Deep Sleep Tracking: Apple Watch Secrets Revealed

The Apple Watch can be used to track your sleep and monitor how much time you spend in each sleep stage: REM, Core, and Deep sleep. To do this, wear your watch to bed and open the Sleep app in the morning to see your sleep data. You can also use third-party sleep trackers like SleepWatch, Sleep++, and Pillow to track sleep on Apple Watch automatically. However, it's important to note that the Apple Watch won't monitor your sleep automatically unless you enable sleep tracking and set a schedule. Additionally, the watch needs to be charged to at least 30% before bed for accurate results.

Setting up sleep tracking on your Apple Watch

To set up sleep tracking on your Apple Watch, you will need to ensure your Apple Watch is charged to at least 30% before going to bed. You will also need to enable sleep tracking on your Apple Watch. This can be done by opening the Health app on your iPhone and tapping 'Browse' at the bottom of the screen, then tapping 'Sleep' and following the on-screen instructions. You can also create a sleep schedule, which can be done by opening the Health app on your iPhone, tapping 'Get Started' under 'Set Up Sleep', and then tapping 'Next'. Here, you can set a sleep goal (the number of hours you would like to sleep), your bedtime, and wake-up times.

You can also set up Sleep Focus, which reduces distractions on your iPhone and Apple Watch by simplifying your Lock Screen. You can also set a reminder for when to start winding down before bed, which will also turn on Sleep Focus. Additionally, you can turn on Charging Reminders to remind you to charge your watch before your wind-down time and notify you when it is fully charged.

Once you have enabled sleep tracking, you can wear your Apple Watch to bed, and it will track your sleep. In the morning, you can open the Sleep app on your watch to see how much sleep you got and your sleep trends over the past 14 days. You can also view your sleep data in the Health app on your iPhone.

Viewing your sleep data

To view your sleep data, you must first ensure that sleep tracking is enabled on your Apple Watch. You can do this by opening the Health app on your iPhone, tapping “Browse”, then tapping “Sleep”, and finally tapping “Get Started” under “Set Up Sleep”.

Once sleep tracking is enabled, you can view your sleep data by opening the Sleep app on your Apple Watch. Here, you can turn the Digital Crown to view your sleep data, including your Sleep Stages data (REM, Core, and Deep sleep), Time Asleep, and Sleep Duration for the last 14 days.

If you have an Apple Watch Series 3 or later with watchOS 8 or later, you can also view your respiratory rate data. This can be accessed by opening the Health app on your iPhone or iPad and tapping “Browse” or “Sidebar”, then tapping “Respiratory” and “Respiratory Rate”.

Additionally, you can view your sleep history and gain insights by opening the Sleep app and scrolling down to see the time spent in each sleep stage, including Awake, REM, Core, and Deep sleep. You can also view your heart rate and respiratory rate data alongside your sleep time for deeper insights.

It is important to note that the Apple Watch does not automatically monitor your sleep if sleep tracking is not enabled. However, you can use third-party sleep trackers, such as SleepWatch, Sleep++, Auto Sleep, and Pillow, to track your sleep automatically without a schedule.

Understanding sleep stages

Sleep is an essential part of life, and healthy sleep consists of distinct stages. The Apple Watch can help you track your sleep and understand your sleep patterns better.

The Apple Watch uses signals from the built-in accelerometer and heart rate sensor to detect movement and keep a check on sleep stages. It can track the time spent in different sleep stages, including REM, Core, and Deep Sleep. REM sleep is indicated by a Light Blue Dot, Core sleep by a Blue Dot, and Deep Sleep by an Indigo Blue Dot.

Understanding these sleep stages can give you valuable insights into your sleep quality. Sleep consists of two main phases: rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. NREM sleep is further divided into three stages: N1, N2, and N3, with each stage leading to progressively deeper sleep. N1 is when a person first falls asleep, and it normally lasts just one to seven minutes. During this stage, the body and brain activities start to slow down, but the body has not fully relaxed, and it is easy to wake someone up. N2 is when the body enters a more subdued state, with a drop in temperature, relaxed muscles, and slower breathing and heart rate. N3 is the deepest sleep stage, and it is the most challenging to wake someone up during this stage.

A typical night's sleep consists of 4 to 5 sleep cycles, with the progression of sleep stages in the following order: N1, N2, N3, N2, REM. The duration of each sleep stage can vary, and it evolves as individuals age, reflecting a decline in the overall biological necessity for sleep.

Improving deep sleep

To track deep sleep on your Apple Watch, you need to have watchOS 8 or later installed. You can then enable sleep tracking and set a sleep schedule on your Apple Watch or iPhone.

To get started, wear your watch to bed and ensure it is charged to at least 30% before sleep. You can also set up a sleep goal, a bedtime reminder, and a wind-down period. When you wake up, open the Sleep app on your watch to see your sleep data, including the time spent in each sleep stage: REM, Core, and Deep sleep.

Now that you know how to track your deep sleep, here are some tips to improve it:

Deep sleep, also known as slow-wave sleep, is a crucial restorative phase for the body and mind. It is essential for a healthier and more productive life, improving cognitive function, emotional well-being, and physical restoration. Here are some tips to help you increase your deep sleep:

• Consistent Sleep Schedule: Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This helps to regulate your internal body clock and enhance the quality of your sleep.
• Optimize Your Sleep Environment: Make your bedroom comfortable and conducive to rest. Keep the room cool (around 65°F or 18°C), dark (using blackout curtains or an eye mask), and quiet (using white noise or earplugs if necessary).
• Limit Screen Time Before Bed: The blue light emitted by phones, computers, and other screens can disrupt your sleep patterns. Try to avoid screens for at least an hour before bedtime.
• Regular Exercise: Engage in regular physical activity, especially morning workouts or sunlight exposure, to regulate your circadian rhythm and promote better sleep. However, avoid intense workouts too close to bedtime.
• Dietary Considerations: Avoid heavy meals, caffeine, and alcohol close to bedtime as they can interfere with deep sleep. Alcohol and caffeine can disrupt your sleep quality and reduce the amount of deep sleep you get.
• Relaxation Techniques: Practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, yoga, or reading to reduce stress and improve sleep quality. Engaging in calming activities before bed can help signal to your body that it's time to wind down.
• Limit Naps: While short naps can be refreshing, long or irregular daytime naps can negatively impact your nighttime deep sleep.

Third-party sleep tracking apps

Third-party sleep-tracking apps can be used to track deep sleep on your Apple Watch automatically without a schedule. These apps include:

• SleepWatch
• Sleep++
• Auto Sleep
• Pillow
• BetterSleep
• Napbot
• Sleep Cycle
• ShutEye

These apps can be used to track sleep on your Apple Watch, and know how much time you spent in REM, Core, and Deep Sleep stages. The data can also be analysed alongside your heart rate and respiratory data for deeper insights.

For example, in AutoSleep, you can switch between Apple Sleep Stages and the sleep graph to monitor your sleep stage. This accounts for noise, heart rate, blood oxygen, etc. AutoSleep can help to better identify what might be affecting your sleep, such as deep sleep times.

Another example is the Sleep Cycle app, which some users claim provides a slightly deeper analysis of their sleep than the Apple Watch.

To enable sleep tracking on third-party apps, you will need to enable 'Track Sleep with Apple Watch' in the settings.

Frequently asked questions