Do you wear your watch for sleep tracking?

[goldmac2006]

I've been wearing mine for a couple of years now. I don't really need to but I have an app called Athlytic that helps track my training (running and cycling) and recovery and it uses sleep data (amongst other things) to give me an estimate on my overall level of fatigue and stress, which I can use to train smarter and minimize overexerting myself.

I find the braided solo loop is by far the most comfortable strap to wear, especially while sleeping. It breathes well and there is no metal clasp or pin that can be uncomfortable.

Same here I use Peaks for the same purpose of using sleep data to calculate my energy levels and circadian rhythms, these are useful for appropriately predicting optimal times to get sunlight, when to stop eating dinner and other activities like working out ideal times; etc.

Any band including leather bands I give it the go ahead for sleep tracking. The only bands I do not sleep track with are the link bracelets as they are heavy and uncomfortable to wear.

 

[LagosCoder]

While some studies have shown promising results for sleep tracking with smartwatches, I remain a bit skeptical about their accuracy. I personally have smart scales that promise to track my body composition, but they often misinterpret certain metrics, like they seem to think that the "junk" in me is fat! This kind of experience makes me cautious about relying too much on devices for precise health data.
P.S. It's really great that some people here were able to detect sleep apnea using smartwatches. However, I still think it's a lucky coincidence. 🤷‍♂️

 

[smirking]

I just got an Ultra 2 specifically so I could do sleep tracking because I have a sleep disorder that benefits from accurate tracking. Also because I have a sleep disorder a regular Apple Watch isn't an option as I need something that can easily get several days of battery life.

I've used sleep tracking on a Fitbit, Garmin and now and Apple Watch. The Fitbit has the best sleep tracking and easiest to use sleep logging. Unfortunately Google is busy killing Fitbit so I had to find something else. Garmin is awful at sleep tracking. The Apple Watch is good, but not great. It's more likely to record sleep that didn't happen than a Fitbit will, but it's not as big of an offender as a Garmin.

Sleep tracking on Garmin is so bad they shouldn't even list it as a feature. It's more like sleep guessing than tracking.

 

[ProbablyDylan]

I like confirmation that I in fact slept poorly.

 

[stanza.richi]

For me, the greatest benefit is the silent wake up.

 

[Tdude96]

I like confirmation that I in fact slept poorly.

Mostly this, although I like having the history available "just in case" I ever need to show it to a doctor or something.

I don't wear a special band or anything. I was switching to my s7 for sleep and charging my Ultra 2 overnight for awhile, but now I just sleep with whichever one I happen to be wearing at bedtime.

 

[FlyingDutch]

Yes I do, since ever. As of today I’m using an Ultra 2 with different bands. I briefly put it on charge before sleeping, so its battery is basically doing 75-50% every day, which is also good for battery health.

 

[FlyingDutch]

For me, the greatest benefit is the silent wake up.

It is, but this morning the wake up didn’t goes off as intended (it was on display but not vibrating), which was quite weird. It happened after 11.2 update.
I restarted the watch and I’ll see what happens. Tried an additional wake up and it seems to work.

 

[deckard666]

Yeah funny enough recently in 3 years of perfect use after an update it seemed to fail a few weeks back but back to normal now - I wear all sorts of bands to bed and never seem to notice much difference in comfort - The sleep tracking on my AW U2 is a bonus - its pretty much all about the silent alarm not waking my partner at 5am !

 

[RPhoto]

This. I wear mine to bed but don’t look at the data much. Also, many times it has told me I slept all night despite the fact I have literally got up in the night and gone to the bathroom or downstairs.

Another example last night of why I don’t really pay attention to sleep tracking. Had a terrible night last night, sometimes suffering from bouts of insomnia.

Went to bed at 11:45, woke up at 3am and was awake until 7:15am, including going downstairs to watch tv from 5 until 6:15. Then dosed on and off until 930. Watch tells me I had 8hrs 45mins of sleep…

 

[xenoako]

My watch will routinely log a nap as sleep time. However, I wore my AW8c to bed the last two nights and no data appear in the Health app.
I am using a leather band and can record voice memos with no problem so not sure it would help to switch to the tighter braided solo loop.
What am I missing?

 

[jz0309]

My watch will routinely log a nap as sleep time. However, I wore my AW8c to bed the last two nights and no data appear in the Health app.
I am using a leather band and can record voice memos with no problem so not sure it would help to switch to the tighter braided solo loop.
What am I missing?

Do you have a sleep focus set?
And what is an AW8c?

 

[xenoako]

Do you have a sleep focus set?
And what is an AW8c?

AW8c = Apple Watch 8 series cellular
I tried a sleep-focused schedule but found it complicated to override when my schedule changed, such as on trips with time zone changes and a different flow of the day.
However, how does the Health app record a brief nap without a sleep schedule set in the iPhone?
Then again the iPhone settings show a schedule (10:15 pm, 5 am) with a note in red "delete focus".
I have set a "Do Not Disturb" schedule.

 

[Performa460]

I used to, but then for some reason I started getting notifications that would wake me up even though I hadn't modified my sleep settings, so I stopped.

