Download HeartRate data.

[Bee1984]

Hi all!

As computer tech specialist I love data. That's also one reason why I bought my Fitbit Charge HR. Just to get more data about how my body works in several situations.

On the "Personal Settings" site you can download some of your data like: Body, Foods, Activity and Sleep.

What I really miss here is the HeartRate data.

On the Android app I can see my HeartRate during the whole day, on the dashboard I can only see my HeartRate during excecises or just my Resting Heart Rate.

Is there anyway how I can see my 'whole day' HeartRate online? And a possibility to download this data into a .csv file like other data?

Thanks!

[ABT42]

Even at a data point once a second that's < 32 MB total per year assuming no absolute time and no compression.  Not even as big as most of the spreadsheets and word documents that I generate.  If that is too much for the Fitbit server, let me keep it on my own phone or laptop; I have enough storage on even the phone to store literally a lifetime of heart rate data.  This is not rocket science.  I see requests for this data going back years.  You'd think one of these wearable companies would think to distinguish themselves in a crowded market...

[MrMarv]

@ABT42 - 

Ahhh - I appreciate where you are coming from but that would be over 31 million data points per year. Where would the usual Fitbit user put that data.

Not in a spreadsheet, too many rows. Not in a regular word processing document - where is the utility of such storage.

No, you would need a database, and the expertise to perform the operations on the database to present usable data that makes sense - and simple queries won't do the job. We're talking creating a data warehouse with all the different views and drill-downs. And the "usual" Fitbit user wouldn't quality. I would, and possibly you would, though by your statements I suspect not.

The small size of the data does not mean simple. Take it from someone that has been coding to databases ranging from simple to mega-complex for over 35 years.

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@ABT42 wrote:

Even at a data point once a second that's < 32 MB total per year assuming no absolute time and no compression.  Not even as big as most of the spreadsheets and word documents that I generate.  

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[Colinm39]

As an interested Fitbit user I'm asking..... What do Fitbitters need to analyse with this data..?

I have a RHR off 53 and it doesn't pickup up my missing heart beat because my downloads average 23 plots/minute. When my heart misses a beat it does a couple of catch ups.. All approved from my cardiologist checkup..

Currently I download my sleep HR data so that I can plot my average HR against my Fitbit RHR and then against lowest night temperature. because I have definitely proven there is a very strong relationship between sleeping HR and RHR and sleeping with and without blankets.

Sleep data downloads as 23 plots/minute and the same number of hours over the awakening period it downloads 25 plots/minute.

The peaks of temperature in the image below I just slept on top of the bed.. No air conditioning..

[Dickf]

And how about making it once every 30 seconds? The the file would be more like 3MB. If it were smartly structured it would be very manageable by an intermediate Excel user.
We’re looking for something reasonable here, better than the very crude and vague displays Fitbit now offers.

Sent from my iPhone

[JimWSmith]

I needed to download my data in 6 month blocks in some cases otherwise I got an error but finally able to extract my heart rate information.

Great work

[SNAO]

This is amazing!! Thanks @SquashPlayer!!!

[Colinm39]

@SNAOWhat's amazing..?. Can you please provide your description of what you found from the Squash site..

I use it for the occasional download..

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wrote:

This is amazing!! Thanks @SquashPlayer!!!

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[SuzeeBlueCheese]

Hi Catplace, I just took a look at ExerByte and its graph shows somewhat higher HR spikes than the Fitbit app. Do you see the same with your data? I’ve noticed the FB graph doesn’t capture all such spikes, e.g. when I’ve noticed a high reading on my wrist or captured a high spike on my Blood Pressure monitor, it isn’t always reflected in the graph. Regards SBC

[Gondwana]

@SuzeeBlueCheeseYes, that's to be expected. The Fitbit app doesn't display the raw data in full detail, but smoothes it to suit the relatively low resolution of its graph. (Often this is desirable because some spikes are simply inaccurate readings, which is why ExerByte also lets you display a smoothed graph.)

The best way to determine whether the graphs are right is to download the raw data. You should be able to open it in almost any spreadsheet. Alternatively, change the file extension to .txt and look at it in any text editor or word processor. Although the file looks long and complex at first blush, it gives up its secrets fairly easily.

[Colinm39]

@SuzeeBlueCheeseI presume that graph is on your phone... This I believe is a 5 minute average and that will knock out the peaks.. If you view it on the PC you will find its accurate because we get 24-25 plots/minute average..

But, I have just noticed on a 35 minute Workout I received 35 plot points/minute.. A massive improvement from over a 1 year ago when we were only getting 8-16 plots/minute..

You will also notice the minute your phone has the data its uploaded to your PC webpage before you can even open it..

Occasionally I get an error when its plotting the graph on the PC and Support have that in their trouble basket.. This is normally on 10-12hr plots like sleeping..

