Restless: how bad is it?

[Revvr]

I tried my new Fitbit last night to track my sleep and here are the results:

Desktop:

Mobile:

As you can see, I have 90% sleep efficiency and slept for over 7 hours. These numbers I expected.

However, there are a bunch of periods when I'm "awake" (according to the desktop version) or "restless" (according to the mobile version).

I remember being awake as shown by the mobile version because I actually got out of bed. I don't remember the other, restless, moments.

My questions are:

1. How bad is it to be restless? "Restless" is a pretty bad word if we're talking about sleep.
2. Should I be concerned about having so many restless moments?
3. What exactly are these restless moments?
4. What does normal, healthy, sleep look like in one of these graphs?
5. Why does the desktop version label restlessness as awake? 
6.  Why does the mobile version make the distinction between restless and awake?

Any insight about these items is greatly appreciated!

[Litza52F]

I like a good exercise, and I sleep good.

[Litza52F]

This is a have medication. But it does last about 6 hours. Have you tried Yoga Restorative before going to bed? Meditation? I do have problems, so I like to do yoga Kundalin and chatting and does help me. Workout three hours before to sleep the right before bed a warm shower, and air condition, it works perfectly for me. Not heating in my bedroom, even in the winter and books that calm me down.
I hope, this advice will help you,
Sincerely,
L

[Litza52F]

Thank you,

My husband has the same problem, and I just informed about the result.

Sincerely,

L

[Ray94903]

Would be nice if someone could aggregate all the recommendations and rank them from most recommended to least often recommened, and post it as a document on this topic. Getting tired of reading "keep the room dark" and so on - which is probably a good thing as then I'd get more sleep!

[Mollyrrhodes]

I'm going to try the 400mg of magnesium, I normally take this supplement in the mornings s., so it'll be interesting to see if this improves my sleep quality. Thanks for your helpful post!

[cwoods32]

Most people enter sleep paralysis during REM with the exception of sleep walkers. It keeps us from acting out our dream.

[ErickFitbit]

@Megan459 I feel that sensitive is too sensitive for my sleep pattern. I recommend checking out this help article for more detailed information regarding sleep.

@JojoinIdaho @lisacaven Wow! Thanks for sharing your personal experience. I had a similar experience as I too would have large amounts of restlessness on my sleep graphs, I then went to get a general physical with my doctor and found out that I am diabetic. I've been eating much healthier, working out and taking medicine for it and my sleep logs are now much improved with less restlessness. Thanks for sharing your story!

@Litza52F I am the complete opposite. If I workout too late at night, I have too much energy to go to bed and stay awake until 2 AM.

[Litza52F]

Well, it does look like my too. At least you got 7 hours in some days. My 5 hours, 3 hours, then some days I want to watch TV, I keeping feeling sleeping.

[CTJames09]

I can't believe these sleep measures. My jawbone used to count light and deep sleep which seemed right. REM sleep doesn't mean NO movement as I understand the research. I dream a lot and sometimes will be told I've said something without being awake.

Fitbit calls Lifht sleep Restless or Not sleeping. A good nights sleep included alpha or dream states, beta or theda I guess or deep sleep- no dreaming remembered.

What's the deal? Fitbit tells me I Ge about 2.3 hours of sleep a night. That's impossible.

[ErickFitbit]

@CTJames09 To learn more about how Fitbit tracks sleep I recommend checking out this in-depth help article. Hope that helps clarify things for you.

[Pooped]

I've wondered whether the cats are to blame for my being restless or awake 20+ times a night.

[mb55555]

Hi all... I posted on this thread a long time ago. I have very bad sleep. Anyway, I was using two fitbits: one on wrist and one on waist to determine things like limb movements and to compare how each location recorded my sleep. 

The fitbit flexs both died after 1 year of use.  Both died on the same day of charging. 

Anyway, how fitbit tracks sleep is really a joke, there are much better alternatives out there. They are more expensive (3x the cost of a flex) but actually record brainwaves while you sleep.  With this new device, I found I am not nearly as bad of a sleeper as fitbit says I am. 

Feel free to PM me if you want to know the alternatives. Again, this is more for people who are problem sleepers, not healthy sleepers. For healthy sleepers the fitbit is probably just fine. If you are looking for something more "medical" grade to track your sleep, the fitbit isn't for you.

[CharleePear]

Carbs react differently with every body, but it's definitely worth a try if you are finding yourself too restless.  

I have a few health issues so my sleep is less than ideal, but generally I am sitting at the 96% range.  I try to have a little me time before I sleep, keeping things quiet and still, reading and unwinding before sleep.  However I am not a parent and I know that's not doable for everyone.

Magnesium did nothing to help me but there are a lot of people that swear by it, and our body does need it!

[CharleePear]

I have a number of disorders that make being active difficult and near impossible and then cause me unrest, and I can tell you that you can be active during the day just not all at once.  What I mean is, do a tiny bit, then a bit more another day and work your way up.  Trust me, your body adapts.  You will reach a level where your body will say no, then go back down a level again and take it slower.

I went from not being able to handle walking to the corner of the street at a slow pace, to working out at the gym on heavy weights 3-4 times a week, it took me years but I got there.  It actually ends up helping.

Now I do want to add I am not a doctor, I have studied health but cannot truly say what I am advicing will work, but if you run it by a doctor, I am confident they would agree. 

[djbarker]

This is untrue.REM is a, dreaming, paralysed sleep: Your eyes flick about since you are actively dreaming, however the rest of your body does not move. The muscles are inhibited to prevent you acting out the actions you carry out during the dreams.

[Jibanyah911]

I would so happy If I can get this pattern

[Phairlady]

So, I read your posts and I can tell you all that only a DR. who is looking at the results of a sleep study done in a lab will be able to diagnose what is occurring. Is it restless legs? Sleep apnea? Something else? Your Fitbit device can not tell you this, but if you wake up feeling tired, I strongly suggest getting a sleep study done. Being restless is normal because it could mean tossing over. I am getting periods of restlessness more than my periods of asleep, and waiting for results from a DR. I have bad Hypnic jerks some nights. But I don't wake that much, so I assume it's not sleep apnea! If your waking and don't remember it, it could be sleep apnea. Ifit happens a lot you need to get a study done, they are painless, and if you need a machine it can save and add years and quality to your life. Good luck everyone-restless in Boston

[Phairlady]

Thank you so much! Where can I get the remedies?

[UpstageRick]

Mine confirmed what I knew. 3.5 hours of sleep a night is the most I get usually.

[chinadorable]

What brand/type of magnesium do you recommend?