Fitbit Alta: Sleep Tracking And Your Health

Fitbit's Alta HR has a new sleep-tracking feature that can monitor deep, light, and REM sleep. The Alta HR can also detect the number of times the wearer wakes up during the night, the amount of time they spend awake, and the times they fall asleep and wake up. The Alta HR's sleep-tracking feature works by tapping into the user's heart rate variability as a source of information. This allows the Alta HR to estimate what stage of sleep the user is in and how long they stay in each phase. The Alta HR is also able to sync with the user's phone and Fitbit app to provide additional sleep tracking data.

Fitbit Alta HR's sleep-tracking features

The Fitbit Alta HR comes with advanced sleep-tracking features. It can monitor deep, light, and REM sleep, and track how long you stay in each phase. The Alta HR uses your heart rate variability as a source of information to estimate what stage of sleep you're in. This is in contrast to most other devices, which use just accelerometer data and an algorithm to figure out when you're asleep.

The Alta HR's sleep-tracking features provide a detailed breakdown of your sleep duration. For example, if you slept for eight hours but woke up twice for 15 minutes each, your time asleep would be seven hours and 30 minutes. The device also provides a sleep profile, which is a detailed sleep breakdown that is available on the first of every month.

The Alta HR's sleep stage-tracking tool works, and it provides a colourful, detailed, sine-like wave graph of your time in bed. However, the sleep tracking can be inconsistent. The Alta HR could stop tracking your sleep states if you slept for less than three hours or if your battery level is critically low.

To accurately track your sleep, make sure your device is positioned higher on your wrist, about two to three finger widths above the wrist bone. It is also recommended that you wear your device in a snug wristband during sleep. If your device doesn't track heart rate, you can check your sleep pattern in the Fitbit app.

Fitbit Alta's sleep tracking accuracy

The Fitbit Alta HR is an advanced version of the Fitbit Alta, with a heart rate monitor and longer battery life. The Alta HR comes with improved sleep-tracking features, including the ability to monitor light, deep, and REM sleep. The Alta HR also provides users with feedback on how their sleep habits impact their overall health and tips for getting better sleep.

The Alta HR's sleep tracking feature has been praised for its accuracy and insights by Trusted Reviews. The publication also noted that the device is one of the most accurate and insightful sleep trackers they have reviewed.

In a study involving 10 participants who wore two Fitbit Alta devices on their nondominant wrist, there was no significant difference between the two devices in measuring WASO (Wake After Sleep Onset). However, there was a slight but statistically significant difference of approximately 6 minutes between the two devices in measuring TST (Total Sleep Time).

Fitbit Alta HR's sleep tracking capabilities are geared towards providing an overview of the user's activity, including steps taken, distance covered, and calories burned. The device also offers the usual move reminders if the user has been sedentary for too long. The heart rate monitor on the Alta HR also provides continuous heart rate readings during exercise, indicating how hard the user is working and which heart rate zone they are training in.

Fitbit Alta's sleep tracking compared to other devices

The Fitbit Alta HR is a slim, fashionable fitness tracker with advanced sleep-tracking functions. It can monitor light, deep and REM sleep stages, and the time spent awake, by pairing heart rate data with movement data from its accelerometer. This allows Fitbit to estimate the sleep stage the user is in, helping them to understand the quality of their sleep. The sleep data is plotted on a line graph, which is easy to interpret and allows users to compare their sleep over time.

The Alta HR's sleep tracking capabilities have been praised as some of the most accurate and insightful when compared to other devices. The five-second heart rate reading sample rate is slower than some other Fitbit devices, which may be important to those looking for real-time updates during interval training. However, this is sufficient for all-day heart rate tracking and the historical data can be useful for tracking general health and fitness.

The Alta HR's sleep tracking features are available on other Fitbit devices, including the Blaze and Charge 2, which also have a faster one-second refresh rate for heart rate readings. In 2017, Fitbit introduced new sleep features to provide a greater understanding of sleep habits, including Sleep Insights, which offers personalised advice based on sleep data. Fitbit is also working on devices that can track and diagnose sleep apnea, a sleep disorder that affects 18 million Americans.

The original Fitbit Alta, released in 2016, does not have a heart rate monitor but can track sleep, daily activity levels and some fitness sessions.

How to sync Fitbit Alta sleep data

The Fitbit Alta HR is a slim fitness tracker that comes with advanced sleep-tracking functions. It can monitor light, deep, and REM sleep, as well as the number of times you wake up during the night, the amount of time spent awake, and the times you fall asleep and wake up.

To sync your Fitbit Alta sleep data, you can try the following methods:

Using Third-Party Apps

Third-party apps like Power Sync (available on iOS) can be used to sync your Fitbit Alta HR sleep data to other platforms, such as Apple Health. However, it's important to note that some users have reported issues with certain apps not displaying sleep data correctly on other platforms.

Syncing with Fitbit App

Alternatively, you can sync your sleep data directly with the Fitbit app. Here's how:

• Open the Fitbit app on your mobile device.
• Navigate to the "Today" tab, which displays your daily activity and stats.
• Scroll down to the "Sleep" section. Here, you'll find your sleep data for the current day, including the duration and quality of your sleep.
• If you want to view more detailed sleep data or historical records, tap on the "Sleep" section. This will open a detailed view of your sleep patterns, including a graph and a breakdown of your sleep stages (light, deep, and REM).
• To sync your data, simply open the Fitbit app, and it should automatically sync with your Fitbit Alta HR. If it doesn't sync automatically, you can manually initiate a sync by pulling down on the "Today" tab to refresh the data.

Remember to keep your Fitbit Alta HR charged and within Bluetooth range of your mobile device to ensure proper syncing.

Fitbit Alta's sleep tracking limitations

The Fitbit Alta HR is an advanced version of the Fitbit Alta, with a heart rate monitor and longer battery life. The Alta HR has been praised for its sleep-tracking capabilities, which include monitoring light, deep, and REM sleep stages. The device also provides users with feedback on how their sleep habits impact their overall health and tips for a more restful slumber.

However, the sleep-tracking feature of the Alta HR has its limitations. Here are some of the key limitations identified by users and researchers:

Overestimation and Underestimation of Sleep Stages

The Alta HR tends to overestimate light sleep and underestimate deep sleep. In a clinical study, the device missed 50% of deep sleep and 35% of REM sleep. This inaccuracy is critical for consumers who are interested in understanding their sleep patterns and can lead to mistrust of the data provided by the device.

Inaccurate Measurement of Sleep Stages

While the Alta HR can detect sleep stages, it may not always provide accurate measurements. In a clinical trial with insomnia patients, the Alta HR showed a qualified ability to measure sleep versus wake states but had less positive results when measuring NREM and REM sleep stages.

Basic Post-Workout Information

The automatic exercise tracking on the Alta HR provides basic post-workout information, such as steps taken, calories burned, and active minutes. It does not offer additional running information like estimated distance covered, which may be a limitation for those seeking more detailed insights into their workouts.

Vibration Intensity

The silent alarm feature of the Alta HR gently vibrates on the user's wrist at the specified time. However, some users have reported that the vibration intensity is not strong enough to wake them up, which could be a limitation for those relying on the device as an alarm.

Lack of Connected GPS

The Alta HR does not have built-in GPS, which can make it more challenging to track certain types of workouts or running activities. This limits its functionality as an exercise companion for those seeking more detailed tracking of their outdoor activities.

Frequently asked questions