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@SuzeeBlueCheesewrote:

Hi Catplace, I just took a look at ExerByte and its graph shows somewhat higher HR spikes than the Fitbit app. Do you see the same with your data? I’ve noticed the FB graph doesn’t capture all such spikes, e.g. when I’ve noticed a high reading on my wrist or captured a high spike on my Blood Pressure monitor, it isn’t always reflected in the graph. Regards SBC

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[SuzeeBlueCheese]

Thanks Catplace. I’ll give that a go once I’ve got access to my laptop again.

[SuzeeBlueCheese]

Thanks Colinm39. I have the Fitbit app on both my phone & iPad. The graphs as viewed on the phone contain more usable data, the view on the iPad is rather more basic. Your explanation about the plotting explains a lot. 

On balance, I think the ExerByte data reflects my subjective experience. For example, I was stood in a queue for around 10 mins in A&E a couple of weeks back. Fitbit recorded 146 bpm, Exerbyte displays 205 bpm. I felt horribly faint & nauseous by the time I was able to sit back down. Other times, I’ve begun to feel unwell while standing still a few minutes. I’d begun to think this feeling was all in my head  because the FB graph showed more moderate spiking, however, the EB graph shows much higher spiking consistent with those episodes. I’m supposedly being booked in for a 24hr Holtor Monitor so there may indeed be something for it to capture after all.

Unfortunately my PC is currently unusable but this gives me greater impetus to sit down & fix the beast. 

[Colinm39]

@SuzeeBlueCheese Take care and get it checked out.. I have a 1st degree heart block.. Missing heart beat and all been cleared by the specialists. They feel I have had it since birth.  Genetically I have finished up with a low RHR 51-52 and my sleeping pulse averages 51 getting down to 43..

On my annual check-up last year the doctor send me off to the cardiologist. He thought he detected something... During the testing the cardiologist asked my why I was there.... Why... Because they found nothing wrong, all normal and had a bit of  a laugh when they said, "do you realise when your heart misses  beat it does  couple of catchup."

Also the Fitbit Cardio Score for me is accurate based on other tests.. 😊 Elite Athlete...

I had a stress test  a few years ago and the doctor running it wanted me to continue because my body was getting extra oxygen... Another few minutes on the treadmill and they put it down to genetics...

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@SuzeeBlueCheesewrote:

Thanks Colinm39. I have the Fitbit app on both my phone & iPad. The graphs as viewed on the phone contain more usable data, the view on the iPad is rather more basic. Your explanation about the plotting explains a lot. 

On balance, I think the ExerByte data reflects my subjective experience. For example, I was stood in a queue for around 10 mins in A&E a couple of weeks back. Fitbit recorded 146 bpm, Exerbyte displays 205 bpm. I felt horribly faint & nauseous by the time I was able to sit back down. Other times, I’ve begun to feel unwell while standing still a few minutes. I’d begun to think this feeling was all in my head  because the FB graph showed more moderate spiking, however, the EB graph shows much higher spiking consistent with those episodes. I’m supposedly being booked in for a 24hr Holtor Monitor so there may indeed be something for it to capture after all.

Unfortunately my PC is currently unusable but this gives me greater impetus to sit down & fix the beast. 

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[SuzeeBlueCheese]

Thanks Colin. I've been attempting to get it checked out on and off the last several years but end up blocked at the GP stage with beginners advice like, 'take your time when going to stand', which seems appropriate when seeing stars immediately on standing not feeling progressively more unwell after standing for some minutes. The reason I'm using a Fitbit is an attempt to capture some data I could use to support a request for some heart function/autonomic tests. Hey..it's hopefully opened the door to the Holtor Monitor (I'll believe it when it happens). 

Hope the heart block doesn't interfere with your day to day activities. Are you actually athletic or is that an anomalous FitBit status..like mine of Jogger, because my HR gives the impression I'm working out when all I'm doing is standing making a cup of tea. 

[Colinm39]

@SuzeeBlueCheeseThe issues with your GP is the same as mine.. He is 60 and doesn't like us with our Fitbits, Polar strap HR's and our Omron BP kits... What you are experiencing could be dangerous.. and without worrying you, my b-in-law who is younger than me had 2 car crashes and was passing out at work with similar symptoms to you. It took the profession some time to test and agree to implant a pacemaker... He hasn't had an issue now for years..

The heart block isn't an issue and all of the GPs and specialists accept it as me.. I can't pick it up on the Fitbit because it is only 1 beat out of a few hundred and sometimes my Omron HR monitor picks it up..

Am I athletic.?.. Always active when I was a child, I used to get into trouble from my parents if I wasn't home by dark in the days when it was safe to do that.... . When I started playing competitive sport at age 14 together with Senior school athletics and planned sport... always on the go.. In my late teens I can remember my father saying, "sport will kill you...". In the summer I was playing U15 cricket Saturday mornings, then seniors cricket Saturday afternoon and Sunday.  In the winter the same drill.. Australian rules football Saturday morning U15, then U18 in the afternoon and the Services teams on Sunday, which comprised, Fire Brigade, Police, Ambulance and Hotels..

