health app on your iPhone and tap 'Get Started' under 'Set Up Sleep'. Then, tap 'Next'. You will then be able to set a sleep goal, as well as a bedtime and wake-up time. You can also turn on Sleep Focus, which reduces distractions by simplifying your Lock Screen.

Next, you will need to set up sleep tracking on your Apple Watch. To do this, open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and tap 'My Watch', then 'Sleep'. Here, you can turn on 'Track Sleep with Apple Watch' and 'Charging Reminders', which will notify you to charge your watch before bedtime if your battery is low. You can also set up your Sleep Focus in the Settings app.

Once you have set up sleep tracking, you can view your sleep data in the Sleep app on your Apple Watch, or in the Sleep section of the Health app on your iPhone. To see your sleep history on your iPhone, open the Health app and tap 'Browse', then 'Sleep'. Here, you can view data on recent nights of sleep and edit your sleep schedule.

It is important to note that your Apple Watch needs to be charged to at least 30% before bed for sleep tracking to work. Additionally, you will need to wear your watch to bed for at least one hour each night.

Viewing sleep data

To view your sleep data on your Apple Watch, open the Sleep app on your watch and turn the Digital Crown to view your Sleep Stages data, Time Asleep, and your Sleep Duration for the last 14 days. You can also see your sleep data on your iPhone by opening the Health app. Tap Browse at the bottom of the screen, then tap Sleep. You can also tap Show More Sleep Data for more details, such as the average time spent in each sleep stage.

Your sleep data will show your sleep stages, with deep sleep at the bottom in purple, "core" (light) sleep in the middle in blue, REM higher up in lighter blue, and awake in orange at the top. The app will also show you your heart rate during the night, your sleep trend, and monthly and yearly highlights showing whether you're getting more or less sleep over time.

If you have an Apple Watch Series 8 or later, or any model of Apple Watch Ultra, you can also compare changes in your nightly wrist temperature data. With an Apple Watch Series 3 or later with watchOS 8, you can also measure and track your respiratory rate.

You can also view your sleep history by opening the Health app on your iPhone or iPad. Tap Browse at the bottom of the screen if you're on your iPhone, or tap the sidebar to open it if you're on your iPad. Tap Sleep. If you have Sleep saved as a favourite, you can access it from the Summary page in the Health app. The bar graph is set to daily by default. Tap W at the top of the chart to view your sleep history for the past week, M for the past month, or 6M for the past six months.

Using sleep tracking with a paired iPhone

To track your sleep using an Apple Watch, you must first pair it with your iPhone. The Sleep app on your Apple Watch will automatically track your sleep when you fall asleep with the watch on. The Sleep app will also allow you to set up reminders for charging. You can also use the Sleep app to set a sleep goal and create a customised sleep schedule.

On your iPhone, the sleep functions are part of the Health app. There is no dedicated Sleep app. Open the Health app, tap Browse, then tap Sleep. From here, you can view data on recent nights of sleep and set your sleep schedule for the future. At the bottom of this screen, you can edit your next sleep schedule or your full sleep schedule. This tells your phone when you’re planning on sleeping.

The Health app will also allow you to set up a Sleep schedule. Tap Manage Sleep with Apple Watch at the bottom of that screen. This sends you to the Watch app. Turn on Track Sleep with Apple Watch. Wear your Apple Watch to bed. It should be unlocked, and if you have a passcode, you’ll want wrist detection turned on. The Apple Watch will use the sleep schedule (or Sleep Focus, which you can turn on manually) to know when you might be sleeping. During this time, it uses your movements and your phone use to detect whether you’re sleeping and to estimate when you are in each stage of sleep.

To see your sleep on your watch, scroll down from the main watch face (using the digital crown, or swipe up with your finger) and you'll see a card in your Smart Stack with the previous night's sleep data. To see your sleep history on your iPhone, open the Health app, tap Browse, then tap Sleep. For more details—the average time you spent in each sleep stage, for example—tap Show More Sleep Data. Your Apple Watch can help track your breathing rate as you sleep, which can give you greater insight into your overall health.

Maximising efficiency and accuracy

To maximise efficiency and accuracy when tracking your sleep with an Apple Watch, there are several steps you can take. Firstly, ensure your Apple Watch is charged to at least 30% before going to bed. This is important because a low battery may disrupt sleep tracking or prevent the watch from functioning for the required duration. You can enable Charging Reminders to receive notifications when your watch needs charging.

Secondly, pair your Apple Watch with your iPhone before setting up sleep tracking. This will allow you to access and adjust your sleep data and settings via the Health app on your iPhone. The Health app will provide detailed sleep data, including sleep stages, sleep trends, and monthly and yearly highlights. It is also where you can set up and edit your sleep schedule and sleep goals.

Thirdly, configure your Watch-specific sleep settings in the Watch app. To do this, open the Health app, tap "Full Schedule & Options" on the Sleep screen, and then tap "Manage Sleep in the Apple Watch App" at the bottom of the screen. Here, you can turn on "Track Sleep with Apple Watch" and "Charging Reminders". Additionally, you can set up your Sleep Focus, which reduces distractions before bedtime and while you sleep.

Furthermore, to enhance accuracy, consider using an older Apple Watch model. Due to a patent dispute, the blood oxygen sensor, which improves sleep tracking accuracy, has been disabled on the Series 9 and Ultra 2 models. Therefore, older models with a functioning blood oxygen sensor, such as the Series 8 or the first-gen Ultra, may provide slightly more accurate sleep tracking data.

Lastly, wear your Apple Watch to bed for at least one hour each night. The watch uses motion detection to track your sleep, so it needs to be worn to provide accurate data. The watch can then estimate the time spent in each sleep stage and provide insights into your overall health, including your breathing rate and heart rate during sleep.

Stopping sleep tracking

If you no longer want to track your sleep using your Apple Watch, you can disable sleep tracking by following these steps:

• Open the Settings App: On your Apple Watch, locate and open the Settings app.
• Privacy & Security: In the Settings app, navigate to the "Privacy & Security" section.
• Health: Under Privacy & Security, select "Health".
• Turn Off Respiratory Rate: Tap on "Respiratory Rate" and turn it off. This will disable the tracking of your respiratory rate during sleep.
• Open Apple Watch App on iPhone: Alternatively, you can make changes from your iPhone. Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.
• Tap "My Watch": In the Apple Watch app, tap on "My Watch" to access the watch-related settings.
• Tap "Privacy": Scroll down and tap on "Privacy" to manage health-related permissions.
• Turn Off Respiratory Rate: Similar to the previous step, tap on "Respiratory Rate" and turn it off.

Disabling Sleep Tracking in the Health App:

• Open the Health App: On your iPhone, locate and open the Health app.
• Tap "Browse": At the bottom of the screen, tap on "Browse" to explore various health-related features.
• Tap "Sleep": From the list of options, select "Sleep" to access sleep-related settings.
• Manage Sleep Schedule: Tap on "Full Schedule & Options" and then tap on your current sleep schedule.
• Turn Off Sleep Schedule: You can now turn off your sleep schedule to disable sleep tracking.

It is important to note that disabling sleep tracking will stop your Apple Watch and iPhone from collecting sleep-related data, such as sleep duration, sleep stages, and respiratory rate. If you change your mind later, you can always enable sleep tracking again and set up your sleep goals and schedules.

Frequently asked questions