Wear an Apple Watch at night to see how well you slept.
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Data generated by Apple Watch for the Apple Heart and Movement Study indicates that most people don’t get enough sleep at night, and that people in Idaho get more sleep than those in West Virginia.
The Apple Heart and Movement Study was developed by Apple and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, as well as the American Heart Association, in 2019 to first look at early warning signs for atrial fibrillation (AFib). In a March data release, the same data shows that people need to spend more time sleeping.
An update the sleep focus released on March 7 shows that the average amount of time spent sleeping by project participants was 6 hours and 27 minutes. Only 31.2% of people get seven or more hours of sleep, which meets the minimum recommended by the AHA.
Most people manage between six and seven hours, with 39.7% of sleep reporters reaching this. Another 20.3% get between five and six hours a night, and 8.8% have less than 5 hours.
Sleep is considered an important component for health and well-being, with duration and consistency linked to a variety of health topics including cardiovascular disease, metabolism, and brain health, explains the BWH.
The same data set also revealed that participants in Washington, South Dakota, and Idaho were more likely to meet the minimum sleep recommendation. Those in Hawaii, Mississippi, and West Virginia are more likely to do so.
The researchers also found quite a difference in when people go to bed on a weekday versus a weekend. As you might expect, most people go to bed before midnight on a weekday, with 66.4% falling asleep.
However, at the weekend, the chart as a moment changes later, with 56.6% going into the hay before 12am.
The data is based on results from more than 42,000 people who opted into the study on their Apple Watch and iPhonethrough Apple Research app.
BWH offers advice to track sleep and improve sleep habits, including establishing a routine and keeping your sleep as consistent as possible. To measure sleepiness, it is suggested that set up sleep tracking on Apple Watch, so you can see how you’re resting over time.