Inaccurate Sleep Log? Change your settings!

[CallieM]

Hi sleepy Community members!

Does your sleep log look something like this?

If you think your log is inaccurate when it shows this much restlessness, you're not alone! A lot of Fitbit users have sleep logs like this, and many times it's due to the fact that Sleep settings are on "Sensitive" mode instead of "Normal" mode. A little about these two modes:

• The normal setting counts significant movements as being awake (such as rolling over) and is appropriate for most users.
• The sensitive setting will cause your tracker to record nearly all movements as time spent awake. This setting may be helpful for users with sleep disorders, or those who wear their tracker somewhere other than the wrist while asleep.

We strongly suggest that most users use the Normal setting. To change your settings to Normal, follow these steps, or visit our help article!

• To change your setting in the Fitbit iOS app, go to Account > Advanced Settings > Sleep Sensitivity.

• To change your setting in the fitbit.com dashboard, go to Settings > Devices > scroll down to Sleep Tracking.

I hope this helps - let me know if you have any trouble changing this setting or if you have seen a difference in the accuracy of your sleep log after switching!

[Sheylenna]

So I did what you said and my logging is normal. But it still only recorded my sleep when I'm entirely still most of the night. Like I had to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night when right back to sleep after says I only got 1-2 hours of sleep when I know I've been asleep for longer, but I'm forever rolling moover or moving to another position or just scratching an itch. I'm not even conscious of most of these movements. But it doesn't apparently start tracking until you have been movement free for an hour, and if you tell it you are going to sleep it doesn't apparently track properly, at least my research said so. So what can I do for an accurate night's sleep?

[SunsetRunner]

Do you have your Fitbit sleep settings as sensitive or normal because I
used to have mine on sensitive but after switching it to normal it records
better....hope this helps

[Minty67]

Get a garmin vivo.

[Minty67]

tried everything. love it, just not as accurate for sleep as vivo.

[Sheylenna]

Well as I said in my post the sensitivity is normal, rather untill this morning was normal I put it on sensitive to see what it does with it tonight. But for some reason it only logs for an hour or two. Or rather it was logging fine for a while then it stopped last time I did this whole rigmarole or force stopping the app restarting the fitbit and various other things and it started to log again however it logs sporadically  IE. if It logs after I go to the bathroom it does not start logging until several hours later. If I don't get up for whatever reason at night It will log the whole way through but the last 2 days I know I have slept for more that 1:30-2 hours but that is all it logs. It also does not log my Restless patterns very well. On the days it logs me as asleep for more than 4 hours I get lots of red and Dark Blue on the days that it logs me as less than 2 hours I get the dark and light blue. But there are times that I know I slept for more than 4 hours the fitbit did not pick up on it, I took a nap the other day because while I got 7 hours (according the the fitbit) I was busy most of the morning so I was tired, It did not pick up on the nap and I was at least dozing for a good 2 hours. And last night I went to sleep around 3am and the woke up at 5 then went back to sleep till 11 and it only logged that first time asleep.its weird.

[beatlefest74]

So I had a lot of trouble the first 2 or so weeks I used the fitbit with regard to sleep.  First thing I did was make sure setting was normal.  ok - not much changed.  Then I finally decided to set a schedule for me - 9pm - 5am in the app.  At 9pm it buzzes and tells me it's time to get to sleep - so I go lay down, read for a bit and when I'm tired I pick up my phone and click on the message and it brings up the sleep menu - I hit the + and select "begin sleep now".  Then when I wake up I hit - I'm Awake and it does a much better job.

However.... it still sometimes breaks my sleep into two parts - but in the morning I edit it by deleting the first sleep and editing the time for the second one backwards till it coincides with the actual time I went to sleep.  Most of the time this restores the data into a single sleep episode - occasionally it doesn't.

And....  if your sleep log only gives you the simple analysis (no REM, deep, light, etc) where all it shows is sleep/awake/restless - then you are stuck with that analysis only.   I don't know why it does this but I suspect it is how well heart rate is detected as well as how many movements you make in the night.  

My experience is 50/50 with detailed vs simple reports and about 30% of the time I have to edit the sleep because it broke it up into two parts.

Keep in mind - you (like me) may have a sleep disorder which doesn't let you completely fall to sleep (unbeknownst to you!) until very late at night.  My sleep reports regularly show that I don't get to deep sleep or REM or even uninterrupted light sleep until about 1am or so - and I go to bed at 9pm!  Even if I stay up late on a weekend (11 or 12), my consistent and deep/REM sleep doesn't begin till 2 or 3 am.

