No sleep stages tracked - only basic sleep

[hoofbeats95]

I have had the Versa for two nights and I only get basic sleep stats.  I chatted with an agent this morning that confirmed my HR graph seems complete.  The fitbit app claims inconsistent HR as the reason for no sleep insights.  But that's not true.  The agent said to restart.  I did the yesterday and still ended up with basic sleep.  I do not start sleep manually - I let it auto detect.  Apparently starting it manually also results in basic stats.  I have a full battery.  Clearly where I wear the watch isn't an issue since the HR is complete.  This is a big reason I bought this watch, but at this point I'm going to return it this weekend.  The last thing the agent said was to factory reset the watch.  Which I think is their fallback response and is bogus.  I just set this watch up 2 days ago.  I shouldn't have to factory reset the thing.  It seems the Versa has way too many issues.  I may have jumped the gun on this watch, but it seemed like quite the upgrade from my regular Alta. 

Moderator edit: Subject for clarity 

[HeydyF]

Hey @hoofbeats95, it is cool to see you around more often!  I'm sorry to hear about the inconveniences you have with your Versa because it isn't tracking your sleep stages accurately. On the other hand, I want to thank you for taking the time to contact our Support team. In regards of the factory reset, did you try it already? If you haven't, I'd like you to try that out, wear it for a few nights and let me know if it tracks your sleep correctly, 'cause the main factor that affect your sleep stages, which is the heart rate data, seems to be tracked well. 

Give it a try and let me know how it goes! 

[hoofbeats95]

I put a wrist sweat band over my versa at night when I sleep.  That keeps it from moving on my wrist.  Even thought the HR graph was complete, something was clearly not working.  For not the wristband works.  Dorky solution maybe, but I have a 6" wrist, the versa likes to lay a bit off to the side of my wrist and the next hole in the band pinches.  So I will wear the wristband for now. 

[RJJ77]

Same issue.  Versa worked fine for a week or two and then began to sporadically not show sleep stages.  Now for the last week will not show sleep stages.  Correctly reports total amount of sleep.  Talked with customer support and followed their suggestions as well as those posted about rebooting the watch and the heart rate monitor component, clean watch/wrist, reposition etc. etc. but nothing works.  No heart stages.  Very frustrating with what otherwise is a very nice watch for exercise and general use.

[HeydyF]

Thanks for your response @hoofbeats95! Oh! That sounds pretty great. I have heard from some other users who have wear a wrist sweat band over their Versa, and getting sleep stages data every day and very accurate. I appreciate you have shared this tip here in the Community! 

@RJJ77, welcome aboard! Thanks for taking the time to contact our Support team and tried their suggestions. Just to confirm, I'd like to know if you have verified the following: 

• If you slept in a position that prevented your watch from getting a consistent heart-rate reading or wore it too loosely. For best results, wear your watch higher on your wrist (about 2-3 finger widths above your wrist bone). The band should feel secure but not too tight.
• If you used the Begin Sleep Now option in the Fitbit app (instead of simply wearing your watch to bed). For more information on automatic sleep tracking, see How do I track my sleep?
• If you slept for less than 3 hours.
• If your watch’s battery is critically low.
• If you have it, you can also try to wear a sports wrist band over your Versa so it can catch better heart rate readings.

Let me know how it goes! 

[RJJ77]

I've done everything you've recommended except for the wristband.  I also got BestBuy to replace my Versa with a new one today and will test that one tonight.  I'll go the wristband route if this replacment Versa also fails to log sleep stages.  I have a theory that part of the problem so many people are having with the Versa and sleep tracking is that there is only one little sensor light on the back versus multiple sensor lights like on the Garmin Vivosmart 3 which has no problem with sleep tracking.

[RJJ77]

Update from yesterday - I was able to exchange my Versa yesterday for a new Versa hoping that would resolve the problem with the Versa not tracking sleep stages.  No such luck.  This new Versa also will not track sleep stages, just shows total sleep time, just like the first one, despite wearing it higher on the wrist.  I will try the suggestion to use a wristband on it tonight, but that seems like a pretty clunky and uncomfortable option.  

