Fitbit sense and low heart rate and active minutes

[SunsetRunner]

I just got a Fitbit sense for Christmas and I’ve done a few high intensity workouts with it but my heart rate barely goes past 110 bpm and I barely get any active zone minutes. Before with my charge HR2 my heart rate during exercise would be between 120 and 140 depending on how hard I was working. Now I’m lucky if I barely get over 110. Is there something wrong with the sense? Or am I wearing it incorrectly? I don’t have it too tight but I do have small wrists.

[Mont-Sly]

I was having the same problem while exercising.  Movement appears to really affect the heart rate accuracy.  I found the solution was to put the watch higher above the wrist and make the band snug, so there is not a lot of watch movement.  I place the band about 4 finger widths from my wrist - about 2 inches or more from the wrist bone.  It's unorthodox, but it works when your workout (like most) require arm movement.  

I was using a cross-country ski machine and my heart rate never went over 100.  Then I would do a recovery, no longer moving my arms and my heart rate on the watch would go up to 140.  After I contacted support, I realized the motion of my arms was causing the issue.  I know it's not ideal, and perhaps other Fitbit watches didn't have this issue.  Could be the shape or thickness of the watch makes it more susceptible to movement - or something else.  But, as I mentioned it did fix the issue for me.

[Tkeller3]

I have also been experiencing this since I started wearing the Sense. I have been wearing fitbits for years (had the Versa and the Versa 2 most recently) so I know I am wearing it correctly but still having extreme issues. I actually wore another optical HR monitor last time I exercised and the Sense was off as much as 25 beats at times during my workout. I am "below zones" for over half of my workout when previously it was not the case. I am considering returning the sense as it is very expensive to be this inaccurate. Sorry you are experiencing this as well. 

[MrsLMcK]

I also just recently got a Fitbit Sense and I am struggling to understand why the heart rate and calorie burn are so significantly different from my Ionic. This is disappointing to me as I am not meeting my active zone goals for the week because of this. I also adjusted how I was wearing the Sense and neither way (loose or tight) gives me the right heart rate.

[SunsetRunner]

Yes I am actually returning mine too. Fitbit told me it’s an issue and they are working on firmware to fix it but I’m not confident.

Regards,

Sarah Kingdon-Benson

Sent from my iPhone

[LDASS]

I have found I am getting active minutes during the night but like you have all mentioned I struggle to get them during workouts - never had this with charge 2. Don’t understand how my heart rate score at 1am is different to the one showing on the active minutes chart and by so much! Let’s hope they can fix it. 

[Tgisele]

Fitbit has been working on the heart rate issue since September 20. LIke you @SunsetRunner, I am not confident it will ever be fixed.