Apple Watch Features Worth Setting Up: Sleep, Vitals, Double Tap, and More

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Several useful Apple Watch capabilities are easy to overlook: sleep tracking, overnight Vitals, health notifications, and gesture controls such as Double Tap or AssistiveTouch. What you can use depends on your watch model and, for some health features, your region. Here is where to set them up and what each one does.

Which Apple Watch health features can you set up?

Apple’s health features guide covers sleep, heart health notifications, medication logging, State of Mind, cycle tracking, and Vitals. Availability varies by model and region; treat these as wellness and tracking tools, not diagnoses or treatment.

#	Preview	Product	Price
1		Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band -...	$360.05	Buy on Amazon
2		Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 42mm] Smartwatch with Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Light Blush Sport Band...	$331.55	Buy on Amazon
3		Apple Watch SE 3 [GPS 40mm] Smartwatch with Starlight Aluminum Case with Starlight Sport Band - S/M....		Buy on Amazon
4		Apple Watch SE 3 [GPS 40mm] Smartwatch with Midnight Aluminum Case with Midnight Sport Band - S/M....	$205.86	Buy on Amazon
5		Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 42mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band -...	$331.55	Buy on Amazon

• Heart health notifications: Set notifications for high or low heart rate and irregular rhythm.
• Medications: Add medications in the iPhone Health app, then use Apple Watch to log them.
• State of Mind: Record a momentary emotion or your mood for the day.
• Cycle tracking: Log menstrual-cycle information. Predictions can draw on logged data and heart rate; supported watches worn to sleep can also use wrist temperature. Retrospective ovulation estimates are not available in every country or region.

To find the relevant controls, start in the iPhone Health app or the corresponding app on your watch. The available options depend on your device and location.

How do you set up sleep tracking?

Sleep tracking is more useful when you set a schedule and wear the watch to bed. Apple Support says, “With the Sleep app on Apple Watch, you can create sleep schedules to help you meet your sleep goals.”

#1 Best Overall

Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - M/L. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant

• A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
• KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
• GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
• SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
• A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.

$360.05

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1. Open the Sleep app on Apple Watch, or open Health on iPhone and go to its Sleep controls.
2. Set a sleep schedule and goal. The schedule can include Sleep Focus, wind-down time, and an alarm.
3. Enable sleep tracking and wear the watch while you sleep.

Apple says the watch estimates time in REM, Core, and Deep sleep, as well as when you might have woken. Sleep trends cover the previous 14 days. These are estimates, not clinical measurements. See Apple’s sleep-tracking guide for setup details.

What does Vitals show, and when does it alert you?

Vitals summarizes overnight heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, blood oxygen, and sleep duration; it can also show training load. Apple describes typical ranges for sleep-collected metrics. If multiple metrics fall outside their typical ranges, the watch may notify you and provide context such as medication, elevation changes, or illness. It is a prompt to review the information, not a diagnosis.

Rank #2

Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 42mm] Smartwatch with Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Light Blush Sport Band - S/M. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant

• A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
• KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
• GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
• SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
• A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.

$331.55

Buy on Amazon

There is a specific U.S. availability limitation: Blood Oxygen is unavailable in the Vitals app on certain Apple Watch models purchased in the United States on or after January 18, 2024. Apple identifies affected devices by part numbers ending in LW/A or LS/A. This does not establish the same restriction for every model or region. Check the part number and your device’s available features. Apple’s Vitals guide explains the feature.

What can Double Tap do?

On supported models, tap your index finger and thumb together twice to trigger an action without touching the display. Depending on the screen or app, Double Tap can answer a call, reply to a message, move through or scroll Smart Stack, or scroll in supported apps. Apple also lists actions including playing or pausing media, ending a call, stopping a timer, snoozing an alarm, using Camera Remote, recording a voice memo, pausing or resuming a stopwatch, and changing flashlight modes.

