Sleep Tracking on Apple Watch

[ericg301]

Do any of these apps have a notes feature?

Before my Apple Watch, I used Sleep Cycle on my phone. They have a "sleep notes" feature where you can attach different variables to your sleep. So I could check things like "PM exercise," "PM coffee," "alcohol, "sleep aid," "stressful day" each night -- then look back and see how each variable effected my sleep. That to me was much more useful than just getting the raw data I current get from Auto Sleep.

 

[Fireball Dragon]

I use Sleep Watch and I like it, seems to be accurate enough. It says I get much better sleep than my Garmin (I agree more with AW results) but you can adjust the sensitivity if need be.

Would putting my Watch in airplane mode at night save battery? I already had DND on every night so no notifications are coming through. I guess airplane mode would just cut off Bluetooth then. I seem to lose 7-10% at night with the wrist raise off.

This hits the nail on the head on my concerns.

I’ve been using the FR935 to track sleep (comfortable enough to sleep in) but have got mixed results as it didn’t seem to know the difference between bane reading a book in bed, and even had mixed results when I woke up.

Hence my search for an AW app.

 

[SoCalGadgetGuy]

Do any of these apps have a notes feature?

Before my Apple Watch, I used Sleep Cycle on my phone. They have a "sleep notes" feature where you can attach different variables to your sleep. So I could check things like "PM exercise," "PM coffee," "alcohol, "sleep aid," "stressful day" each night -- then look back and see how each variable effected my sleep. That to me was much more useful than just getting the raw data I current get from Auto Sleep.

Sleep Watch can be configured to ask you a "Restedness" question the next morning, but I do not believe it has a facility to enter some free-form text.

 

[Maui19]

I use Sleepwatch, which I find to be excellent. I tried Sleep++, but it wasn't as good for me as Sleepwatch. I do seem to be using some battery overnight, but I don't know if that is due to Sleepwatch or something else. I generally have about 70% battery at bed time, and about 40% in the morning. It could be a lot of things, but it hasn't been a problem for me so I haven't looked into it.

 

[darrinS]

Do any of these apps have a notes feature?

Before my Apple Watch, I used Sleep Cycle on my phone. They have a "sleep notes" feature where you can attach different variables to your sleep. So I could check things like "PM exercise," "PM coffee," "alcohol, "sleep aid," "stressful day" each night -- then look back and see how each variable effected my sleep. That to me was much more useful than just getting the raw data I current get from Auto Sleep.

Pillow allows for notes. I also like that it has a Sleep Aide function that plays sounds to help you fall asleep.

 

[matrix07]

I use Sleepwatch, which I find to be excellent. I tried Sleep++, but it wasn't as good for me as Sleepwatch. I do seem to be using some battery overnight, but I don't know if that is due to Sleepwatch or something else. I generally have about 70% battery at bed time, and about 40% in the morning. It could be a lot of things, but it hasn't been a problem for me so I haven't looked into it.

Sleep Watch here too. Got in bed at 100% and woke up at 99%.

 

[darrinS]

I like to look at updates, being an app developer myself. AutoSleep hasn’t been updated in about six months. Sleep Watch was updated 3 weeks ago, and Pillow 2 weeks ago. In my opinion, any serious app developer makes some improvements and prepares an update especially around the time of an iOS update. My vote for now goes to either Pillow or Sleep Watch.

 

[lordofthereef]

I used sleep watch a few times after readng about it here. It worked for three days and now it doesn't seem to be tracking my seleep at all. I check the app and the last recording is 8 days ago. Any idea whats going on?

 

[OriginalClone]

I use Sleep Watch. It’s been pretty accurate and the UI is great.

 

[MLVC]

Interesting. Do you wear the watch while sleeping?

Yes

 

[Fireball Dragon]

Pillow seems to keep offering me a premium version for £5. Does anyone have this and is it worth it?

I can see my sleep has been copied over to the health app, which is nice as I’m trying to use it more.

Just to ask here in case anyone knows, I have also dunces my Garmin account with the health app. Unfortunately, my runs are not being counted to my daily running/walking totals. But the run is there under sources. Any ideas?

 

[weigojmi]

Another happy Autosleep user. Seems pretty accurate but like all accelerometer based apps it will be subject to inaccuracies due to movements or lack thereof. So if you lay there staring at the ceiling for an hour, it will likely log that as sleep time. I also find the app uses very little battery as I sleep with the watch on.

