Troubleshooting Apple Watch's Sleep Tracking Function

If your Apple Watch isn't tracking your sleep, there are several possible reasons. Firstly, it's important to ensure that sleep tracking is enabled on both your iPhone and Apple Watch. You should also check that your watch is set to “use this watch for sleep” and that the Track Sleep with Apple Watch slider is turned on. Additionally, your watch needs to record at least four hours of sleep each night for the data to appear in the Health app. Therefore, it's crucial to make sure your watch is charged to at least 30% before going to bed. A loose-fitting watch can also affect sleep tracking, so ensure that your watch is snug but comfortable on your wrist. If these suggestions don't solve the issue, you may need to restart both devices or unpair and reset your watch.

Ensure the Track Sleep with Apple Watch setting is enabled

If your Apple Watch is not tracking your sleep, you may need to enable the "Track Sleep with Apple Watch" setting. This can be done in the Watch app on your iPhone.

Firstly, open the Watch app on your iPhone and tap the "My Watch" tab. Then, tap "Sleep" and toggle on "Track Sleep with Apple Watch". This will ensure that your Apple Watch is set up to track your sleep.

In addition to enabling this setting, you should also ensure that you have a sleep schedule set up. This can be done in the Health app on your iPhone. Open the Health app and tap "Browse" at the bottom of the screen, then tap "Sleep". Here, you can create a personalized sleep schedule by setting your bedtime and wake-up times. You can also enable Sleep Focus to reduce distractions on your iPhone and Apple Watch during your scheduled sleep time.

If you have Sleep Focus enabled, make sure it is on for at least 4 hours. Additionally, ensure that your Apple Watch is charged to at least 30% before going to bed, as a low battery can interfere with sleep tracking. Also, make sure that your Apple Watch fits snugly but comfortably on your wrist, as a loose fit can prevent the sensors from accurately detecting your sleep patterns.

By following these steps, you can ensure that the "Track Sleep with Apple Watch" setting is enabled and that your Apple Watch is properly set up to track your sleep.

Check your watch is charged to at least 30%

If your Apple Watch is not tracking your sleep, one of the things you should do is check your watch's battery life. A low battery can interfere with sleep tracking, so make sure your Apple Watch is charged to at least 30% before going to bed. Apple recommends a 30% charge to see you through the night, and if your watch battery dies, it won't track your sleep data.

To ensure your Apple Watch is adequately charged, you can turn on Charging Reminders. On your iPhone, open the Watch app, tap the My Watch tab, then tap Sleep. Now, tap Charging Reminders to turn on a reminder on your Apple Watch to charge before your Wind Down time.

Additionally, you can give your Apple Watch a quick blast on the charger before bed to top up the battery. If your Apple Watch is not tracking your sleep despite having sufficient battery life, you might need to check other settings. For example, make sure that Sleep Focus is enabled and that it corresponds with your sleep schedule. You can do this by going to Health > Sleep > Full Schedule & Options and using the "Use Schedule for Sleep Focus" toggle. Alternatively, you can go to Settings > Focus > Sleep and tap "Schedule" to set your desired sleep times.

If you don't use Sleep Focus, you can still set up a sleep schedule in the Health app. Open the Health app, tap Browse at the bottom of the screen, then tap Sleep. From here, you can create a sleep schedule and enable sleep tracking. It's important to note that your Apple Watch needs to be worn during sleep for at least one hour each night to track your sleep accurately.

Make sure your watch fits comfortably

To ensure your Apple Watch is tracking your sleep, it is important to make sure your watch fits comfortably. A loose-fitting watch can prevent the sensors from accurately detecting your sleep patterns. The accelerometer might register too much movement during your natural sleep if the watch is too loose. Therefore, ensure that the back of the watch is in contact with your skin.

To make sure your watch fits comfortably, you can adjust the band. To do this, press the release button on the back of the watch to slide the band across to adjust it. You can also try switching the band for a different style or material that better suits your wrist. For example, the Solo Loop is a stretchable band without a clasp or buckle, which wraps comfortably and securely around your wrist.

Additionally, you can try the 'Check Your Apple Watch Band' feature in the Watch app on your iPhone. This feature will help you determine if your watch band is too tight or too loose. To do this, open the Watch app on your iPhone, tap the My Watch tab, then tap 'Wrist Fit'. Finally, tap 'Check Wrist Fit' and follow the instructions.

If you are still having issues with your Apple Watch not tracking your sleep, there are other factors to consider. Firstly, check that Sleep Focus is enabled on your iPhone and Apple Watch. You can also set up a sleep schedule to automatically enable Sleep Focus. Additionally, ensure that your Apple Watch is charged to at least 30% before going to bed.

Set up a sleep schedule

To set up a sleep schedule on your Apple Watch, you can follow these steps:

• Open the Health app on your iPhone and tap "Browse" at the bottom of the screen.
• Tap "Sleep" and then “Full Schedule & Options”.
• Tap "Wind Down" or "Sleep Goal" under "Additional Details" to adjust your sleep schedule. You can use the plus and minus buttons to adjust your sleep goal time.
• Tap "Wind Down" to set a reminder to charge your Apple Watch before your sleep schedule begins. This will ensure that your watch has enough battery life to track your sleep.
• Tap "Alarm" to turn on an alarm and adjust the sound, volume, and haptics.
• Tap "Done" to save your changes.

You can also set up a sleep schedule directly on your Apple Watch:

• Open the Sleep app on your Apple Watch.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to set up your sleep schedule.
• Tap "Add Schedule" to create a new sleep schedule.
• Tap "Sleep Goal" and set the amount of time you want to sleep.
• Tap "Wind Down" to set the amount of time you want Sleep Focus to be active before your scheduled bedtime. Sleep Focus turns off the watch display and limits distractions before bedtime.
• Tap "Active On" and select the days you want to set the sleep schedule for.
• Tap "Wake Up" or "Bedtime" and turn the Digital Crown to adjust the time.
• Tap the checkmark to save your changes.

It's important to note that your Apple Watch needs to record at least four hours of sleep each night to track your sleep accurately. Additionally, make sure that “Track Sleep with Apple Watch" is turned on in the Watch app on your iPhone.

Restart your watch and phone

If your Apple Watch is not tracking your sleep, you may need to restart your watch and phone. This is because communication breakdowns between devices can occur due to software bugs and glitches, which can be resolved by restarting the devices.

To restart your Apple Watch, hold down the side button and the Digital Crown simultaneously until the Apple logo appears. Once it has restarted, you can release the buttons.

To restart your iPhone, press and hold either volume button and the side button until the power-off slider appears. Drag the slider, then wait 30 seconds for your device to turn off. Press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.

It is recommended that you ensure your Apple Watch is set up correctly for sleep tracking before restarting your devices. To do this, open the Watch app on your iPhone and tap the My Watch tab. Then, tap Sleep and ensure that Track Sleep with Apple Watch is turned on. Additionally, check that your Sleep Focus engages with your sleep schedule. You can do this by going to Health > Sleep > Full Schedule & Options and using the "Use Schedule for Sleep Focus" toggle. Alternatively, you can go to Settings > Focus > Sleep and tap Schedule to set your desired times.

If restarting your watch and phone does not resolve the issue, you may need to try other troubleshooting methods, such as checking your sleep settings, ensuring your watch is charged, and verifying that your watch fits comfortably and snugly on your wrist.

Frequently asked questions