Apple Watch 8 not Tracking Sleep & Sleep Stages

Greetings Kostadin,

It sounds like Sleep tracking on your Apple Watch isn’t working correctly. We know how important having a working Apple Watch is for you, and you’re in the right place for answers. Please make sure you verify your settings and schedule:

Verify Settings

• "Sleep Schedule" needs to be turned On, in:
  • iPhone > Health app > Sleep > Full Schedule & Options
  • Apple Watch > Sleep app > Full Schedule
• iOS Health > Summary > Sleep: check if the option to "Set Up" is shown.
  • If so, complete the Sleep setup process.
  • If this fails, open the Sleep app on the Watch and complete the setup process there.
• iOS Watch app > Settings > Sleep > "Track Sleep with Apple Watch" should be turned On.
  • For "in bed" tracking, "Track Time in Bed with iPhone" should be turned On under Health App > Sleep > Full Schedule & Options
• The Apple Watch should have a sufficient battery charge. If their Apple Watch runs out of battery overnight in their sleep, it is expected that Sleep Tracking may fail.
• If you have multiple Watches, please ensure Auto-Switch is enabled in the iOS Watch app > All Watches.

Verify Schedule

And one of the following

• Sleep Schedule set up, and "Use Schedule for Sleep Focus" enabled in Health app > Sleep > Full Schedule & Options
• Watch Sleep Focus turned on manually for 4 or more consecutive hours

Note: Sleep results ("In Bed" and Sleep Stages data) may take several minutes to come up after disabling Focus > Sleep.

Additional details can be found here: Track your sleep with Apple Watch - Apple Support

If you need continued assistance, please contact the Apple support team via this link: Get Support.

Take care.

Hi all,

I need to share that I am experiencing the same issue here. I bought a new Apple Watch Series 9 two weeks ago, and sleep tracking also has issues. It worked the very first night after unboxing, and then from the second night, it started to miss the sleep tracking randomly. I am synced with an iPhone 13 pro, but it seems that others have the same problems with sleep tracking regardless of the phone model.

Devices are :

• Apple watch series 9 (41) with the latest software - 10.0.2. (21R371)
• Iphone 13 pro with the latest software - IOS 17.0.3

I've tried so far:

• Sleep Schedules (alone)
• Sleep Schedules with Focus Mode
• Sleep Focus shared across devices
• Sleep Focus NOT shared across devices
• Changing Sleep Schedules
• Bluetooth and Wi-Fi OFF/ON (on Apple Watch)
• Synced with iPhone (Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on)
• Not-Synced with iPhone (Wi-Fi only)
• Updating to the latest software (phone and watch)
• Always have more than 50% on Apple watch before bedtime
• Aeroplane mode ON/OFF
• Wearing the Apple Watch slightly above the wrist(not on the wrist knuckle)
• Also checked multiple comments/threads and videos online about it, however, my readings are still missing from random nights
• I've also tried pretty much all of the advice steps from the previous few threads on this page, but sleep tracking does not track some nights.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Regards Kosta Y.

P.S.

What are the odds, my name is also Kosta

I had the same problem. I soon realized that it was the band i was wearing. with the sport one it tracks everything perfectly otherwise with the metallic milanese one it does not stay fit enough to the wrist. hope this helps

Also I have heard that wrist tattoos (if you have any) can disrupt the collection of data. I literally have the exact same problem. Talked to Apple, they sent me to Best Buy to try and fix it but they couldn’t, Best Buy gave me all these numbers and codes to tell Apple I need an express replacement (because I have AppleCare +) but it costs twice as much as I paid for this watch to make the deposit. They want $399. I might as well get the 9. And THAT is what this is all about. I honestly think this problem has something to do with the fact they’re not selling these watches like they used too. I love mine. And I was very excited to get this. It’s just a Shame…

My brand new Apple Watch 8 (bought early Sept.) is doing the exact same thing. I was very interested in the sleep tracking, and for a few weeks, it was always there in detail. About three or 4 weeks later, the detailed data disappeared.

I've been suspecting an update killed it, but it happened to you back in May. Has it ever been resolved?

Did you get a resolution. I’ve had several watches and several phones but I’ve never had the actual sleep stages show up. It’s always been light blue. So I have no idea what I’m doing wrong. I followed the instructions one response had but my settings were already correct.

I have had the same issue. I think I noticed it started a few nights ago when I started listening to YouTube videos with insomnia meditations while I sleep. I’m taking a drug temporarily that gives me some insomnia. I just so happened to notice in my activity tracker that it’s listing the time I was asleep as “Entertainment”. So I wonder if because my phone is registering that I’m in “entertainment” mode that it’s not recording sleep stats perhaps?

Unfortunately, I guess I've learned that you MUST set up an unwanted sleep schedule for it to work. I don't have a set time I need to wake up, but for sleep stages to work, you have to set up a schedule. I listen to podcasts when/if I awake in the night, and that doesn't interfere, I don't think (unless it records the podcast as awake time--even though it puts me right back to sleep).

set up a sleep schedule, and it should start recording again.

I have the same exact issue!

I have Apple Watch 9 with WatchOS 10.1 paired with iPhone 12 iOS 17.1.

It is a new watch, and the sleep tracking for the first 2 nights after unboxing. But, afterwards, there is zero data available.

I have made sure sleep tracking is on (both watch and health app) , and Sleep Mode automatically goes on. My watch is always charged, and I make sure to fit it at my wrist properly.

I sometimes watch a video before sleep and i might fall asleep before it ends, not sure if that would affect anything.

Is this a bug, or am I doing something wrong?

This newest apple update has changed everything. I am so disappointed. I would recommend that if you didn’t update it yet, DO NOT UPDATE.

How can I get my watch back to how it’s been for the last several years? I liked to be able to FIND MY IPHONE without going through multiple stages. I liked seeing the ECG on my iPhone and now it’s hidden. Why does Apple always try to change things and in the process ruins a good thing and what we’re used to. I am quickly losing faith in Apple after the latest update on my watch and the latest update on my IPhone 14 Pro. It may be time to try an Android. Goodbye Apple. It’s your own fault for messing up a good thing. It’s

Apple Watch 8 and iPhone 14 pro, bought at the same time last year. Worked fine collected data every night just fine until a month or so ago I noticed some nights it just says “in bed”. So I’m thinking my health app pulled data from my phone over my watch and that’s why. I turned off collect data from phone while sleeping as in hopes the phone will only pull watch data for my sleep. I’ll try to remember to update if it works.

At this point, I really think it’s a problem in the core of WatchOS or iOS. They’re gonna have to fix the problem with an update I’m afraid. Looks like we tried every possibility on our end.

I face the same issue…

I have a new Apple Watch 9. Out of the box the sleep tracking was working, now it's not. So I suspect this was messed with in an update. I have sleep issues due to leg pain, and need to know how much I've slept. So I'm wearing my Fitbit on the other arm to track sleep. Apple needs to fix this!