 

[Knowlege Bomb]

Well I just got my Series 3 and have been blown away by how great the battery has been so I figured I would start wearing it to bed to track sleep and putting it down to charge while I shower in the morning. It's too bad two of the three mentioned in this thread are paid apps because they all look good and seem to have an similar amount of fans. I like the interface of Sleep Watch but Pillow has the highest rating and number of reviews. Decisions decisions....

 

[Nell]

Is Pillow one of the apps you have to start to let it know you’re going to sleep (I know I used to have it but have deleted it so can’t check)? That really doesn’t work for me as I sometimes fall asleep with the telly still on.

I like both AutoSleep and SleepWatch (and have both) but like the SleepWatch interface more.

 

[darrinS]

I go to bed at different times every night. Sometimes 10:30, sometimes 1am. I really want to use the automatic apps, but they think I’m sleeping when I’m still sitting up and reading or watching tv. I have found them to be unreliable. I have paid for all of them. I just use Pillow. I start the sleep cycle and stop it. The actual sleep tracking seems really reliable. I look at the chart and it accurately shows the times I wake up during the night, the deep sleep and the REM sleep.

 

[marko8m]

Pillow seems to keep offering me a premium version for £5. Does anyone have this and is it worth it?

I can see my sleep has been copied over to the health app, which is nice as I’m trying to use it more.

Just to ask here in case anyone knows, I have also dunces my Garmin account with the health app. Unfortunately, my runs are not being counted to my daily running/walking totals. But the run is there under sources. Any ideas?

If you have premium version you can see more statistics for previous days, week, month and you can use some options like powernap, recovery nap,...

 

[Nell]

I also go to bed at different times every night (and often watch TV in bed before that) but the automatic apps are working well for me. I used to use an app on my phone that I had to start (and a Fitbit that had to be started) and kept falling asleep without pressing start.

 

[Fireball Dragon]

Well I just got my Series 3 and have been blown away by how great the battery has been so I figured I would start wearing it to bed to track sleep and putting it down to charge while I shower in the morning. It's too bad two of the three mentioned in this thread are paid apps because they all look good and seem to have an similar amount of fans. I like the interface of Sleep Watch but Pillow has the highest rating and number of reviews. Decisions decisions....

I have Pillow and have been using it every night for the past 3 weeks now.

You have to have the app open on your iPhone, and only then can you proceed to activate "sleep" from Pillow on the Apple Watch. Not the best system, but a minor inconvenience as my phone is right by my bedside on its wireless charger, anyway. You then have to end sleep mode on your watch once you wake up (easy enough as it is just a force touch on your AW screen).

But this is easily overlooked as the app works very well and I love the breakdown I get each morning. And the app is very good at what it does. If I get up at night to go to the loo, it shoes exactly that period as me being "awake". Also interesting to see heart-rate, too.
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If you have premium version you can see more statistics for previous days, week, month and you can use some options like powernap, recovery nap,...

I purchased the premium version shortly after I wrote that. It's great so far! Thanks

 

[AppleLuvver]

I use pillow and I have never had to have my phone open to use it. I don’t even have my phone in the bedroom. I just hit start on the watch when I’m ready to go to sleep and force touch to stop in the morning.

 

[Fireball Dragon]

I use pillow and I have never had to have my phone open to use it. I don’t even have my phone in the bedroom. I just hit start on the watch when I’m ready to go to sleep and force touch to stop in the morning.

Really!? I keep getting a message on my watch telling me to open the app. Until I do so, I cannot proceed on my watch. I am a little confussed now.

 

[darrinS]

Really!? I keep getting a message on my watch telling me to open the app. Until I do so, I cannot proceed on my watch. I am a little confussed now.

If you choose to record sounds or set the alarm, then you need the iPhone open to the app. If you choose to just track your sleeping, the iPhone isn’t needed.

 

[SoCalGadgetGuy]

That's what i love about the "Sleep Watch" app...it's all automatic and you don't need to remember to "push a button" before you fall asleep.

 

[newellj]

I really like AutoSleep and its companion heart app. It just works...but my bedtimes are pretty routine.

 

[Knowlege Bomb]

I ended up purchasing Sleep Watch yesterday (thanks for the input everybody). I wore my watch to bed for the first time last night and was pretty surprised with some of the results. I was fully aware that I had a crappy night of sleep and didn't feel great this morning but apparently my heart rate spiked several times a couple of hours before my alarm and I got a few notifications from health about it. When I checked the Sleep Watch app I got a pretty detailed view of what was going on. Interesting stuff!