How to Track Sleep on Apple Watch in a Few Quick Steps (With Photos)

Are you a night owl who can’t seem to shake off that groggy feeling in the morning? Do you ever wonder if you’re getting enough shut-eye or if you’re just tossing and turning all night? Well, wonder no more! With the power of technology, tracking your sleep on your Apple Watch has never been easier.

Gone are the days of scribbling down notes on a notepad before bed, or relying on your iPhone to set a sleep schedule. The release of WatchOS 9 brought about a game-changer in the world of sleep tracking – the Sleep Stages feature. This feature allows the Apple Watch to give you a detailed breakdown of your sleep patterns, including how much time you spent in REM, Core, and Deep sleep during the night, as well as the time you were awake.

So, say goodbye to grogginess and hello to a well-rested you! With the Sleep app on your Apple Watch, you’ll have all the information you need to ensure you’re getting the best possible sleep. Trust us — your morning self will thank you!

How to Create a Routine for Your Sleep from an iPhone?

Follow these steps to set up a sleep routine from your phone.

1. Open the Built-In Health App

Open the built-in Health app on your phone.

2. Select the Option Labeled Browse

In the lower-right-hand corner of the screen, tap on “Browse.”

3. Click on Sleep

Go to the bottom of the page and click on Sleep.

4. Click on the Sleep Schedule

Click on the Sleep Schedule option under the tab “Your Schedule.“

5. Enable the Sleep Schedule Feature

If the Sleep Schedule feature is not already active, press the switch to move it into the green ON position.

6. Set Your First Schedule

Under “Full Schedule,” press Set Your First Schedule.

7. Disable Sleep Schedule If Needed

To disable the Sleep Schedule on any day of the week, click any of the blue circles that are located under the heading “Days Active.”

8. Move the Sleep Block

To extend the sleep block around the clock graphic, use your finger to move the ends of the block. This determines not just when you go to bed but also when you wake up in the morning.

9. Turn the Alarm On or Off

Scroll all the way down to discover the options for your Alarm. To turn the alarm on or off, use the switch that is located next to the “Wake Up Alarm.” 

10. Change Alarm Settings

If the alarm is turned on, you may change the level using the slider, choose the vibration and sound you want to receive using the Sounds & Haptics menu, and enable a snooze by using the switch labeled “Snooze.”

11. Click the Add Button

When you are finished, click the Add button in the upper-right corner of the screen.

12. Add Schedule for Other Days

To add a different plan for various days, such as the weekend, touch the Add Schedule for Other Days option.

13. Modify Selections

Then modify your selections as stated in the stages that came before this one.

Track Sleep on Apple Watch: Modify or Add Your Own Sleep Schedule

To modify or add your sleep schedule, open the Sleep app and click on the Full Schedule button. After this, follow these steps:

1. To modify a sleep schedule, click on the Current Schedule
2. Then change the days, wake time, and bedtime.
3. To add a sleep schedule, click on the option for Add Schedule.

4. To modify your goal for sleep, click Sleep Goal, then set the duration you want to spend sleeping.
5. To modify your wind-down time, click on the option labeled Wind Down.
6. Then set the duration you want Sleep Focus to be active before bedtime.
7. To change your wind-down time, click on the Sleep Goal option, then set the amount of time you want to Sleep.
8. Click on the Current Schedule button, and scroll to the bottom of the screen.
9. Then select Delete Schedule to delete or cancel a scheduled event.

How to Adjust Your Sleeping Arrangements?

1. Launch the Settings app on your personal device

2. Navigate to the Sleep section and make any necessary adjustments (Turn on the option for Wind Down, then Sleep Screen, and lastly, Show Time) 

3. Sleep Tracking and Charging reminders can be on or deactivated

Detailed Instructions on How to See Your Current Sleep History

To view your sleep stats from the previous night, open the Sleep app on your device and scroll to the bottom of the screen. You’ll find a wealth of information, including the total amount of sleep you received, the breakdown of the different levels of sleep you experienced, and your average sleep over the last two weeks. With this data at your fingertips, you’ll clearly understand your sleep patterns and can make informed decisions to improve your rest.

How Reliable are the Sleep Metrics on the Apple Watch?

Is it reliable to track sleep on Apple Watch? Many reviews find that the sleep data provided by the Apple Watch Series 8 is quite accurate in terms of the duration of sleep and the times of wakefulness during the night. While it may be challenging to determine the exact order of the sleep stages, REM sleep was identified as the stage when you’re likely to dream. The data seemed to match up with what one would typically experience during REM sleep.

However, it can be difficult to determine the accuracy of the other stages as it’s hard to determine the accuracy of the stages in general. Our website has a dedicated section on sleep monitoring and interpreting the data.

In short, throughout the night, your body goes through four phases of sleep- awake, light, deep, and REM sleep. When you wake up, your body needs a balance of all these stages to recover, rebuild, and give you the feeling of being well-rested. It is believed that light sleep improves learning and memory, deep sleep aids physical healing, and REM sleep supports cognitive function and creativity. If you want to learn more about tracking your sleep and what it means, check out our dedicated section on the website.

Which Versions Let You Track Sleep on Apple Watch?

To take advantage of the advanced sleep-tracking capabilities on the Apple Watch, you’ll need an Apple Watch Series 4 or later, as well as WatchOS 9 installed. The Watch Series 3 is not compatible with WatchOS 9, so it won’t be able to access these features. While all Apple Watch models from Series 3 and later have basic sleep tracking features, the Series 4 and later models offer more sophisticated monitoring of sleep.

If you want to track your sleep and differentiate between the different stages, you’ll need one of the following versions:

• Apple Watch 4th Series
• Apple Watch 5th Series
• Apple Watch 6th Series
• Apple Watch 7th Series
• Apple Watch 8th Series
• Apple Watch SE
• Apple Watch Ultra

Track Sleep on Apple Watch: Pro Tips 

We have gathered a few pro tips to help you get the most out of your Apple Watch’s sleep-tracking capabilities.

Use Do Not Disturb

If you want to ensure that any alerts from your Watch don’t wake you up while you’re sleeping, set “Do Not Disturb” so that it activates automatically during the hours you normally spend in bed. 

This may be set up on the iPhone Watch App by going to the My Watch menu, selecting the option for General, and then selecting the “Do Not Disturb” option.

Use Cinema Mode

We also recommend using “Cinema Mode” while sleeping to keep your watch’s screen black until you wake up.

Take Advantage of the Latest Features

If you want to track sleep on Apple Watch and get the most out of your experience, you’ll want to take advantage of the latest features. If you upgrade to the latest Apple Watch version, you’ll have access to additional features such as:

Using the smart alarm feature on your Apple Watch to wake yourself up during a light stage of sleep, as many people find this easier to wake up from.

Adaptive bedtime suggestions, which learn your pattern and offer tailored bedtime ideas to optimize your sleep cycle.

A daily and monthly Sleep Watch Score that reflects your sleep in an easy-to-monitor number, providing a simple way to track your sleep.

While we can’t make any claims about the health benefits of the app, including its ability to treat insomnia, you can use it to monitor key aspects of your sleep.

Consider upgrading to Premium to access these extra features and have more control over your sleep monitoring.