Disappointing sleep tracking

[SunsetRunner]

Hi,

I've been struggling with poor sleep for about 12 years. I finally decided to get a sleep tracker hoping to get some good insight and information about my sleeping pattern, how much REM deppsleep and so on.

So I purchased the Charge 5 about a week ago.

The results are random and very unreliable.

First night I woke up at 4am and didn't sleep another minute, wide awake. But I stayed in bed until 7am. The Charge 5 tells me I have had two cycles of both REM and deep sleep during these 3 hours. How can this be? Well as I understand it, the only two parameters used to monitor sleep are heart rate and a motion sensor. So if lying in bed without moving much, it will think you are asleep. Is this correct, or is something else going on as well?

This behaviour has repeated every night since, recording sleep while I'm awake.

It also thinks I'm sleeping while sitting in the couch watching TV.

Have the Fitbit devices really not evolved and progressed any further after 5 revisions?

I'm disappointed and will return the device if no useful information emerges here.

[Wibby]

Hello @SunsetRunner 

Usually the Fitbit doesn't measure patches of sleep shorter than 3 hours.  It does tend to use lack of motion and your slowed heart rate to monitor when you're asleep.  Have you thought about switching the Sleep Sensitivity to Sensitive?  If you fidget or move a bit while you're lying there or watching TV, the Sensitive mode is more likely to think you're awake.

You can change the setting by going into the App on your phone and tapping on your profile.  Next tap on Activity and Wellness, then scroll down to Sleep. At the bottom of the Sleep screen is the sensitivity button, which you can tap to change.

I hope that helps a bit.  I tend to move a bit while I'm awake and my heart rate changes too, so I've found the sleep detection to be pretty accurate for me so far.

[SunsetRunner]

Hi Wibby, I appreciate your response thank you.

Are you using the Charge 5, or an older version? I had searched for this before, but there is no sensitivity button at all in the Fitbit app.

Also want to share last nights sleep tracking experience. I went to bed 22.30pm and woke up 06.30am. 

Sleep tracker has registered sleep from 22.30pm until 02.30am, and no deep sleep or REM during this time..

Is there something wrong with my unit, or is this just a result of too few sleep parameters along with poor algorithm implementation?

I welcome any input from the Fitbit crew on this site.

[Wibby]

I'm using the Charge 5 too. 

Please check the place I described on the App on your phone and adjust the sensitivity.  It is there if you look in the right place.

Other than that, hopefully someone can help with the other information.  I'm not an expert at all, I'm afraid.

I hope you get a resolution to this.

[SunsetRunner]

Thanks Wibby,

I really wish it was possible to attach pics here so I could upload a screenshot of the Sleep screen.

The option in the bottom is "Bedtime Reminder", there is nothing below this. 

I hope a moderator will chime in to clarify this, and comment on all my other issues.

[andram]

Actually it’s not under the profile. Click on the sleep statistics, and then click on the gear at the upper right corner. You will find the sensitivity settings there.

[SunsetRunner]

Thanks @andram, however this is exactly the same screen as found under activity and wellness-->sleep. No sensitivity settings. 

[Wibby]

Hello again @SunsetRunner 

It is possible to attach pictures and screenshots here.  If you look at the top of the reply box on your phone, there’s a small picture icon on the right.  Tap on that and you can select a picture to upload.  If you’re on a computer, the icon is a camera.

Here’s a screenshot of the Sleep Sensitivity button I was telling you about:

 

Also, have you checked that your App and Charge 5 are both on the latest versions and synced together?  The Charge 5 has the sensitivity option so it should be showing up in the App.

Good luck!

[SunsetRunner]

Hi @Wibby ,

I get the pic button when using a web browser on my pc but not when using my phone, where my screenshot is. 🙄

Your sleep settings screen looks exactly like mine, only mine is missing the sensitivity settings.

Just checked and I am on the latest firmware version (1.149.11) for the device and app version 3.51.1

[Wibby]

@SunsetRunner 

This is what shows on an iPhone. If you have Android it might be slightly different, but people with Android are still able to upload screenshots.

 

 

You could also attach your screenshot to an email and then download that from your computer if that’s easier for you.

 I checked the information about sleep tracking and it says if your tracker measures heart rate, the sensitivity setting should be available.

[SunsetRunner]

I appreciate that you are trying to help me @Wibby , but please believe me when I say that sensitivity setting is missing.

The Pic upload button is also missing on my android phone. 

[MikeMelb78]

I can confirm with @SunsetRunner that no such sensitivity setting exists on an Android. I have the latest watch firmware and version of the app installed.

Why is Fitbit favouring iOS users? What other features are missing from the Android app?

[SunsetRunner]

Thank you for confirming this @MikeMelb78 

[Wibby]

Hello everybody,

 I don’t work for Fitbit and don’t know why Android doesn’t have it.

You can also adjust Sleep Sensitivity from the Dashboard on your computer.

Choose the Menu button (cog icon) at the top right of the screen, choose Settings from the drop down  menu.

Click on Charge 5 device (on the left).

Click on Sleep Tracking and you can switch to Sensitive.

Check the setting is saved (a blue banner should pop up to tell you).

Sync your Charge 5.

I hope that helps.  Good luck!

[Heather-S]

@SunsetRunner @Wibby 

I had a friend with an Android check for me, and he confirmed there is no Sleep Sensitivity option for Android, unfortunately.  It must've been removed.

[MoreOfWalking]

Yup, I don't have it either.

The sleep accuracy is bad for me too, wish I could change the sensitivity.

[Wibby]

@MoreOfWalking   I'm sorry to hear you have the same problem.  If you want to change the sensitivity setting, If you have a computer you can change it by following the instructions in the post I wrote earlier today.  It should be 2 above yours.

It seems that it is available in the App for iPhone users but not for Android, but is available for all (I hope - I'm using Windows not a Mac, so can't speak for them) through the Dashboard on your computer. 

I hope you can find it on there so that at least one person can be helped a little bit.

[SunsetRunner]

Thanks @Wibby , I found the setting on computer dashbord. What a strange decision by Fitbit to leave this out in the android app..

Will see if this changes the reliability of the sleep tracker. I have my doubts.