Rank #3

Apple Watch SE 3 [GPS 40mm] Smartwatch with Starlight Aluminum Case with Starlight Sport Band - S/M. Fitness and Sleep Trackers, Heart Rate Monitor, Always-On Display, Water Resistant

• GET SMARTER HEALTH INSIGHTS—Apple Watch SE 3 is an advanced health tracker that helps you better understand your body. The smartwatch sends alerts for an irregular heart rhythm, or an unusually high or low heart rate.* You can view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app,* track your sleep score, and get sleep apnea notifications.*
• A GREAT FITNESS TRACKER—SE 3 can track your workouts in a healthy number of ways—from running and strength training to simply achieving your 10K steps a day. With real-time metrics and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone,* you’ll hit your goals like never before.
• KEEP HELP CLOSE AT HAND—SE 3 is a smartwatch that can detect a hard fall or severe car crash and automatically help connect you to emergency services and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
• WOMEN’S HEALTH INSIGHTS—SE 3 has advanced sensors that track your wrist temperature while you sleep. With this smartwatch, you can log your periods and symptoms, get period predictions, and get notified of cycle deviations.*
• GREAT BATTERY LIFE AND FASTER CHARGING—Enjoy a smartwatch with all-day, 18-hour battery life* from sunup to sundown. Then charge up to twice as fast as SE 2* and get up to 8 hours of battery in just 15 minutes.*

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Double Tap is not available in every situation. Apple lists conditions including Low Power Mode, Sleep Focus, an inactive display, a locked watch, Family Setup, and some accessibility gesture features being enabled. Some screens and apps do not support it. If it does not respond, check the current screen and watch state, then consult Apple’s troubleshooting page, published March 23, 2026. Confirm that your model supports the feature.

How is AssistiveTouch different?

AssistiveTouch is an accessibility feature for navigating and acting on the watch with hand gestures. It supports navigation, menus, an onscreen pointer, Siri shortcuts, and other actions. Its gestures can also be useful when hands-free interaction is preferable.

Rank #4

Apple Watch SE 3 [GPS 40mm] Smartwatch with Midnight Aluminum Case with Midnight Sport Band - S/M. Fitness and Sleep Trackers, Heart Rate Monitor, Always-On Display, Water Resistant

• GET SMARTER HEALTH INSIGHTS—Apple Watch SE 3 is an advanced health tracker that helps you better understand your body. The smartwatch sends alerts for an irregular heart rhythm, or an unusually high or low heart rate.* You can view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app,* track your sleep score, and get sleep apnea notifications.*
• A GREAT FITNESS TRACKER—SE 3 can track your workouts in a healthy number of ways—from running and strength training to simply achieving your 10K steps a day. With real-time metrics and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone,* you’ll hit your goals like never before.
• KEEP HELP CLOSE AT HAND—SE 3 is a smartwatch that can detect a hard fall or severe car crash and automatically help connect you to emergency services and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
• WOMEN’S HEALTH INSIGHTS—SE 3 has advanced sensors that track your wrist temperature while you sleep. With this smartwatch, you can log your periods and symptoms, get period predictions, and get notified of cycle deviations.*
• GREAT BATTERY LIFE AND FASTER CHARGING—Enjoy a smartwatch with all-day, 18-hour battery life* from sunup to sundown. Then charge up to twice as fast as SE 2* and get up to 8 hours of battery in just 15 minutes.*

$205.86

Buy on Amazon

1. On Apple Watch, open Settings > Accessibility > AssistiveTouch.
2. Turn on AssistiveTouch, then enable Hand Gestures.
3. Use the default gestures described in Apple’s guide: tap to move forward, double-tap to move back, clench to select, and double-clench to open the Action Menu.

The universal Double Tap feature is unavailable while AssistiveTouch is enabled. For gesture settings and navigation details, see Apple’s AssistiveTouch guide.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1

Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - M/L. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant

$360.05

Bestseller No. 2

Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 42mm] Smartwatch with Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Light Blush Sport Band - S/M. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant

$331.55

Bestseller No. 3

Apple Watch SE 3 [GPS 40mm] Smartwatch with Starlight Aluminum Case with Starlight Sport Band - S/M. Fitness and Sleep Trackers, Heart Rate Monitor, Always-On Display, Water Resistant

Bestseller No. 4

Apple Watch SE 3 [GPS 40mm] Smartwatch with Midnight Aluminum Case with Midnight Sport Band - S/M. Fitness and Sleep Trackers, Heart Rate Monitor, Always-On Display, Water Resistant

$205.86

Bestseller No. 5

Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 42mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - S/M. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant

$331.55

Best Value

Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 42mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - S/M. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant

• A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
• KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
• GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
• SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
• A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.

$331.55

Buy on Amazon

How should you choose what to try first?

• If you want overnight information, start with a sleep schedule and tracking; Vitals can then summarize eligible overnight metrics.
• If you want hands-free shortcuts, check whether your model supports Double Tap and try it in a supported app or screen.
• If you need gesture-based navigation or pointer control, explore AssistiveTouch under Accessibility.
• If you are looking for heart, medication, mood, or cycle tools, review the Health app and verify feature availability for your model and region.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.