Apple added sleep tracking capabilities to the Apple Watch lineup with watchOS 7. The feature debuted with the Apple Watch Series 6, but Apple extended it to a few older models with the watchOS 7 update. Since the all-new Apple Watch Series 8 comes with watchOS 9, it offers all the sleep tracking features found on older models. In addition, watchOS 9 introduces sleep stages to provide users with detailed information about their sleeping patterns.
Sleep tracking with watchOS 9 on the Apple Watch Series 8
You can track your sleep using the Sleep app on the Apple Watch Series 8. The app lets you create Wind Down and Bedtime schedules to help you meet your sleep goals. It also tracks your sleep automatically when you wear your Apple Watch to bed. Once you wake up, you can view how much sleep you got the last night on the Sleep app. In addition, you can view your sleep trends over the past two weeks. The Sleep app on the Apple Watch Series 8 also offers a Sleep Focus feature, which limits distractions before you go to bed and ensures you don't wake up due to untimely notifications.
Apple Watch Series 8
The Apple Watch Series 8 offers all the sleep tracking features you get with older models, along with more detailed sleep insights thanks to the watchOS 9 update.
Along with these features, watchOS 9 on the Apple Watch Series 8 unlocks improved sleep insights. The feature uses the watch's accelerometer and heart rate sensor to detect when you're in REM, Core, or Deep Sleep. It then displays this sleep stage data in the Sleep app. You can also view more details, like time asleep and time in bed, along with additional metrics, like heart rate and respiratory rate, in the Health app on your iPhone.
The new sleep stages feature uses advanced machine learning models to detect when you're in REM, Core, or Deep Sleep. As Apple explains, the "machine learning models were trained and validated against the clinical gold standard, polysomnography, with one of the largest and most diverse populations ever studied for a wearable." This new feature will soon become available on older Apple Watch models with the watchOS 9 update.
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