 

[jz0309]

AW8c = Apple Watch 8 series cellular
I tried a sleep-focused schedule but found it complicated to override when my schedule changed, such as on trips with time zone changes and a different flow of the day.
However, how does the Health app record a brief nap without a sleep schedule set in the iPhone?
Then again the iPhone settings show a schedule (10:15 pm, 5 am) with a note in red "delete focus".
I have set a "Do Not Disturb" schedule.

From what I gathered from various posts here watchOS 11 added auto sleep detection, posters reported that naps are indeed recorded, though I do not recall anyone not using a sleep focus and getting overnight sleep results.
I do have a sleep focus but I still invoke sleep manually on the watch, I came from the “do not disturb” before there was any kind of focus and added the sleep focus when I got a 2nd AW (always charged AW overnight), doing it manually might also make it easier for travel.

 

[Night Spring]

AW8c = Apple Watch 8 series cellular
I tried a sleep-focused schedule but found it complicated to override when my schedule changed, such as on trips with time zone changes and a different flow of the day.

I haven't had to deal with time zone changes, but I find changing the sleep schedule simple enough. I just go into the Health App, then Sleep (which I have pinned to the Summary tab), scroll down a bit, and there's the option to edit sleep schedule just for the day, or to change it permanently.

 

[xenoako]

Helpful posts even during a major holiday.
I tried to understand why the Health app is not recording new data and here are some indicators.
At least some sleep data went from my AW8C to the iPhone Health app up through Oct 24. This is likely when I went from an iP14P to an iP16P.
Obviously, a setting is missing, but where? When I check the sleep app on my AW8C, it gives me data from oversleeping last night, but such data are not transferred to the Health App.
In the Health app, there are about 50 entries about phones and watches where Apple gave their names, and then I created a customized name.
Where might be the missing link in the watch or phone settings?

BTW, trips involve not only time zones but things like getting up at 2 am to catch a 5 am flight. One time the watch stayed on night mode and would not show my electronic boarding pass.

 

[jz0309]

Helpful posts even during a major holiday.
I tried to understand why the Health app is not recording new data and here are some indicators.
At least some sleep data went from my AW8C to the iPhone Health app up through Oct 24. This is likely when I went from an iP14P to an iP16P.
Obviously, a setting is missing, but where? When I check the sleep app on my AW8C, it gives me data from oversleeping last night, but such data are not transferred to the Health App.
In the Health app, there are about 50 entries about phones and watches where Apple gave their names, and then I created a customized name.
Where might be the missing link in the watch or phone settings?

BTW, trips involve not only time zones but things like getting up at 2 am to catch a 5 am flight. One time the watch stayed on night mode and would not show my electronic boarding pass.
View attachment 2465630View attachment 2465629

How did you setup your 16P? Transfer? As new? Restore from a backup?
I am guessing that your AW might not be setup as a data source for sleep data, check that in the Health app.

 

[xenoako]

How did you setup your 16P? Transfer? As new? Restore from a backup?
I am guessing that your AW might not be setup as a data source for sleep data, check that in the Health app.

I use two Apple IDs on my devices. This time the transfer stopped and I had to go back and 'manually' activate individual apps.
I thought most of the apps filled in data which would be true of past sleep data.
I keep looking at Apple support documents and have not identified which current setting is wrong for what I am trying to accomplish. I just found one place that shows the AW8c is a source for sleep data, but also listed are my two previous iPhones, which I am not able to delete. Four previously used apps with sleep-related data show up as inactive.

 

[xenoako]

To expand on my last post, the Health app is current with things like steps and headphone audio levels.

However, the following have not been updated since late Oct 24 if not earlier:
heart rate and high heart rate
ECG
Blood Oxygen
Sleep
Breathing Disturbances
Body temp

 

[Maxgate]

I started wearing my Apple Watch Ultra with the ocean band after my father-in-law’s watch alerted him to a series of low heart rate readings while he was sleeping. This led to a diagnosis of chronic bradycardia, and he’s now being scheduled for a pacemaker. Initially, he didn’t wear his Ultra (Series 1) regularly, but after a couple of his friends had their watches detect various health conditions (I’m not sure exactly what), he began wearing it all the time.

 

[jz0309]

To expand on my last post, the Health app is current with things like steps and headphone audio levels.

However, the following have not been updated since late Oct 24 if not earlier:
heart rate and high heart rate
ECG
Blood Oxygen
Sleep
Breathing Disturbances
Body temp

Since the transfer didn’t complete I continue to suspect that your AW is not authorized to write to the Health app.
I have no experience with using 2 different ids but that complicates things imho.
Give your AW a new name and see if it still shows up as a source

 

[FlyingDutch]

I use two Apple IDs on my devices.

This is the reason. A behavior not desired by Apple.

 

[xenoako]

This is the reason. A behavior not desired by Apple.

Yes, I know this complicates things. However, data in various categories did transfer up through the middle of Oct 24 and I have used two Apple ids for many years.

 

[charlesdayton]

I currently wear an Apple Watch 10 to sleep. But started a a few generations back.

I use the sports loop but have also used the solo loop and standard sports strap, and find them all comfortable.


However I am concerned about some recent studies that mention sleep tracking may be counterintuitive for people
With sleep issues like insomnia.

That Sleep Tracker Could Make Your Insomnia Worse (Published 2019)

Apps and trackers can flood users with confusing data, doctors say. Some warn against orthosomnia, an obsession with “perfect” sleep.

www.nytimes.com