It never worried me, retired from all of that in my mid 20's, married the girl in my avatar and 3 children before I was 28.... Still going and 79 in a few months...My youngest turned 50 last month...

So one would say it was in my makeup... definitely genetic.. Cardiologists 40 years ago agreed with that when I volunteered for some adult onset diabetes clinical testing over 3 months.. At the end of those I asked them why I had never had the flu, why my blood flow was above normal and my HR low... The answer, "Blame your parents"....

In the last 40 years of my working like, I retired at 70, I only had 1/2 day off, came in late...

So now because I'm mixing with my in-laws who are in their 80's I had had to have shingles, flu and pneumonia shots, not for me but to protect the others who are in various stages of ill health..

To finish it off my BP is 118/64, bloods are perfect and just have my lower back issues which is helped by my walking...

It's a long post but I can confirm that all of my Fitbit wrist trackers are accurate at my level.. I don't run, so all of my walks, HiiT, stationary bike and workouts are accurate because my maxHR is 142..

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@SuzeeBlueCheesewrote:

Thanks Colin. I've been attempting to get it checked out on and off the last several years but end up blocked at the GP stage with beginners advice like, 'take your time when going to stand', which seems appropriate when seeing stars immediately on standing not feeling progressively more unwell after standing for some minutes. The reason I'm using a Fitbit is an attempt to capture some data I could use to support a request for some heart function/autonomic tests. Hey..it's hopefully opened the door to the Holtor Monitor (I'll believe it when it happens). 

Hope the heart block doesn't interfere with your day to day activities. Are you actually athletic or is that an anomalous FitBit status..like mine of Jogger, because my HR gives the impression I'm working out when all I'm doing is standing making a cup of tea. 

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[kimberlypekula]

It has been two years since this post? When will heart rate be downloadable? I would like to monitor my afib. 

[emmy7435]

Oops didn't quote correctly

[emmy7435]

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@SuzeeBlueCheese wrote:

Thanks Colin. I've been attempting to get it checked out on and off the last several years but end up blocked at the GP stage with beginners advice like, 'take your time when going to stand', which seems appropriate when seeing stars immediately on standing not feeling progressively more unwell after standing for some minutes. The reason I'm using a Fitbit is an attempt to capture some data I could use to support a request for some heart function/autonomic tests. Hey..it's hopefully opened the door to the Holtor Monitor (I'll believe it when it happens). 

Hope the heart block doesn't interfere with your day to day activities. Are you actually athletic or is that an anomalous FitBit status..like mine of Jogger, because my HR gives the impression I'm working out when all I'm doing is standing making a cup of tea. 

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Just jumping in to say that from what you've described I think you definitely are on the right track looking at dysautonomia/POTS. Try to get a Tilt Table Test as well as the Holter monitor. I have POTS as well, so I'm hoping you can at least find a good doctor and diagnosis soon. It makes all the difference.

As to the fitbit, it is a pretty decent tool (If i could get the darn HR data off! Haha, I hope I can given this forum!). It is definitely not the most accurate, and it averages the data quite a bit so you don't see the spikes as much. If you're serious about trying to demonstrate something like orthostatic tachycardia for a doctor, I recommend getting a fingertip pulse oximiter, which is extremely accurate. Mine came with a USB cord so I could attach it to my computer and record data to take to a doctor. It was well worth the $30. Here's what I got: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B8L8ZXE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Anyway best of luck with your health!

[Colinm39]

@emmy7435Thanks for replying to the others.. I have posted elsewhere but I'm awaiting my finger tip device from CorSense.. I used Kickstarter because I was already using their Elite HRV App using my Polar chest device.. Interesting results showed when you over trained, lack of sleep etc....

Now I will have to order the Amazon device so that I can compare the Corsense device.. They, like Fitbit aren't releasing the SPO2 feature until after the release next month for the HRV implementation.

I have always used the Rockport manual methods of verifying my oxygen uptake. ie walking around a 1 mile course on a predetermined track and timing the HR on completion..

I have just ordered the device now....

@SuzeeBlueCheese  My specialists aren't worried about the heart block.. I'm going on 79 now and it hasn't been an issue.  Yes, I played a lot of sport, I didn't add squash or indoor cricket to my earlier post.. But genetically my body just keeps on going.. I was never a sprinter.. born with "ducks disease", as my late doctor described me, solid upper body and shorter legs.. So I have no problems walking at exercise pace..

I hope you can progress with GP because it's your body and your well being..

[sehovarter]

So - I am looking for how to download my heart rate data from my FitBit, as I recently read an article that FitBit now has the largest data set of heart rate info ever collected, and yet I find despite them having my data, I can't seem to get it easily!  why can't I download a CVS or XLS file directly from my Dashboard?   I don't want to scroll back and manually grab every day since the beginning of the year, and after reading one post that told me I can set up an App Developer account, and then the nauseating steps required to get what I think would be a simple feature for FitBit to add - am lost!  how can I get my heart rate data EASILY - ANYONE??