Sleep Pattern or Sleep Stage but not Both?

[Just_Started]

Recently received Charge 4 as a gift and started using it a week ago. After reading on posts on the community forum, I learned that the sleep pattern is recorded if I use "begin sleep" on the phone app, and sleep stage is recorded when I don't use "begin sleep" on the app and use scheduled sleep time or quick access to sleep on the charge 4 instead.

I have chatted with support about whether it is possible to have both sleep pattern and sleep stage recorded/reported. The answer is that only sleep pattern or sleep stage is possible but not both. Not sure what others think, but for me a newbie to this, I find sleep pattern's "sleep quality" (mins to fall asleep, times restless, mins awake/restless) is rather helpful. (ironically, mins to fall asleep shows up on phone app, but not on online dashboard!!!) - I am not good that interpreting or translating sleep stage to sleep pattern!

So, I would like to see future improvement to make BOTH sleep pattern and sleep stage available. Anyone else?

[JuanFitbit]

@Just_Started , Nice to see you here. Thank you for sharing your feedback and your efforts as well as your suggestion. 

We're constantly striving to improve Fitbit products and services, and we appreciate all of the input we receive from our customers. The best place to make your voice heard is the Feature Suggestion board on our community (community.fitbit.com/t5/Feature-Requests/idb-p/features). 

If a similar suggestion has already been made by another member of the community, you can vote for their suggestion and add your comments. 

Thanks for your feedback and for participating in our community!

[Just_Started]

Hello @JuanFitbit , Thank you for welcoming me and directing me to the Feature Suggestion board. One follow up question on making suggestions - as I found similar suggestion but it was back in 2017 with a lock symbol on posts of the suggestion (https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Feature-Suggestions/Have-both-Sleep-Stages-and-Regular-Sleep-old-vie...), I wonder what will be the best thing to do - is there a way to transfer my post? or should I copy and post it there?

Also, another somewhat related question - is sleep stage only available with premium?  If so, it would mean that when one pays for premium one gets to see sleep stage but loose the sleep pattern which is default or free in the first place. I'd thought premium should provide additional information (not swapping or substituting). That is another reason I am hoping that both type of reports to be made available. (Note: Whether some sleep stats should be premium or not has been discussed elsewhere - it is not what I am  focusing on here).

Thanks.

[LZeeW]

@Just_Started   Your other question is VERY related.  Premium gives you sleep patterns, sleep stages and your sleeping heart rate.  You also see how each of these was used to get your sleep score.  Did your Charge 4 come with a free trial?

Detailed sleep analysis is only one part of Premium.  Premium is pretty expensive if that is the only part you will use.

[Just_Started]

Hello @LZeeW , Yes. It came with a free trial. I do agree that premium is pretty expansive especially when I am only interested in detail sleep analysis. But, I thought I'd take advantage of free trial and see what I actually get with detailed sleep analysis.

At this point,  what is still unclear to me is this: is sleep pattern a part of detailed sleep analysis that also requires Premium, or is sleep pattern the basic report we get with Charge 4 without paying extra?

Looking back at one week worth of data, I have the first couple of days that showed sleep pattern and then there were other days with sleep stage. I did a search on this community forum and learned that I'd get sleep pattern if I clicked on "begin sleep" on phone app. And that was what I did exactly on a couple of days. However, I can't quite remember when exactly I signed up for free trail but I am sure I did not sign up for free trail right away. Therefore I was (still am) unclear on whether Premium has an effect on the type of sleep reports (sleep stage vs sleep pattern) one gets.

As I wrote earlier, It seems to me that one should get additional detail without losing the basic information when paying extra. Being new to this, I still find that sleep pattern give me information sleep stage doesn't have, or at least not easy to see at a glance. I don't quite understand why sleep pattern would be replaced by sleep stage when one pays premium (if sleep pattern isn't part of "detailed sleep analysis"). I'd thought one would have sleep pattern and then get additional details with sleep stage!

[LZeeW · Accepted solution]

@Just_Started   I hope I can answer your questions without getting too wordy:

• Never use the "begin sleep" choice on the app.  That is for older model trackers that can't track sleep automatically.
• Older model trackers can only give sleep patterns.
• Newer model trackers give sleep stages and your sleep score.  Fitbit introduced this as a significant improvement in its sleep tracking ability.
• From time to time, a newer model Fitbit gives sleep patterns instead of stages -- usually because it can't get a consistent heart rate in your sleep.
• You need Premium to see both sleep patterns and sleep stages every day.
• Many, many users are very annoyed that the most helpful parts of the sleep analysis are behind a paywall.

[JuanFitbit]

@LZeeW , Nice to see you around. Thank you for your help and the fully information about the sleep stages and sleep pattern.

@Just_Started , Thank you for your reply and for your questions. 

I think all the information provided by our friend LZeeW is complete . 

Just wanted to jump in to address your question regarding the posting for feature suggestions. 

As the one you pointed out, is categorized as not currently planned, you can always vote for it, even on that status. But if you want your post and feedback to be added open a new thread providing your suggestion, with all details you want in the feature, so that one of us, adds it to the already existing thread or will provide you with the feedback regarding this. 

Hope this helps.

[Just_Started]

@LZeeW, Thanks! That is very clear, helpful and informative. I do wish like others that they would let detail sleep analysis be free of extra fees. 

@JuanFitbitI appreciate both of your information very much. It is good to know that I can still vote for it even when it is not currently planned or "archived". I will do that. Thanks!