My Problem With Apple Watch Sleep Tracking

Aug 4, 2022 • Extra Ordinary

I’ve been trying out Apple Watch sleep stage tracking over the last few weeks for an article on Cult of Mac. Overall, I think it’s fantastic. Without adding any additional sensors, through a software update alone, everyone with insomnia or sleep apnea can understand their condition better with their Apple Watch.

I don’t need to track my sleep; I just think it’s neat. But I do have one very big problem with it.

Since it so accurately sees when you’re sleeping and knows when you’re awake, it would be great if it could catch you falling back asleep after your alarm goes off. It knows if you’re in deep sleep or core sleep immediately before your alarm, but if you tap to turn off your alarm instead of snooze — and it’s very likely this could happen by mistake, because the screen is so tiny — it just trusts that you’ll wake up.

The Apple Watch even knows when you’re standing up and moving. That’s kinda its whole thing. But like a bar tender carelessly tossing back the car keys to a patron they have personally been serving drinks all night, it just blindly believes you if you tap Turn Off instead of Snooze.

Filed as FB10849326.