Sleep tracking apps have become increasingly popular in recent years, with many people turning to technology to help them understand their sleep patterns and improve their overall sleep quality. While there are a variety of sleep tracking devices and apps available on the market, Apple Watch users are often curious about whether they can use their wearable device to track their sleep. The short answer is yes – there are several sleep tracking apps available for the Apple Watch, and the watch's built-in Sleep app also offers some basic sleep tracking features.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Track sleep | Wear your Apple Watch to bed to track your sleep |
| Sleep schedules | Create sleep schedules to help you meet your sleep goals |
| Sleep data | View your sleep history through the Health app on your iPhone or iPad |
| Sleep tracking | Uses your motion to detect sleep when you wear Apple Watch to bed |
| Sleep Focus | Limits distractions before you go to bed and protects your sleep after you’re in bed |
| Sleep tracking apps | Sleep Cycle, SleepWatch, AutoSleep |
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What You'll Learn

Sleep tracking apps for Apple Watch
There are several sleep-tracking apps for Apple Watches, including the Sleep app, Sleep Cycle, SleepWatch, and AutoSleep.
The Sleep app on Apple Watch allows you to create sleep schedules and goals to help you meet your sleep targets. By wearing your watch to bed, the app can estimate the time spent in each sleep stage: REM, Core, and Deep sleep. It can also track when you wake up and provides a Sleep Focus mode to reduce distractions before bedtime.
Sleep Cycle is another option, offering intelligent alarm clock features that wake you up gently during your lightest sleep phase. It provides detailed sleep pattern analyses, detects sounds like snoring and coughing, and offers additional features such as sleep sounds and meditations.
SleepWatch is a free app that acts as an all-in-one sleep tracker and digital sleep coach. It automatically tracks your sleep, makes suggestions, and personalizes your sleep journey. Upon waking, you receive a personalized sleep report and customized tips for improvement.
AutoSleep is a fully automatic sleep-tracking app that requires no buttons to be pressed. It tracks your sleep and quality when wearing your Apple Watch to bed and can even track your time in bed if you don't wear the watch while sleeping. It provides various functions, including sleep duration, sleep rating, sleep rings, sleep analysis, and more.
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Sleep tracking with Apple Watch: setup and requirements
Sleep tracking is available on Apple Watches with watchOS 8 or later. To track your sleep, you must first enable the 'Sleep' function on your Apple Watch. This option is available during setup if you've paired your Apple Watch with your iPhone beforehand. If you pair your Apple Watch after setup, you can still turn on 'Sleep' later.
To enable 'Sleep' during setup, first pair your Apple Watch with your iPhone. Then, open the Health app on your iPhone and tap 'Browse' at the bottom of the screen. Next, tap 'Sleep' and then Full Schedule & Options. Tap 'Wind Down' or 'Sleep Goal' under 'Additional Details' and adjust your time. Tap 'Wind Down' or 'Sleep Goal' again to save your changes. Finally, open the Sleep app and tap the 'sleep-alarm-icon' in the upper-left corner.
If you want to enable 'Sleep' after setup, open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and tap the 'My Watch' tab. Then, tap 'Sleep' and turn on 'Track Sleep with Apple Watch'.
To receive sleep data, your Apple Watch must be enabled for sleep tracking and you must wear it for at least one hour each night. If you don't wear your Apple Watch to sleep, your graph might not show any data. Make sure your Apple Watch is charged to at least 30% before bed with Sleep Tracking enabled.
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Sleep tracking with Apple Watch: viewing sleep data
The Apple Watch has a built-in sleep tracker, which can be used to view sleep data. To enable this feature, you must turn on "Track Sleep with Apple Watch". This will allow the watch to track your sleep and add sleep data to the Health app on your iPhone.
