Sleeping With An Apple Watch: 5 Tips For Good Sleep

While the Apple Watch is the perfect accessory for everyday wear, have you ever wondered if you should keep it on while you sleep?

If you are researching the Apple Watch, go ahead and bookmark these reader-favorite articles to read when you get done with this article: Why Do I Burn So Little Calories With Apple Watch? How Much Does An Apple Watch Weigh? Which Smartwatches Can Detect Afib?

We’ve tried almost all the Apple products on the market and are longtime fans of smartwatches by different brands as well. So, we’ve got all the answers for you on how to wear your Apple Watch comfortably and make the best use of it while you sleep. 

Is It Safe to Sleep with Your Apple Watch On? 

Many people are under the assumption that it is not safe to sleep with an Apple Watch on because of the Electromagnetic Frequency (EMF) or the radiation emitted by the watch. 

However, most people don’t understand that the EMF levels are extremely low, and the radiation emitted is non-ionizing, making it perfectly safe to have your watch on while you sleep. You can rest assured that your Apple Watch will not cause any kind of cancer or illness.  

The main reason many people don’t like to wear the watch while sleeping is less to do with fears about radiation and more to do with the fact that it can be a bit uncomfortable to sleep with the watch on. 

If this is the case for you, too, we’ve got some tips for you to use to reduce EMF effects and make the watch more comfortable so that you can keep it on while sleeping: 

Tip 1: Buy an EMF Blocking Strap for Your Apple Watch 

As we’ve mentioned before, the EMF exposure from an Apple Watch is super low, and since the radiation is non-ionizing, there is little to no chance of your Apple Watch causing cancer. 

However, if you want to give yourself some extra peace of mind, you can buy an EMF-blocking Apple Watch band for the watch and replace your regular strap with it. 

Tip 2: Make Sure the Strap Is Not Too Tight or Too Loose 

Having your watch on too tight or too loose can be a major reason for feeling uncomfortable on your wrist while you sleep. 

The watch should be worn snugly so that it doesn’t move around too much on your arm but also not so tight that it digs into your skin or negatively affects the blood circulation in your arm. 

Additionally, keep your watch strap clean and dry at all times to reduce the chances of skin irritation. 

Tip 3: Try Sleeping on Your Back 

If you sleep on your front or side, you might end up putting your arm under your body or placing extra weight on it. 

This can cause your Apple Watch to dig into your wrist and aggravate you. To avoid this uncomfortable feeling, try sleeping on your back so that your wrists are free and not weighed down by the rest of your body.

Tip 4: Use Do Not Disturb Mode on Your Apple Watch

Turn on the Do Not Disturb mode on your Apple Watch while you sleep so that you don’t get disturbed by notifications and calls. 

To do this, swipe up from the bottom of the screen on your watch, and the Control Center will open up. Then, just tap on the Do Not Disturb icon.   

Tip 5: Redesign Your Home Screen 

To avoid getting overwhelmed with information and bright lights while trying to sleep, you can redesign your Apple Watch home screen for added comfort.

Try using a darker background to reduce exposure to blue light and configure that ‘modular face’ on your Apple Watch so that you only see the time and your alarms instead of all kinds of extra information and notifications. 

Use Your Apple Watch to Track Your Sleep 

If you struggle with insomnia or think that your sleep cycle could be more regular than it currently is, tracking your sleep can help you get a better idea of any irregularities and even help you get enough sleep in the long run. This is where your Apple Watch comes in to save the day! The Apple Watch is the perfect device to use for tracking your sleep. 

First, you should ensure that your Apple Watch has enough charge to last the entire night – preferably more than 65%. 

Then, open up the built-in Sleep app on the Apple Watch and set it up according to your needs and preferences.  

You can set up a sleep schedule for different days of the week by setting a bedtime and wake-up time as well as how many hours you would ideally like to sleep. Then, you can set the alarm – or multiple–to ensure you wake up on time. 

After your sleep schedule has been set up, your Apple Watch with directly go into sleep mode, or you can turn sleep mode on. 

Sleep mode essentially turns on your Do Not Disturb so that notifications do not disturb you. It also disables rise to wake so that your screen doesn’t light up any time you move around in your sleep. 

With your morning alarm, sleep mode will turn off, and you’ll be able to use the Sleep app to check how much you slept throughout the night.

You can also see a more detailed history of your sleep on the app. After a few days of sleep tracking, you’ll be able to get a clearer pattern of how you sleep over time. 

Where Do I Keep My Apple Watch at Night If I Don’t Keep It On?

If you simply don’t want to keep your Apple Watch on while you sleep, that’s perfectly okay, too! It’s a personal preference, and there is no obligation to keep it on. But then you might be wondering what to do with the watch or where to keep it while you sleep. 

Some people prefer to keep the watch on their nightstands or close by while they sleep to easily check notifications or set alarms on the watch. 

Others prefer to have the watch on Do Not Disturb, turned off completely, or even kept in a separate room so that their sleep is not interrupted at all. 

If you don’t want to keep the watch on while you sleep, you might benefit from putting it on charge so that it is fully charged when you wake up the next day.

Apple Watches have a unique trickle charge feature, meaning that batteries do not overcharge or get damaged if you leave them on charge all night. 

Key Takeaways 

• Apple Watches are entirely safe to keep on while sleeping because they emit extremely low levels of EMF, and the radiation emitted is non-ionized. 
• Whether you sleep with the watch on or off is completely up to you and depends on your comfort level. 
• The Apple Watch is a great tool to track your sleep, and you can use the built-in Sleep app. 
• If you don’t want to keep the watch on while sleeping, you can put it on a charge instead or just leave it on your dresser or side table.