With watchOS 11, Apple Watch can track sleep without sleep focus mode

Unveiled at WWDC 2024, watchOS 11 is currently in developer beta with general rollout slated to commence from September

With watchOS 11, Apple Watch can track sleep even if the watch is not in Sleep Focus Mode. Earlier, it was necessary to activate Sleep Focus Mode or set a sleep schedule to track sleep. A user on X (formerly Twitter), named Max Weinbach, has tweeted about this change and also informed that overnight rest and naps will also be recorded. Even if you do not activate any mode on the Watch, your sleep data will continue to be collected. Although if you want to use do-not-disturb features and stop constant notifications, you will need to turn on the Sleep Focus mode.

Watch OS 11 is set to bring several upgrades that were announced at WWDC 2024. Vitals app will also be introduced that will take into account heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, sleep duration, and blood oxygen during Sleep to offer you insights.  If the metrics exceed the usual range, it will also show a warning to the user.

Moreover, Apple will also launch a Training load metric to Apple Watches that is specifically tailored for athletes and fitness enthusiasts. Training load helps users understand the strain on their body from workouts over the last seven days compared to the last 28 days which can help users make better decisions about their training plan. It also offers a new “Effort Rating” that shows how difficult the training was on a scale from 1 to 10. Another major health feature is the new Cycle Tracking app that offers additional support for pregnant users to help them better understand changes in their physical and mental health during this period. The app shows their gestational age and allows them to log symptoms for things frequently experienced during pregnancy.

The new update is expected to be officially launched in September but the beta version is available now.