To view your sleep history, open the Health app on your iPhone or iPad. If you're using an iPhone, tap "Browse" at the bottom of the screen. If you're using an iPad, tap the sidebar to open it. Then, tap "Sleep". If you have saved Sleep as a favourite, you can access it from the Summary page in the Health app. The bar graph is set to "D" for daily by default. Tap "W" to view your sleep history for the past week, "M" for the past month, or "6M" for the past six months. You can also tap "Show More Sleep Data" and select a category to review additional sleep details. This includes the time and percentage you spent awake or in REM, Core, or Deep sleep.
You can also view your sleep data on your Apple Watch. Open the Sleep app on your watch, then turn the Digital Crown to view your Sleep Stages data, Time Asleep, and your Sleep Duration for the last 14 days. With Apple Watch Series 3 or later with watchOS 8, you can also measure and track your Respiratory Rate.
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Sleep tracking with Apple Watch: troubleshooting
Sleep tracking is available on watchOS 8 or later. To track your sleep using an Apple Watch, you must wear it to bed for at least one hour each night. If you don't wear your Apple Watch to sleep, your graph might not show any data.
Troubleshooting
If your Apple Watch is not tracking your sleep, there are several steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue:
- Ensure that your Apple Watch is charged to at least 30% before going to bed. If your battery dies, it won't track your sleep data.
- Check that you have set up a sleep schedule to automatically enable Sleep Focus. It is possible that if your watch was in Do Not Disturb mode instead of Sleep Focus, this may have impacted its ability to track your sleep.
- Make sure that Track Sleep is turned on in the Watch app.
- Check that Wrist Detection is turned on in the Watch app. The watch needs to be able to record your heart rate to determine what stages of sleep you are in.
- Ensure that your watch is unlocked before you go to bed.
- If you are using a sleep schedule, check that Sleep Focus is turned on at your scheduled bedtime.
- If you are using a third-party sleep tracking app, such as AutoSleep, check that it is compatible with your Apple Watch model and iOS version.
- Try powering your Apple Watch and iPhone off and on again, and reset and repair the watch.
- Contact Apple Support for further assistance.
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Sleep tracking with Apple Watch: alternative devices
The Apple Watch does have sleep-tracking capabilities. However, if you are looking for alternative devices to track your sleep, there are several options available.
One option is the Oura Ring 4, which is a lightweight and comfortable smart ring that provides a wealth of sleep data through its app. It offers insights into sleep efficiency, restfulness, readiness, and latency. The Oura Ring also supplements its data points with explanations behind the numbers, providing deeper insight into your sleep patterns.
Another alternative is the Pixel Watch 3, which has been praised for its elegant design, excellent accuracy, and compact size. The Pixel Watch offers a Sleep Score out of 100, allowing you to easily understand your sleep quality. It also does a good job of tracking naps and provides insights into your sleep stages and blood oxygen saturation throughout the night.
Additionally, you can consider the Sleep Cycle app, which works with your iPhone. This app provides a detailed analysis of your sleep patterns, detects sounds like snoring and coughing, and offers features like relaxing sleep sounds and meditations. It also gently wakes you during your lightest sleep phase, helping you feel more energised in the morning.
Other options include the Epix Pro by Garmin, which takes into account factors like duration, stress, and the amount of sleep you get. It also incorporates other biometrics, such as detecting when caffeine or alcohol affect your heart rate variability and sleep quality.
Lastly, if you prefer a non-wearable alternative, the Eight Sleep Pod 4 Cover and Hub is a mattress cover that regulates your temperature, providing a comfortable sleeping environment.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, there are several sleep tracker apps for the Apple Watch. Some of the popular ones are Sleep Cycle, SleepWatch, and AutoSleep.
The Sleep Cycle app provides a detailed analysis of your sleep patterns, detects sounds like snoring and coughing, and offers premium features like relaxing sleep sounds and sleep stories. It also has a smart alarm clock that wakes you up gently during your lightest sleep phase.
The Apple Watch uses motion detection to track your sleep when you wear it to bed. It can estimate the time spent in different sleep stages such as REM, Core, and Deep sleep. The Sleep app on the Apple Watch also allows you to create sleep schedules and set sleep goals.
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