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Can I rely on my Apple Watch Sleep Data?
I have an Apple Watch Series 8.
Does anyone know how accurate this watch's sleep data is?
Assuming this watch is accurate, do you know what an ideal "REM" and "DEEP" amount should be?
Thank you very much.
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https://www.healthline.com/health/how-much-deep-sleep-do-you-need
The above is a decent guideline for you to print out and to keep on your bedstand or nearby for reference. Note that there will always be plenty of variance from night to night, with some stages seeming to get short shrift, especially deep sleep.
As for the app, I can't comment knowledgeably because I wasn't a designer or a tester and don't know how accurately the watch can assess each stage. I use a Samsung Galaxy watch that does the same thing, and I take it as a good indicator of the quality of the previous night's sleep. When I have a crappy night, I shrug and hope to do better next time. Often, that's exactly what happens....unless I'm stewing over something that requires me to get it done.
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2 ReactionsI use a Cpap machine and have an Apple watch as well. Neither is perfect. The machine records use time so it it will take into consideration time awake whereas the watch appears to know when you are awake or asleep as well as your levels of sleep. I read that REM sleep ideally is 25% however that becomes less as you age. the watch also notes breathing disturbances. Wishing you good health and sweet dreams
I can fall asleep, but can’t STAY asleep. I wake every 1-2 hours.
Example = last night went to bed at 8 pm. Slept 2 hours and then up to urinate. Back to bed and slept another 2 hours.
Woke at 12 midnight and couldn’t get back to sleep. Due to low blood sugar? hunger? pain? warm body temperature?
Finally slept 2-4 am. Woke to urinate. Back to bed and slept another 2 hours. Woke at 6 am to urinate. Then slept until 9 am.
I usually only get up to urinate 2 times per day. Last night was unusual. But I almost always wake up and can’t get back to sleep between 12-2 am. I either lay awake for 2-3 hours or I get up and try to figure out why I can’t sleep. Sometimes I’ll eat small protein snack, hot tea and use recliner to relax my back and hip pain.
I taking Mounjaro 15 mg (top dose) so I don’t feel like eating large amounts of food before bed just to get me through the night. Probably why I wake up at 2 am hungry and can’t sleep.
I’m also post menopausal and take hormone replacement (estradiol 1 mg oral tab - previously used patch and progesterone 200 mg). I think I’m sleeping better after switching from patch to oral estrogen, but still my sleep is disrupted every night.
I keep a record of when I wake up and what I try to get back to sleep. I’m wondering if anyone would recommend I try an Apple Watch to track other variables like body temperature, sleep stages, etc. What else would help me to show doctor why I’m exhausted, daily fatigue, brain fog and lethargic?
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4 ReactionsA smart watch's assessment of your vitals and sleep might convince a doctor to set you up for a proper over-night polysomnography at a sleep clinic. The watch gives a quick 'n dirty assessment that is useful to see how you're doing one night, and then it can accumulate and integrate data for months running and let you know of a trend. But a proper sleep lab will measure brain wave, periodic limb movements, stages of sleep, and also measure hypoxia and apneas/hypopneas during sleep.
You may also need the benefit of an endocrinologist, or at least a measure of your thyroxin levels if they are wonky.
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4 Reactions@gloaming
Great advice! Thank you! I do have sleep apnea and I use a CPAP machine. I’m due to get a new CPAP machine in 2027 and maybe it’s time to have a new sleep study done. My initial sleep study was in 2005.
I think I’ll get an Apple Watch to track other variables. Plus I like your idea to have my endocrinologist check my thyroxine level.
I really appreciate all the great insights and advice I’ve received from Mayo Connect support groups. 👍😃
I have an Apple Watch that tracks sleep, blood pressure, etc. It works for me . I have General anxiety disorder that is being treated by many different meds throughout my last 20 years. The Watch shows me my heart BPM so I know what’s going on.
The watch tries to track your sleep based on your heart rate and how much you move around. It's reasonably accurate to get a rough idea of what's going on. It hopefully will be enough to at least get your doctor to order a sleep study for you. They do them at home now by sending you a sensor kit. When I had mine done years ago I had to go to a sleep clinic and have lots of electrodes attached to my skull.
Agree with others that Apple watch gives a quick and dirty overview but a sleep study is the gold standard. One thing that really helped me was switching from CPAP to APAP. The APAP regulates the amount of air you actually need rather than continuously blowing air at the same rate. I think my frequent awakenings were due to having a blast of air that I didn't need.
Good luck. I still have some awakenings but not nearly as bad as it was before the APAP
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1 Reactionlouiserivers @louiserivers
I can fall asleep, but wake up several times at night. My go to is Chamomile tea.
I went through at home and at hospital sleep study. I was prescribed a Bi-PAP sleep machine (Bi-PAP one pressure inhale and different pressure exhale, plus backup - monitors how often stop breathing and makes sure I don't fall below a set level). The "stop breathing" events were 47 times per hour (and oxygen level dropped to 77%) and now events are down 5 to 7 times per hour (oxygen level dropped to 87%, but getting better. below 88% not good).
I wear a smart watch, not apple, which has sleep, heart rate and blood pressure (not as accurate as sleep study). My sleep doctor mention that the jumps on heart rate showed how often stop breathing - the body gasp for air.
I have the ResMed AirCurve 10 ST. The sleep doctor can remotely make changes to the pressure settings, speed of breathing and some other areas. ResMed also has an App that I can monitor and website where I can down load basic charts (sleep doctors charts are more advanced).
Best Wishes
🍀
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1 Reaction@fourleaf I developed atrial fibrillation because I went for several years developing what was eventually diagnosed as 'severe' obstructive sleep apnea. The AF came first, at which I was obliged to undergo several invasive and non-invasive diagnostics. The last of them was a polysomnography over night in a sleep lab with all the myriad of leads glued to my body's limbs, skull, and thorax. My cardiologist explained that having to nearly or fully awaken, meaning umpteen arousals every hour, to fix my breathing put my heart in a lot of strain and it finally threw in the towel. I developed atrial fibrillation as a warning.
Fortunately, I only needed a straight delivery of 8 cm of H2O, so I only needed the RESMED Elite model which does have pressure relief for exhaling. And as fortunately, I took to it very well and have enjoyed great therapy. I don't leave home without it....when we travel.
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