Stress score accuracy

[Gg80]

I did a much longer than usual bike ride yesterday but my stress score today is 92, with a 40/40 on exertion balance.  In the past my score would go down after such an effort. 

anyone else had similar experience?

 

[Beezy1978]

I got a banner saying they’re changing the way stress score is calculated, have you seen this? Perhaps this is why?

[Beezy1978]

 

Perhaps this is why?

I hope things are figured out for you soon!

[Gg80]

Maybe so.  It seems odd though that my drastic increase in physical activity would not have resulted in lower score the next day.  Their algorithms are still a black box!

[Giampi71]

I agree with @Gg80 about the fact that we have no idea how the algorithm works. Also the score doesn't give any indication how to improve it (for example, if my exertion balance is low is it because I'm exercise too much or too little? how can I improve my responsiveness?)

[t.parker]

@Giampi71 all true. The problem with any kind of score is that they try to express something very complex with a single number. Stress doesn't work like that. There is physical stress, mental stress, the illness looming, and a lot more. Fitbit loves the scoring system and brings some kind of score for everything without explaining much how it is supposed to help you. Stress score exists in other watches, too and to be honest it is the same useless as probably here. Usually, the body stress level is known to everyone right after opening eyes in the morning 🙂 Are you feeling tired? Sore? Or maybe energized? Or sluggish? Listening to your own body is the best "stress score". The stress score on the watch may in fact bring a negative effect as it may bring stress on its own. You feeling perfect but the stress score is low? You're gonna start thinking there must be something wrong anyway. People tend to do it. Maybe some descriptive stress indication could do more good, however, even EliteHRV fails sometimes at that (and they have tons of data from users to train their algorithms). Bottom line is that I wouldn't stress too much about the stress score 🙂 It's just a number. You can't bring complex body responses to a single number (or even 2-3 numbers, still it won't be enough :D).

[Micsb]

The score is more an indicator of your training program in general. How I interpret it, it will give a high score if your training program are varied and your body respond positively on both HIT days and restitution periods. 

Polar used to have a test protocol, taking 5 min and using HRV to estimate current training score, with one single score. This was a little more descriptive as it had a fully restituted score, another when the body was responding to heavy training and one for extended periods where you neither fully recovered or pushed the limits.

Body was too tired to benefit from HIT and never fully recovered leading to a platforming fitness level.

I think fitbit is trying to  replicate this behavior, a high score means you are training varied, a middle score that hovers around 30 for 2 weeks as in my case was the result of a need to increase intensity and recovery days from a flat 20000-25000 steps daily including a 30 min run. I added another 15 min to my run every other day and the score went up.

I hope Fitbit include HRV measurements when estimating the fatigue exertion level.

[Beezy1978]

I am hoping that they will bring further insight into our fitness fatigue score which is included in the exertion balance section. I think that since the Sense is so new that the features will do nothing but get better.

I only wish I could get a Stress Score even if I go to sleep before 8 pm... It’s looney of me to change my early bedtime (7:00) to 8:00 just so I can get my stress score. But... I did it. 🤦🏻‍:female_sign: 

i really appreciate the insight, and had the fortunate misfortune of getting VERY sick shortly after I got the Sense... I had a stress score of 48, it truly reflected the stress my body was under.

im pretty sure when FitBit talks “stress” it’s talking body stress, as it relates to physical recovery etc., the EDA input likely matters as well, but we can figure this out thru experimentation.

im so super stoked about my Sense, and I’ve had it since launch. A few issues but nothing major, it’s a GIANT upgrade, the Stress score is icing on the cake.