[801]

Sadly, it is not a very good device. I have mine set to normal as it seems to work better. Mine also misses some periods of sleep. Click on the sleep bar with the different colors and it will take you to another window that breaks down REM, deep, light and awake times. If it registers less than 3 hours sleep it will only give you basic awake vs sleep times. If you have restless leg syndrome or even if you have a sleeping partner moving around it may think you are awake! On the other hand if you wake up but lie still it will assume you are still asleep. It's not a medical device, just a toy really. I have a sleep doctor and she says it's not to be trusted as accurate. If you have a real problem and have good insurance I advise an overnight in a sleep lab. Not a lot of fun because of the mass of wires they attach to you but VERY informative. That is how I found out I have sleep apnea. I now use a CPAP machine and life is much better.

[801]

Well, I  am not sure I agree with the concept of telling  the device what time you are going to sleep! When I go to bed I may not fall asleep for 20-30 mins. If it is breaking it into 2 different times could it be you are awake and don't remember. There are lots of times I am sure I am awake but my girlfriend tells me I was sleeping and she has even filmed me snoring away when I would have sworn I was awake. My point being you can't be sure when you are awake or sleeping, that is what the Fitbit is supposed to tell us! Mine misses big chunks of sleep sometimes. I keep late hours and I think it may get confused about which day it is. It's not a medical device, a toy at best. All I can add is I have a sleep doctor and she insists that people should not trust these as accurate.  If you have a real problem and have insurance go to your doctor and do an overnight in a sleep lab. Worth it! It's how I found out I have restless legs syndrome AND sleep apnea which is serious.

[801]

That may be my next one when the Fitbit dies!

[Sheylenna]

I have an Inspire so I don't get heart rate but Its annoying I know I move a lot during sleep there should be settings for that too. 

[801]

Truth is there is no device yet that can accurately record sleep. You need to go to a sleep lab for that and it's no picnic! I can't believe I even fell asleep when I did it but they claim I did. But it was worth it to find out I have restless leg syndrome AND sleep apnea. Both mild but combined it made for poor sleep until II started using a CPAP machine.
Not me!

[bayleigh]

Get a different brand of watch. That's what I did.

[801]

Oh yeah, as soon as this one dies...again. I've been through 4 of them. Everyone broke.

[Kwajmeck]

Hi CallieM.  My sleep log no longer gives me a sleep score.  I have not changed any settings, nor have I changed my sleep routine.  Any hints?

[Tanth10428]

The fitbit makes me crazy. If I uninstall it and reinstall it it will work correctly for a couple of days but then it doesn't sync anymore. No clue.

[Kingknightk527]

My sleep log is also inaccurate and I have read the help to guide it but for my fit bit app for some reason it doesn't appear to be a sentive sleep I go to advanced settings and its nowhere to be found plz get back to me ASAP

Thankyou

[beatlefest74]

If you start on the main page and go to profile - go to personal Info - all of the advanced settings will show up near the bottom of the page.  You will see a "sleep sensitivity" selection - go to it and select.

[beatlefest74]

It doesn't appear on my app - I logged in with the windows 10 on my laptop.

[801]

It seems that it is no longer an option. 

See What is the difference between the normal and sensitive sleep setting?
But note this sentence: "Note that if you use a Fitbit device with heart-rate tracking to detect your sleep stages, this setting doesn't apply."
As I have said many times and my sleep doctor insists, these devices are not accurate. It gives you a ball park idea of what is going on with your sleep. If you believe you have a sleep disorder go to a sleep lab and do an overnight test. It is not pleasant because they have what seems to be hundreds of wires taped to your head and straps around your body and it is hard to fall asleep. But, you will learn much about what is happening with your sleep so worth it. If you can afford it or your ins will pay!

[Sheylenna]

Thanks I figure that since I move a lot in my sleep it thinks I restless
when I'm not.

--

Have A Nice Day
Sheya
URL- Fanfiction.net/~Sheylenna

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Speak clearly, if you speak at all;
Carve every word before you let it fall.
-Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Be who you are and say what you feel,
because those who mind don't matter
and those who matter don't mind.
-Dr. Seuss US author & illustrator (1904 - 1991)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Courage is not the towering oak that
sees storms come and go; it is the
fragile blossom that opens in the snow.
-Alice Mackenzie Swaim
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No storm can shake my inmost calm,
while to that rock I'm clinging.
Since love is lord of heaven and earth,
how can I keep from singing?
-Enya
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Nothing is impossible, the word itself
says 'I'm possible'!"
-Audrey Hepburn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your value doesn't decrease based on
someone's inability to see your worth.