I think it’s time we address a serious question. Where is the sleep tracker on our Apple Watch? The latest Apple Watch is set to launch in September of this year. It is the Series 6 and is rumored to come through with much faster performance and even better water resistance.
And, of course, yes, your Apple Watch, regardless of model and version, is also capable of keeping an eye on your sleeping patterns.
According to the CDC, there are 50 to 70 million US adults that suffer from some or other sleep disorder. People experiencing sleep insufficiency are more likely to suffer from other chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity.
That being said, we must have control over our sleeping habits. In this collection, I’ll be sharing with you some of my favorite Apple Watch apps that I use to track my sleep.
NATIVE APPLE WATCH SLEEP TRACKING
With the release of watchOS7 during the fall, the Apple Watch will officially support sleep tracking without having to rely on a third-party app to do so. They are trying Apple Watch sleep-tracking capabilities with the new iPhone features, including Wind Down and Wake Up.
There is also going to be a new sleep app available on the Apple Watch, including the Sleep Mode that hides the typical watch face information. It can also disable raise-to-wake features, so your watch face isn’t lighting up in the middle of the night.
You can view this from the Sleep app on your Apple Watch or the Health app through your iPhone. The data on the Health app is limited, however. They show you the time you spent asleep and your heart rate. So, you will still find that third party apps may be more useful and can supply you with additional information.
Why Use Sleep Tracking Apps?
One of the biggest advantages of using sleep tracking apps is being able to track your sleep cycle and see if you are getting enough quality sleep each night. A sleep tracking app can record the information you need on an Apple Watch app to help you nail down a better sleep schedule and sleep pattern.
Now let’s take a closer look at the best sleep app for Apple Watch users, so you can decide which would be better for tracking your sleeping habits.
SLEEP++
Sleep++ is the most commonly used tracking app for Apple Watch owners. The application leverages the existence of accelerometer in your watch to register:
- Deep sleep
- Light sleep
- Restlessness
- Wakefulness
When you wake up in the morning, the app provides you with instant feedback on your sleeping habits. One great feature of Sleep++ is that it allows you to synchronize your sleep data with the health app and other HealthKit apps.
The new version of the app now explains the quality of your night’s sleep from each night. It tells you when you slept best and at what time you were restless. With the major focus on HealthKit, the Sleep++ app is one of the favorite apps for Apple Watch users.
The Sleep++ app is also completely free with the option of in-app purchases if you wish to remove the advertisements.
PILLOW
The Pillow automatic sleep tracker is a “smart sleep tracking” app that works on your iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. With an advanced algorithm, the app detects motion and sound patterns in your sleep, provides an in-depth analysis of how well you slept, and it can also analyze your heart rate at night as well.
The sleep tracking feature can record snoring, sleep apnea, and even when you start talking in your sleep after bedtime. However, the noise detection feature only works when it is in manual mode, so keep this in mind if you want to take advantage of the audio recording function.
Pillow is compatible with Apple’s Health app, which means you can integrate the two and start getting data synced across devices. In addition, you can export your sleeping data as a .csv file or connect the app to your Runkeeper account.
This amazing sleep tracker is now available on the App Store for free.
AUTOSLEEP
It’s no surprise that most users prefer automation over manual work. Some sleep tracking apps require that before you go to sleep, you have to open the app and tap the “Start” button. This way, the sleep tracker knows when you start sleeping.
AutoSleep, on the other hand, does not require such action. As the name suggested, it will automatically track your sleep as you wear your Apple Watch to sleep. When the morning comes, a notification will be sent out when your iPhone is unlocked.
You can also track your sleep without wearing the Apple Watch. However, identifying your sleep quality is now out of the equation. AutoSleep can only track how long you slept.
It has a simple app overview, sleep rings, wellness, sleep hygiene trends, how to adjust sleep detection, tips, and so much more. It supplies you with a readiness score that can help predict how ready you are for your day based on the sleep you were able to get the night before.
You will quickly see why this is one of the more popular Apple Watch sleep tracking apps currently available in the App Store.
Download Auto Sleep from here.
HEARTWATCH
The name of this app wouldn’t strike anyone that it could be used as a sleep tracker. At $2.99, HeartWatch has a lot to offer. If you ever want to analyze how your heart was doing while you were sleeping, this app comes in handy.
Unlike the apps we mentioned above, HeartWatch provides a combination of 3 trackers: workouts, heart rates, and sleeping. With easy-to-read charts, you will start to learn more about your health.
There are three main sections the HeartWatch application uses to show data. These sections are for Wellness, Activity, and Workouts. The Wellness section is where you can find your daily heart rate, sleeping heart rate, and sedentary heart rate, among other information.