It's possible that the real problem that may be causing all the complaints about the Versa's poor sleep tracking is that THE VERSA HAS ONLY ONE PULSE LIGHT, in contrast to other Fitbits like the Charge 2 and the Garmin trackers which have two or three. Unfortunately, a review of the Fitbit boards for the Charge 2 also shows many complaints about no sleep tracking (15 pages of complaints about no sleep stage tracking going back to October of 2017).  Still, while Fitbit's advertisement for the Versa reference "Pure Pulse Technology" , the pictures shown for PPT are of a watch with TWO pulse lights, like the Charge 2.  Maybe there's a firmware fix for this problem, but I'm dubious.  

[hoofbeats95]

I use the wristband. Mine is a very thin material and I actually like it because the watch stays in one place and I feel like it's protected while I sleep. But most wristbands are bulky. I can't say it's a foolproof method but I get sleep stages a good % of the time. I have a very small wrist and I think that the watch likes to be tilted when I wear it. This has no impact to the HR tracking during the day, night or when I workout and run. But it seems to impact the sleep stages. Which confuse me because those are based on heart rate and my HR graph is always complete. 

[RJJ77]

Correction  - numerous Charge 2 people are also reporting sleep stage logging problems (15 pages of complaints about no sleep stage tracking going back to October of 2017).  Where does one get a thin wristband? 

[RJJ77]

Your wristband suggestion worked!  I got sleep stages last night from my Versa for the first time in nearly two weeks.  Tennis sweatband was too tight so I just took and cut off the top 4 inches from a sock with elastic and used that to cover the watch and the wrist area around it.  My guess is that this just keeps the Versa from moving around on the wrist overnight.  Anyway, thanks for the idea.

[hoofbeats95]

@RJJ77 I'm glad it worked for you!  That being said I have had this fail.  Not often but it has a couple times.  I usually reboot the watch and that seems to help.  I think it works because it holds it still.  But I still find it confusing because the HR graph is complete.  So if it's based on HR why is that complete but the stages missing?   I will say though that this is a big watch and with my small wrist it like to sit off to the side.  So I use the wristband and that works for me.  However it makes me frustrated when I have to pull it back to see the time when I wake at night.  That part sucks.

[RJJ77]

Your point that the wristband works to enable sleep stage logging because it holds the watch still is, I think, exactly right.  It overcomes the Versa's reliance on one green sensor light to measure heartbeat, which gets screwed up apparently when the watch gets moved around on the wrist during the night as one tosses and turns despite a full HR graph.  Anyway, even though as you note that this workaround isn't 100% fullproof, at least it lets us see those stages most of the time, which is way better than not seeing them at all.  But I understand your frustration about having to pull off the band to see the time in the middle of the night.

[RJJ77]

Second day for successful sleep stage results, the result of using the wristband.  Thanks hoofbeats95!

[hoofbeats95]

@RJJ77 I'm glad you're having luck with it!  I still don't love that I have to do it, but now I'm used to it and if I get into bed without my wristband I realize it and get up to find it! 🙂 

[RJJ77]

@hoofbeats95 Wristband for the Versa rocks!  Now three nights in a row success with showing sleep stages on the Versa after they'd disappeared for some while.  This really fixes the one and only problem I had with the Versa.  What's interesting is that so far nobody else seems to have taken notice of your idea.  Oh well, but thank you again for thinking outside the box.

[hoofbeats95]

@RJJ77 so glad it worked for it!  honestly it was something I tried when I first got the Versa.  I went three nights without sleep stages and was trying to decide whether I should return it.  I tried the wristband and I figured then that the watch "worked" and didn't need to be returned, even though this is kind of a lame work around and I wish it worked without the wristband.  I hope it keeps working for you!  The sleep stages are one of my favorite things about this watch. 

[Shiftdrift]

Sleep stage tracking split into two segments.  Before midnight and after midnight.  Also there are gaps