When the sleep mode is activated on your Apple Watch, your sleep pattern is automatically detected by the smart watch. Since Watchos 11, the Apple Watch also records short periods of sleep and so -called power nap. A power nap is a short nap, usually in the afternoon that is meant to get more energy and alertness quickly. Thanks to the ‘NAP-tracking’ function, Watchos can register these short sleeping periods as a supplement to the standard sleep detection.
The Apple Watch records sleep through a combination of sensors and software. Heart rate and motion sensors are used for this. In the field of software, Watchos is used the sleeping phases, sleeping schedule and sleep focus for the analysis.
Detection short periods of sleep
If you fell asleep on the couch or have done a power nap, then in most cases you can see this in the Health app since Watchos 11. Before registration does not have to be activated the sleep mode of the Apple Watch, the detection is done fully automatically. However, the data is limited to general sleep, where no details about sleep phases such as brake sleep, nuclear sleep and deep sleep are registered. The duration of the short sleeping period is added to your daily total.
View short sleeping periods in the Health App
If you fell asleep during the day, you can look back in the Health app how long your nap/afternoon sleep has lasted.
- Open the Health app
- Tap the ‘Data’ button at the bottom right of the screen.
- Select ‘Sleep’ in the category overview.
- In the day display that appears now, you see the time asleep.
The blocks without brake sleep, nuclear sleep and deep sleep details are detected short sleeping periods.
PowerNaps also visible in sleep widget
If you use the standard sleep widget under iOS, you can also see in the overview of the widget that you have taken a nap. By tapping the widget, the extensive sleep overview in the health app is shown.