HeartWatch gives you a more detailed look at the information your Apple Watch collects. HeartWatch 4 is a free upgrade if you are an existing user of the app. If not, you can purchase it in the App Store for only $3.99.
It requires iOS 11.0 and watchOS 4.0 or later. It is also compatible with your iPhone and iPod Touch.
Download HeartWatch 4 here.
BEDDIT
Beddit is a free sleep tracker app for the Apple Watch. Just like AutoSleep, it doesn’t require that you wear your watch when sleeping.
Just place it on your bedsheet, and the app will “accurately” track your sleep pattern. With the comprehensive analysis and charts, you will understand your sleep habits, how to improve it, and adjust your routine to better the result.
The app requires a Beddit Sleep Monitor (Model 3.5) to help you improve your sleep. It measures your sleep time, heart rate, breathing, and even records the temperature and humidity in the bedroom as you sleep. You can use this app to set sleep time goals.
The newest update to this app restores snoring detection in the manual measurement mode.
It requires iOS 12.0 and watchOS 4.2 or later.
Free, Download Beddit.
NAPBOT
This is one of the newer Apple Watch sleep tracker apps you can get, and it is also fast becoming one of the more powerful options you can choose. This application uses machine learning for automatic sleep tracking. It shows you trends and phases and other critical information you can use to help improve your sleeping patterns.
It has a calendar tab in the app that gives you a detailed look at your sleep information. You can view this info each day or choose a more specific day that you want to see more detailed information regarding your heart rate, for example.
It is also completely independent of the iPhone. A downside? It only lets you see the sleep information from the previous day. However, the app is still new, so more capabilities will be coming in the future.
The NapBot app is available as a free download in the App Store but also has in-app purchases as well.
It requires iOS 13.4 and watchOS 6.2 or later.
Download the free NapBot application here.
ARE APPLE WATCH SLEEP APPS ACCURATE?
While these apps can’t typically measure REM sleep, they can accurately track movement and heart rate with the use of your Apple Watch or Fitbit when you are sleeping or awake. However, keep in mind, they may not be as precise or accurate enough to measure all of your different sleep stages.
DO SLEEP APPS WORK WHEN YOU SHARE A BED?
It is possible that if you have a sleeping partner including a pet, then the data can get messed up. However, sleeping with a partner is less of a risk because the apps are designed to track motion of the nearest person. A pet jumping in the bed may prove to be more problematic to the data when compared to another human.
WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE AN APPLE WATCH?
We hear you!
Even though there are tons of great alternatives to the Apple Watch, not all of them can measure your heart rate and track your sleeping habits. This is where Amazfit comes into the spotlight.
Amazfit is a smartwatch that helps you stay on top of your overall healthy lifestyle. It will automatically monitor heart rate, sleep quality, how much you walk on a daily basis, and how much calories you consumed.
The best part about Amzfit? This gadget can survive 20 days with a single battery charge.
Amazfit is now available on Amazon for only $69.99.
Good News
According to a recent report from Bloomberg, Apple is working on multiple new functionalities for the Apple Watch. One of which is a default sleep tracker.
This is important because users will no longer have to download an additional app from the App Store. Hopefully, it will also provide unique features and data as well.
I have a Fitbit Surge now and it automatically detects when sleep begins. Do any of these apps do that?
I’m currently using a Fitbit which has built-in sleep tracking feature. I plan on switching over to the Apple Watch but now knowing I have to use a third-party app….IDK!
Just bought the Apple Watch Series 2, CAN NOT believe it’s not part of the core watch yet 🙁
I’m trying to track my sleep using the Apple Watch. I’m curious if anyone have tried these apps yet. Sleep++ seems pretty popular on the App Store.
£369 apple watch can’t track sleep as standard !!! WHY if much cheaper alternatives are on the market such as fitbit products for a fraction of the price.
Be nice if you also mentioned what impact each of the apps have on battery life
I am wondering what is the best app if you are awake each night for a longer period of time. it doesn’t look the author is answering any of these
I’m looking for something like this for my wife. Problem is, when she wakes in the middle of the night, she plays on her phone. I think that will cause problems with a lot of these apps. Recommendations?
(Thanks)
If you use your watch both during the day, and at night as a sleep tracker, when do you charge the watch? I typically charge mine at night. I can go 2 days in-between charging, but, it still has to charge at some point, and when you do, you lose data.
My watch takes 2 hours to charge so I put it on before bed in the evening when I need to charge. I know, you have to be “scheduled” to make that happen…
Hi there! Is there an app I can download to my apple watch that can track my sleep like fitbit does? I’d love to be able to monitor my sleep the pic down below. Thanks!