Why Do Pillow and Apple Health App Show Different Sleep Data Results?
Introduction
If you use the Pillow app and the Apple Health app concurrently to track your sleep, you may notice differences in the reported data. Several users have encountered these discrepancies, raising concerns about accuracy and reliability. This article explains the reasons behind these differences and offers solutions for optimizing your experience with Pillow.
Algorithmic Differences
Pillow and Apple Health app employ distinct sleep tracking algorithms, which are responsible for the differences in sleep data. These algorithms analyze sensor data differently to produce results such as total sleep, sleep cycles, and awakenings.A key limitation is that Apple has not publicly disclosed the specifics of its algorithm. Consequently, it is impossible to directly compare or analyze how Apple Health measures sleep versus Pillow's calculations.
Resolving Inconsistencies in Pillow
If you are concerned about the data captured by Pillow, you can use its re-analysis feature to refine the sleep results. Follow these steps to re-analyze your sleep data:
Open the Pillow app on your iPhone.
Navigate to the specific day you want to revisit by tapping the calendar icon in the top-right corner.
Scroll to the bottom of the screen and tap the "Re-analyze" button.
Select the analysis result that most closely matches your recollection of your wake time and overall sleep duration.
Tap "Done" to save the revised analysis.
This feature ensures your sleep data aligns more accurately with your personal observations.
Summary
The difference in sleep data between Pillow and Apple Health is primarily due to the distinct, proprietary algorithms used by both systems. While Pillow offers actionable tools such as session re-analysis to enhance data accuracy, it is not possible to directly reconcile differences caused by Apple's non-disclosed algorithm.To ensure the best experience with Pillow, use its re-analysis feature and rely on your best recollections of sleep and wake periods to achieve more suitable results.If you encounter further questions or issues, feel free to consult our Support Center for additional help.