Are EDA sensors and scans worth it?

[Laura10]

I currently have a Versa, the original. I am doing the trial of Premium hoping I'd get the readiness score, but I found out I need a Versa 2 or other device for that feature. I am debating between a Versa 2 or a Sense 2. I have quite a few watch bands for my Versa which I found out would be compatable with the Versa 2, and that is the main reason I'm considering that. The only thing that would sway me to the Sense would be if the extra stress management features were really worth it. What have been your experiences with using the EDA scans, sensors, and the data that it notifies you about? Does it really help with managing stress? Specifically, I need to get my blood pressure lowered. I am not on medication yet, and hope I won't have to be.

[Guy_]

HI @Laura10 - the Versa 2 is currently around a third the price of the Sense 2, and should be fine. It's a great watch much like the trusty Versa.

I use both Versa and Sense. I stopped using any EDA, SpO2 on the Sense because of the short battery life and unreliability.

To sort out blood pressure, primarily manage what you eat and do your active hours and daily steps and sleep well. No watch will do that for you, it can merely remind you if you forget to move or do steps.

[Laura10]

Thank you. When I compared the two devices on Fitbit's site, all the other extras with the Sense, like built-in GPS and calls from device, don't matter to me, only the extra health screening, but I mainly wanted the readiness score. I have a tendancy to push myself more than I should. I forget that my 57 year-old body can't handle the workouts I do like my 40 year-old body could. Ha ha!

[phnich]

There is no point to the EDA scan. The process is tedious, and is only a single point in time measurement- there’s no history for you to look back, to determine what in your day is causing stress. You basically feel stressed, take 2 minutes for this scan, it tells you that you have 23 EDA events (is this a lot? I don’t know, because there’s no context), and there’s no record of your scan that you can refer back to. Essentially a worthless gimmick. 

[Guy_]

@Laura10  - how accurate (or meaningful) the readiness score is, remains to be seen. It may also reduce battery life between charges.

If the readiness score is based on heart rate the Versa 2 is currently the better option still as we have no experience of how well the Sense 2 works yet.

[t.parker]

@Laura10 I found Readiness useless as it's designed using the wrong parameters (mainly because it uses AZM). Similar solutions use mostly HRV and may include sleep and exercise data. The AZM builds a false picture of the intensity of the workout because it blurs the line between tempo/pre-threshold/threshold intensity and threshold/post-threshold/anaerobic. Working out in tempo intensity and in post-threshold will affect your body in a different way but will give you the same number of AZM (so Fitbit sees it as precisely the same intensity). For example, you may do a 5k race reaching anaerobic capacity which will leave you in pain for most of the day (and, if not done too often, probably some pain on the following day) despite it taking (just example) 20min to complete. This will give you 40AZM. Now do a 20min tempo run(lower HR than race), let's say a 3k tempo run at an endurance pace so you'd finish it still full of energy. A few minutes later you don't even remember you ran, the next day you're like new. Fitbit will still give you 40AZM because you elevated your HR to cardio (this is where approximately tempo intensity is on Fitbit zones but that different topic). The next day Fitbit may tell you that you're perfectly fine because you didn't do a lot but after a 5k race, you may feel differently. It's just an example but this is where DRS fails (and as long as Fitbit won't understand the issue DRS will be mostly useless). For me, after running tough hilly HM it gave me excellent readiness on the next day despite I could barely walk downstairs 😄 (not my fault that I run fast so I get less AZM :P). There is something better than DRS - listening for your own body.

[Laura10]

@t.parker Thank you for your thoughts. I did get the Versa 2 the other day, but have yet to have a readiness score calculate since I haven't worn it long enough. I am currently on a 3 month Premium trial. I will most likely only continue with Premium if I find the readiness score helpful. I am glad I upgraded to the Versa 2 for other reasons. I do find the Alexa helpful at times. And my original Versa was starting to look beat up and the right side buttons woudn't work anymore.