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!

[robinsonbj]

I had the FitBit Blaze was the last one I had. I had the reg Fitbit, the charge and the Blaze. So glad I changed

Sent from my iPhone

[Tuner]

I am beginning to think that Fitbit is just an expensive defective toy

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[Johnthehat]

I can't see Settings, devices, sleep tracking.... on my Alta HR. No sleep tracking..

Please help

[LAinChgo]

My Charger 2 continues to report on-off Sleep Patterns and not the Sleep Stages which is why I bought this device for.

I have checked; Battery level (never below 75% avg). Position on wrist at sleep time (about 2 inches above wrist). Latest Software (YES). Sleep Sensitivity setting (Normal).

The Sleep Patterns results since September to today;

9/30 - 10/6 = I night

10/7 - 10/13 = I night

10/14 - 10/20 = I night

10/21 - 10/27 = 3 nights

10/28 - 11/3 = 3 nights

11/4 - 10 = 1 night

11/11 - 17 = 3 nights

11/8 = 1 nights (The start of the week)

Not one solid week of complete Sleep Stages in Severn Weeks.

As I stated in the beginning, all related factors that could cause it to provide incorrect information have been checked and so it should not be the familiar User Caused Issue that seems to be the catch phrase when the product is not providing the expected results as advertised. 

[Tuner]

Hi, The sleep function works for some and not for others. In my case it does not work, but I have sleep disorders that causes a lot of movement in my sleep.

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[glw1973]

I just bought a Versa to replace my Blaze.  Sleep function was working great with the Blaze but with the Versa it’s been terrible.  I’ve tried everything.

[chantal77]

Hi there!

I upgraded from a Fitbit One to the charge 3 yesterday... My sleep "pattern" was recorded...but not my sleep "stages". I have searched in settings but have not located anything that might help rectify this issue.. Can you help?

[glw1973]

Chantel77, this is a frustrating point with me as I used my sleep function with the Blaze in which it worked perfectly.  I buy a new Versa and it doesn’t work well AT ALL.  I hate to go backwards just to have the sleep function.

[chantal77]

Hi Jogger, 

I saw a reply on one of the blogs stating that it MAY be because i used the ap on my phone to "start my sleep" instead of just letting the tracker do it's thing, and another stating that it MAY be because it is a new tracker and it might need a bit of data on my heart rate before it can register...... I will wait a few days & see what happens i guess

[Whyuseit]

As you can tell by my user name, our household isn’t thrilled with our Fitbit Charge 2s. My DH and I have been using them since August. My DH wanted his to track sleep but he’s lucky when it shows an hour and a half on normal settings - usually when he takes a nap. For him, sensitive would simply be worse.  I got mine to track #1 steps and #2 sleep. My steps are overestimated and so is my sleep on normal. It records sleep when I’m reading or working on my tablet in bed - up to 2-3 hours. I don’t see anyone online who’s happy with the sensitive setting and I’ve yet to understand how to set it to sensitive to try. There are a lot of confusing directions on the internet that are old or don’t apply to the right model. The manual needs better specific instructions and visual examples. DH only wears his occasionally now as he doesn’t see the point. I use mine for steps but only as a day to day comparison since it’s not accurate. We’ve both stopped recommending them to friends. We were excited about getting them but find they don’t live up to all the hype and aren’t meeting our needs and for an expensive price at that. Very disappointing and won’t buy another model. 

[Tuner]

I hear ya

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[no2t]

Hi. I ran some tests for several nights using a variety of sleep tracking devices. The Versa , Garmin Vivoactive HR, Sleep as android, both in a Samsung Note 9 and a Samsung tablet.

In general the last three agree with each other as to the percentage of deep sleep but not the versa.

It shows considerably less deep sleep than the other items. The versa and the garmin were on my wrist while the other units were on my bed within 3 feet of my head.

Why did the versa not measure my deep sleep to about the same level as the others reported?

[Tuner]

Hi
The Fitbit is inferior

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[margueriteS]

Hi once again....

I noticed that the heart rate decreases as the night progresses.

If the algorithm, used to calculate the quality of sleep, combines the accelerometer and heart rate data to determine the type of sleep state. This could be the source of the difference between devices as I pointed out in my first note.

The other devices solely used their accelerometers to determine what type of sleep you were in. 

If the fitbit uses the additional input from the heart rate sensor, then the lack of deep sleep data later in the evening, could be an overweighting of it's contribution. 

The question is..... Will fitbit publish it's algorytm??

,   

[BillFinkelstein]

My sleep measurement is underreporting. I have Sleep Sensitivity set at "Normal", but my Ionic doesn't seem to recognize sleep if I'm sleeping on my left side (the side with the Ionic).

I got up this morning at 5 AM and went to the bathroom, then went back to bed and slept until 7:15 AM on my left side (my left arm was partially under my pillow). But Fitbit says I got up at 5 AM and didn't return. 

It's done this quite a few times, but I'm just getting around to reporting it.

I've considered that it may be due to my Ionic band tight/looseness but I've adjusted that to Fitbit's Specs. 

I'm beginning to feel like the Sleep reporting is pretty inaccurate. I also can't correlate times of vivid dreams to REM sleep. Fitbit may be under reporting that too.

Anyone have any idea? 
Thanks!
Regards,

Bill

[Johnthehat]

I have tried everything to get my Alta hr to record my sleep accurately. Nothing works. I bought my Fitbit primarily as a sleep tracker but as far as tracking my sleep it is completely useless.
My Fitbit is just an expensive distraction.

Get Outlook for Android

[margueriteS]

I noticed that the examples you showed had "deep Sleep" later in the night. My versa does not!!  Or only in certain situations.

First case: When I sleep through the night ( except for a Pee Break), there is no deep sleep after my first 45 to 50 minutes. My pulse rate keeps dropping reaching about 55 BPM by the time the alarm wakes me.

Case 2: Got to sleep like the first case, but I wake up in the middle of the night and spend some time awake moving around, My pulse rate goes up to my normal awake rate. Then I go back to sleep till the alarm wakes me. When I check my versa and lo... There is a deep sleep indication late in the night, actually early morning.

How does my heart rate influence the recording of the second deep sleep period???

[Bella0726]

No difference. I still only sleep a hour and show 6000 steps while I'm sleeping.  Help please

[801]

Weird question I know, but do you sleep with a dog or cat on the bed with you?  A partner? My dog sleeps at the foot of my bed and when she jumps down while I am sleeping or moves around when I am sleeping and I am not moving it changes the readings.Same goes for your partner. Having said that 6000 steps is ridiculous! That or you have serious Restless Leg Syndrome. Look it up! I would contact Fitbit and tell them it is defective. Hopefully you are still under warranty and they will ship you a new one. If it is known problem they may help also. Then there is their old trick of offering you a new unit at 50% off which I think is a scam to get more $'s off you. Like most computer type products they cram more tech into their product than it can handle. They do that to be competitive within the market. I am not sure but I am guessing from the people I know that have these types of watches/fitness trackers including Apple that they are about 80% effective. It just tough when you are in the 20% that don't function correctly.

[LKarchner]

Have you checked to make sure the Fitbit is tight enough on your wrist at night? Or positioned properly? Both could be causing the lapses.