Sleep pattern vs sleep cycle

[WaterlooGirl]

My Fitbit Alta records sleep patterns as it has no heart monitor. I have it set on sensitive and on average it shows me as being awake/restless anywhere between roughly 2 hours 40 and 4 hours 40 (sometimes more than my actual sleep!). I always wake up feeling groggy and have assumed this is due to my restless sleep. 

However, I have worn my husband’s Fitbit (with HR monitor) the last 2 nights which records sleep cycles and the results are vastly different:

last night

sleep PATTERN - 5.07 asleep; 4.24 awake

sleep CYCLE - 9.15 asleep (wow!); 1.05 awake

previous night

sleep PATTERN - 6.11 asleep; 4.15 awake 

sleep CYCLE - 8.22 asleep; 1.05 awake

I’m now seriously doubting the accuracy of the sleep patterns on my Alta! Any ideas about how the sleep patterns and sleep cycles compare, and can either actually be trusted?! Thanks 😀

[emili]

I would imagine that a tracker with an HR function will give more accurate results since it takes into consideration the slowing down of your heart beat when you enter the various stages of sleep.