If your iPhone keeps interrupting your rest with late-night alerts or sudden screen illumination, it might be time to rethink how your device handles sleep. Apple’s Sleep Mode, part of its Focus tools, is designed to reduce disturbances at night—but it’s only effective when properly set up and managed. Here’s how to switch it off when needed, adjust settings, and tailor your phone’s sleep behaviour to suit your routine.

Disabling Sleep Mode via Control Center

Sleep Mode typically turns off automatically once your scheduled wake-up time arrives—this is configured within the Health app. But if you wake up earlier than expected or simply don’t want to follow the routine on a given day, you can disable it manually:

  • Swipe down from the top-right corner of your iPhone screen to access the Control Center.

  • Tap the Sleep icon, which looks like a green bed inside a white circle.

  • A list of other Focus modes will appear, such as Do Not Disturb or Personal.

  • Either choose a different Focus or tap the Sleep icon again to exit Sleep Mode.

This gives you immediate access to your notifications and returns the phone to its standard state.

Manually Activating Sleep Mode

If you plan to take a nap or need an hour of uninterrupted focus during the day, you can manually switch Sleep Mode on:

  • Open Control Center by swiping down from the top-right corner.

  • Tap and hold the Focus icon (which displays the last mode you used).

  • Select “Sleep” from the list of Focus options.

  • Once activated, your iPhone will suppress non-essential notifications and adjust settings accordingly.

Managing Sleep Schedules with the Health App

Sleep Mode is largely governed by the Health app, which allows you to set detailed sleep goals and routines:

  • Open the Health app and navigate to the Sleep section.

  • Tap “Full Schedule & Options” to adjust your bedtime and wake-up times.

  • You can set a Sleep Goal—experts suggest between 7 to 9 hours for adults, but this is customisable.

  • Enable Wind Down if you’d like to receive a prompt before bedtime to help ease into sleep.

  • If you own an Apple Watch, you can enhance your sleep tracking. The device provides more accurate data and offers gentle haptic alarms to wake you quietly.

These settings automate Sleep Mode and ensure it aligns with your personal habits.

Customising Sleep Focus Settings

You can further refine your Sleep Mode experience via the Focus settings menu:

  • Access Control Center and long-press the Focus icon.

  • Tap the three-dot menu next to “Sleep” and choose “Settings”.

From here, several customisation options are available:

  • Allowed Apps: Decide which apps can send you notifications during Sleep Mode. By default, only critical alerts come through.

  • People: Choose specific contacts—like family members or close friends—who can bypass Sleep Mode to reach you.

  • Custom Screens: Set which Lock or Home Screen layout appears during Sleep Focus.

  • Focus Filters: Adjust app behaviour and system settings when Sleep Mode is active.

  • Schedule: Define your usual sleep and wake times so the mode activates and deactivates automatically.