Sense stopped tracking my breathing rate

[Doulos12]

We moved from Minnesota to the Rocky Mountains a month ago. Ever since we moved, my Sense stopped tracking my BR. It still tracks SpO2 and all other health metrics normally. BR is the only one not tracking. I tried reading all the articles linked here. 

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[CrisVillaFitbit]

Welcome back to the Fitbit Community, @Doulos12.

Thank you for letting me know about this situation in regards to your breathing rate tracked by your Sense. I appreciate your efforts on trying to get this improved. Just to confirm, since you mentioned you followed the steps in the link attached, did you follow these ones too?

- Wear your device for at least a day: Make sure to wear your Fitbit during the day and while you sleep.
- Check your stats in the morning: After waking up, check your stats in the Fitbit app.
- Ensure your device is snug but not constricting: The band should be in contact with your skin, but not so tight that it's uncomfortable.
- Check your band: Loose-fitting accessory bands may not work well with heart rate tracking.
- Restart your device: If you've tried other steps and still don't see your heart rate, you can try restarting your device.
- Check your sleep notification arrival time: Breathing rate is recorded during sleep, so you can use the time your sleep notification arrives to estimate when your breathing rate data will be available.

[LZeeW]

@Doulos12   What's the altitude where you live?  There is a periodic change in your heart rate when you inhale and exhale.  Fitbit uses this periodic heart rate change to estimate your respiratory rate.  There might not be anything wrong with your Fitbit and this is an high altitude adaptation issue.  I did a brief internet search and didn't get a clear answer.  Time for a deep dive into high altitude physiology.

I'm asking a Fellow PE with personal experience living at altitude.  @alexthecat  Do you have issues with your Fitbits or PW at altitude?  Are you aware of others having issues with their BR at altitude?  

[alexthecat]

Hi @Doulos12! As @LZeeW mentioned, I live at 7000 feet and have for many years. I've used various Fitbit devices here, including a Sense, and never had a problem with any of them detecting Breathing Rate.

Are you sleeping well and waking up feeling refreshed? How are your other health metrics looking? Is Resting Heart Rate beginning to approach the values you were seeing at low altitude? It can take a couple of months to fully acclimatize to higher altitude. During that time, you may experience sleep disruptions and restlessness that would interfere with your Breathing Rate readings. I wonder if that may be what you're experiencing.