How to Set up an Apple Watch for Sleep Tracking
You’ll use the Health app on your iPhone to set up your Apple Watch for sleep tracking. Here’s how it works.
How to Edit Your Apple Watch Sleep Settings
You can modify your sleep settings at any point via the Health app or the Apple Watch. Here’s how to edit your Apple Watch sleep settings directly on the Apple Watch.
How Apple Watch Sleep Tracking Works
After setting up your sleep schedule, your Apple Watch and iPhone work together to track your sleep, including the time you spend in the three sleep stages (REM, core, and deep). To view this information on your iPhone’s Health app tap Browse > Sleep > Show More Sleep Data. Here’s a breakdown of what to expect from Apple Watch sleep tracking.
How Wind Down Works
Shortly before your specified bedtime, Wind Down will begin. Wind Down turns on Focus Mode and displays the Good Evening wind-down screen on your iPhone, hiding most iPhone features. To start the shortcuts you specified for the wind-down period, tap Shortcuts to see a pop-up window with your shortcuts.
What Happens at Bedtime
At bedtime, your watch’s display will go dark to minimize distractions and conserve battery. You can tap the display to see the time or spin the digital crown to unlock the display and temporarily return it to normal. After you stop using the display, it will go dark again until morning. Your iPhone display will change to its Sleep Well page, which hides most iPhone features (though you can still launch your Wind Down shortcuts).
What Happens in the Morning
When morning comes, your watch will vibrate to wake you, and your selected wake-up alarm will sound. You can tap Snooze or turn off the alarm from the iPhone’s screen or your Apple Watch. On your phone, you’ll see a welcome screen; dismiss it to use your phone normally.
Which Apple Watch Models Track Sleep?
Many fitness bands and smartwatches offer sleep-tracking capabilities. While the Apple Watch wasn’t the first on the scene, it began offering this functionality in watchOS 7. Sleep tracking is supported on Apple Watch Series 3 through 8. If you own a compatible watch, make sure you have installed the latest version of the Apple Watch OS to track your sleep.
