What does “alignment low” mean?

[JMT59]

I’ve been practicing yoga on & off for years; as well as deep breathing. I’ve done the deep breathing exercises on the Versa 3-4 times now. I keep getting the term “alignment low” in the end results. What in the world does “alignment low” mean? There’s no description I could find anywhere. I also posted it in the community forums & only received cheers! Cheers are nice but, I need an answer! 

Thank you.

Moderator edit: subject for clarity

[Ze1]

I suspect you may get that too if your FitBit is not recording your breathing rate 

[G.F.C4]

@Em_D You are correct. The Fitbit Help pages concerning the Relax feature says that alignment means how closely you followed the breathing prompt.

"After the session, you see a summary that shows your alignment (how closely you followed the breathing prompt), your heart rate at the start and end of the session, and how many days you completed a guided breathing session this week."

It is a little confusing though when you get "sparkles" to say you are doing well, but then get "alignment low".

Any thoughts on this?

[Pythag_Comma]

When I start a "Relax" session my Inspire HR says "sensing your breathing". Then the expanding and contracting circles cycle. It doesn't tell me to match my breathing with the cycling of the growing and shrinking circles. Having to keep up with the app is not relaxing, it's counter productive.

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To clarify a little further, "sensing your breathing" implies my tracker will sync with my breathing, not the other way around. It doesn't say I should try to breathe in sync with it. I'd have to watch the cycling of the circles. If I want to relax with my eyes closed that wouldn't be possible. And what benefit is it to me whether I breathe in sync with the tracker's cycle? Alignment has become meaningless to me.

[NoxidLP]

Following what it suggests sure does feel forced, so I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks that. I have a feeling I'll always get alignment low, but finally an answer to this I understand, so thank you! 😊

[brittneym]

It’s very unclear and doesn’t seem to be the same experience on each model. I just upgraded from a Charge 3 to a Versa 2 and previously I was able to always reduce my heart rate and reach alignment medium or high.

I’ve had my Versa 2 a few weeks and my heart rate increases every single time, I feel anxious afterwards and I’m always alignment low. Im very confused how one model gets it right and another so wrong.

[Pythag_Comma]

Hi,

I don't know the relative age of Fitbit trackers so I won't guess at
possible improvements.

If you are concerned about your heart rate record it before and after from
your Fitbit and manually.

I've gotten to like Oren Jay Sofer's "a fresh start" available in the
meditation modual of the Fitbit app.

Cheers

[dmkattip]

I also do not understand this app and have a different experience than others. I breathe in exactly when it tells me to, and out exactly when it tells me to. I can match it perfectly. It's not a comfortable breathing pattern for me but I can match it. I don't necessarily find it stressful but given it's uncomfortable, that might change my heart rate. In the end, even if stars appear, I'm always seeing a low alignment result. I just did it twice in a row and followed suggestions of others of moving the band up my wrist because I am also thin. Both had the same result. 88 > 81 and 88 > 82. I have no idea what this means. I do feel more relaxed after breathing for 2 minutes with mindfulness but find the app scoring to be useless. 

[Dayneech]

But I follow the "circle," and breathe in and out right with it every time, and my heart rate goes down quite a bit, but it STILL says, "alignment low!" On my old fitbit, I always had lots of the "green sparkles," but this Versa 2 never does that. I haven't suddenly unlearned how to follow the circle, so there's something wrong with the thing. Admins need to address this issue.

That all sounds nice, and I appreciate the information. However, on my old Fitbit, I followed the pattern, it "sparkled" like crazy, my heart rate went down, and all was fine. Then I got a new Fitbit. I do the exact same breathing with the circle, my heart rate slows very well--- but I get zero "sparkles" and it always shows "low alignment," even though it does show that my heart rate has slowed. There is something wrong with this part of the app.

Same for me! There is something wrong with this part of the app, and Fitbit is ignoring these comments. If that's how they feel, Apple has a nice watch I can buy instead.

Moderator edit: merged reply

[Terilynn11]

Thanks for the great answer! Solved the mystery. I never pay attention to what it says to do regarding breathing, so I would never figured this out.😎

[Broken4Life]

I have done it 4 times now on my Charge 4. The 1st two times it said Alignment Low. I have always had an above normal heart rate for most of my life (40 y/o now). I thought it meant I didn’t stay on their track. The 3rd time it said Alignment Medium (or similar), and I know I definitely followed their track exactly. The 4th time I did it, it finally said Alignment High. Comparing all 4 times, the 1st two my heart rate increased, the 3rd one increased by 1, and my last one went down by 3. I assume that the Alignment level has to do with your ability to get it close to what it has determined to be a one based on your trends, resting heart rates, etc. I could be completely wrong though. 

[Orcmid]

My Fitbit Charge 4 woke me up vibrating and showing me this expanding circles.  When that stopped I had message "alignment low 72 -> 74" I did not know about "Relax" and I was worried.  I somehow started that in my sleep 🥴

[Kimr430]

I agree wholeheartedly! At first I looked @ the screen to try & understand the concept. As a daily meditator, I obviously didn’t grasp the concept Fitbit is attempting to put forward. I would say they need to clarify the language & also not have the Fitbit jiggling on your wrist the whole time. 

[Ltsd]

I totally agree.

[beatgirl]

JM, Don't take it personally.  I got a weird few readings, too, before I got the concept then got "High Alignment."  Yogic/meditationb is a whole other deal than what's going on here. Just let it lead YOU.

[lilymae]

This makes better sense to me. I don't know about wrist placement but my hr has lowered each time I try this (not a lot but 4-5 times?) so, I thought it was working (as in lowering HR). Then, it says alignment low. I do get "green is good" at the beginning anyway.

I bet my breathing (which I follow the vibration to cue breathe in or out) is in error. I probably need to do this eyes open and watching the circles. I assumed if it was vibrating, that meant that I could use that.

[mookielady]

I always get Purple is good at the beginning and usually when I keep it purple I get "impressive" and I high alignment. Just now I kept it purple the whole session and was super pleased with my self and I got a low alignment. It's so confusing. 

[katemeer]

I AGREE!  I am a slow breather and the app ideally would have a way to customize to one's own breath rate.  When I meditate, I breathe even more slowly.

[Reic47]

Agree! 

[pashblack]

Thanks for the tip! I'm going to give this a try. 

[Cindyvas]

Can’t send picture with low alignment legend. Do you have an email?