Sleep2 min read
How to Get the Most From Sleep Tracking on Apple Watch
A few small changes make your Apple Watch a far better sleep tracker. Here is what to do tonight.
By the inbeat team
SleepYour Apple Watch can track your sleep stages, your heart through the night, your breathing and more. But the data is only as good as the habits around it.
These seven tips make a real difference.
1. Charge it before bed, not overnight
The most common reason for a missing night is a flat battery. Top it up while you shower, eat dinner or get ready for bed, and it will easily last until the morning.
2. Set up a sleep schedule
In the Health app, a sleep schedule tells your watch when you plan to sleep and turns on Sleep Focus. It also nudges you towards a regular bedtime, which matters almost as much as the hours themselves.
3. Wear it snug, not tight
The sensors need to stay in contact with your skin. A band comfortable enough to forget, but not loose enough to slide around, gives the cleanest readings.
4. Know what the stages mean
Your watch splits the night into awake, REM, core and deep sleep. Deep sleep is when your body does much of its physical repair; REM is linked to memory and mood. Waking briefly a few times a night is completely normal.
5. Look at your night vitals
Sleeping heart rate, breathing rate, blood oxygen and, on newer models, wrist temperature are measured while you sleep. On their own they vary; against your own normal they can hint at an oncoming cold, stress or a hard training day.
6. Keep the room cool, dark and quiet
Your watch can’t change your bedroom, but your bedroom changes your data. A slightly cool, dark and quiet room makes deep, unbroken sleep far more likely.
7. Watch the trend, not one night
Every tracker gets the odd night wrong. Look at your averages over a week or two, and at how your nights change after late meals, alcohol or evening workouts.
How inbeat reads your sleepGood sleep data starts with small habits. Charge early, keep a schedule, wear it well, and your Apple Watch becomes one of the best sleep tools you own.
