5 Tips For Tracking Your Sleep with Apple Watch
Appleâs Sleep App may be âall-newâ in the recently released watchOS 7, but sleep tracking on the Apple Watch is anything but new. There are dozens of free and premium third-party sleep tracking Watch apps. I, for one, have been monitoring my sleep with SleepWatch by Bodymatter (free to download) ever since I bought my Apple Watch Series 3 over Memorial Day Weekend in 2018â855 nights ago.
As someone who has worn an Apple Watch to bed for over two years, I did want to share a few tips for anyone new to smartphone- and smartwatch-based sleep tracking.
(1) Schedule it so it happens.
I have time blocks on my calendar for just about everything â including âSleepâ. Doing so helps me maintain a more regular sleep rhythm, which studies show positively impacts mood and function when awake. If you donât want to fuss with time blocking, Apple Watch makes scheduling your sleep a breeze â just turn on âSleep Scheduleâ and set your target weekday and weeknight bedtime.
(2) Track items that may have impacted your sleep.
Like in other parts of your life, itâs helpful to reflect on whatâs working and whatâs not working when it comes to your sleep. Thatâs why I like keeping a journal of my sleep â made easier by SleepWatchâs sleep anomaly detection feature that lists 60 items that may cause higher or lower quality sleep. Ask yourself questions like: Did you exercise close to bedtime? Were you disrupting by your pet in the middle of the night? Are you sleeping in a new bed? Did you eat a late meal?
Keeping track of what environmental items are impacting your sleep isnât part of the Apple-issued Sleep app. Instead, Apple provides âSleep Highlightsâ that tell you how consistent your sleeping has been over time. You can get these insights from the Health App using third-party apps too â just activate your app as a data source to allow it to update your sleep data.
(3) Charge your smart device before bed.
Your sleep wonât be tracked if your watch runs out of juice in the middle of the night. If you want to track your sleep with your Apple Watch, for example, youâll need to get in the habit of charging it throughout the day or at least for a short time before bed. This should be made easier thanks to watchOS 7âs automatic reminder to charge if your battery is below 30% near your target bedtime.
(4) Test out advanced settings and options, if available.
Third-party sleep tracking apps, like SleepWatch, offer the user a lot of data about their sleep and how it compares to other users from around the world. I find all of the metrics fun and, at times, insightful even. Over the past month, for example, according to my âSleep Report Cardâ (a premium SleepWatch feature), I got more sleep than 75% of all SleepWatch users. Looking at the breakdown of my sleep quality and reading the reports gets me more invested in my sleep health.
Other advanced features like a manual âStart sleepingâ button Iâve found helpful for those days when I am traveling between time zones or otherwise off my regular sleep schedule. If youâre going to use Appleâs Sleep app, know that you are presented with just a few key metrics â Time in Bed, Time Asleep, and your Heart Rate â and no manual sleep button. To be sure, thatâs all you need, but if you do have advanced metrics or features available, give them a look.
(5) Remember that you canât âmake upâ for lost sleep.
In a 2017 episode of NPRâs Fresh Air, Sleep scientist Matthew Walker put it simply: âThe brain has no capacity to get back lost sleepâŚâ It may be tempting to try to sleep extra long after a late night out, but sleep experts all agree there is no way to compensate for lost sleep.
My advice is to try to be as disciplined with your sleep schedule as you can be. Of course, it isnât always possible to adhere to your sleep time goal or bedtime every night. During stressful or tough times, try focusing on improving your sleep quality versus making up for lost quantity.
Thanks for reading my tips for better sleep with an Apple Watch!
Hereâs to a better nightâs rest đ¤