Ashwin Lewis
Fitbit offers a range of fitness trackers and smartwatches that monitor various physical activities, including sleep patterns. The Fitbit Blaze is one such device that can track sleep. When worn at night, the Fitbit Blaze senses when you fall asleep and automatically tracks how long and how well you sleep. It does this by using a combination of movement and heart rate metrics to determine sleep patterns and estimate sleep stages. This data can help you understand your sleep habits and make changes to achieve more restorative sleep.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| How it works | Fitbit uses a combination of movement and heart rate metrics to help determine sleep patterns and estimate sleep stages. |
| Movement metrics | Built-in accelerometers indicate when you toss and turn or get out of bed during the night. |
| Heart rate metrics | Used to estimate when you move from one sleep stage to the next. |
| Sleep tracking start | When your body is completely at rest and you haven't moved for about an hour, your Fitbit starts tracking sleep. |
| Sleep tracking data | The resulting data can help you determine what factors to change to achieve the most restorative sleep. |
| Sleep tracking features | Fitbit offers fitness trackers and smartwatches that track a variety of health metrics, including sleep habits. |
| Sleep tracking modes | For devices that record sleep patterns instead of sleep stages, you can set your device to track sleep in a normal or sensitive mode. |
| Sleep tracking goals | You can set a sleep goal in the Fitbit app. |
| Sleep tracking history | You can check your sleep stats for other days in the Fitbit app. |
| Sleep tracking issues | Some users have reported issues with sleep stages not working on the Blaze model. |
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What You'll Learn
Fitbit Blaze sleep tracking issues
Fitbit Blaze users have reported issues with the device's sleep-tracking functionality. One common problem is the device's failure to register sleep stages, with some users reporting that their Blaze has stopped tracking sleep altogether.
In some cases, the issue appears to be related to a firmware update, with users reporting that their Blaze stopped tracking sleep data after installing the latest firmware version. In other cases, the issue may be related to the device's heart rate monitor, as some users have reported that their Blaze fails to recognise their pulse or sleep even after restarting the device.
Some users have found that restarting their Blaze and forcing a sync can help resolve the issue, at least temporarily. Additionally, one user found that their Blaze started tracking sleep again after switching the device to the opposite wrist, avoiding tattoos on their arm. Another user found that tightening the band helped to improve sleep tracking.
It is worth noting that Fitbit's sleep tracking feature is designed to detect sleep when the user has not moved for about an hour and their heart rate is low. If the user's arm is stationary and their heart rate is low, the device may assume they are asleep even if they are awake.
Fitbit's sleep tracking technology is constantly being fine-tuned, and the company has incorporated heart rate data and other metrics to provide a clearer picture of sleep cycles. However, it is important to remember that sleep tracking features are not intended to diagnose or treat medical conditions and should not be relied upon for medical purposes.
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How to view sleep data on the Fitbit app
To view your sleep data on the Fitbit app, you must first ensure that your Fitbit device is synced. You can then open the app and view your sleep data in several ways.
Firstly, from the Today tab, you can tap the Sleep Duration tile to view your sleep profile. Here, you can tap Sleeping heart rate to see stats for your most recent sleep session. To check sleep stats for other days, you can choose the desired week, month, or year using the tabs. You can tap on a specific sleep session to check your sleeping heart rate for that period. You can also touch and hold the chart, then drag left or right to check your sleep details.
You can also tap the Sleep Stages graph to open a wider view that provides more insights, including the typical amount of time you should be awake per night, and how your time compares. At the bottom of the screen, you can access more details on your sleeping heart rate and restlessness, but this requires a paid subscription to Fitbit Premium.
Additionally, you can swipe to the bottom of the 'Today' tab and tap the Snoring & Noise tile to view your Snore & Noise Report. This report shows the amount of time your device detected snoring and a chart of the noise level throughout the night.
You can also check your sleep data on the watch face itself. To do this, press the left side button to wake the screen. Then, scroll up from the bottom of the screen until you see 'Today'. Continue scrolling up until you see the sleep icon (a moon and the letter Z). From here, you can scroll left to see minutes awake, minutes in REM, light, and deep sleep, total hours slept, and a graph of your sleep over the last seven days.
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Fitbit sleep tracking settings
To track your sleep with a Fitbit device, you must wear the device to bed. It is recommended that you wear your Fitbit moderately snugly and higher on your wrist (toward your elbow) for the most accurate readings. When your body is completely at rest and you haven't moved for about an hour, your Fitbit will record that you're asleep.
Fitbit devices that don't track heart rate can't deliver information about sleep stages, but they can still track sleep patterns. They do this by measuring your movement with built-in accelerometers, which can indicate when you toss and turn or get out of bed during the night.
Fitbit devices that do track heart rate can also track sleep stages. They do this by tracking the beat-to-beat changes in your heart rate, known as heart rate variability (HRV). These numbers fluctuate as you transition between light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep stages.
In the Fitbit app, you can set a sleep goal. Tap the round icon that may (or may not) have your photo, at the top left of the screen. Tap Activity and Wellness > Sleep > Time Asleep Goal, and use the pull-down menu to adjust your total sleep target. You can also get to this menu by hitting the gear-like Settings icon at the top left of your app’s Sleep menu.
With a Premium subscription, you can turn on the snore and noise detection feature to allow the microphone on your Fitbit Sense or Fitbit Versa 3 to track noise, including snoring from you or someone next to you.
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Fitbit sleep tracking features
Fitbit offers a range of features to help you track your sleep. The sleep-tracking function is automatic and works in the same way across all models that monitor heart rates. It uses a combination of movement and heart rate metrics to determine sleep patterns and estimate sleep stages.
Movement Metrics
The Fitbit uses built-in accelerometers to measure your movement. This helps the device to indicate when you toss and turn or get out of bed during the night. It also helps to confirm your sleep status. For example, when you haven't moved for about an hour, the device assumes you're asleep.
Heart Rate Metrics
The Fitbit tracks the beat-to-beat changes in your heart rate, known as heart rate variability (HRV). These numbers fluctuate as you transition between light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep stages. This data is used to estimate your sleep cycles and sleep stages.
Sleep Stages
Fitbit estimates your sleep stages by using your movement and heart-rate patterns. Sleep stages include light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep. Light sleep serves as your entry point into sleep each night as your body unwinds and slows down. Deep sleep typically has longer periods early in the night, while REM sleep periods are usually longer towards the end of the night.
Sleep Sensitivity
The Fitbit allows you to adjust the sleep sensitivity setting to normal or sensitive mode. Normal mode records significant movements like rolling over as time spent awake. Sensitive mode records nearly all movements as time spent restless or awake.
Sleep Reports
Fitbit provides a daily report with information on how long you slept, how much you moved in your sleep, when you woke up throughout the night, and the estimated time spent in each sleep stage. This data can be accessed through the Fitbit app, which offers a user-friendly interface with touch-sensitive screens for quick access to data.
Additional Features
Fitbit also offers additional features to enhance your sleep tracking experience. These include the ability to set a sleep goal, receive a bedtime reminder, and monitor your sleep environment. With a Premium subscription, you can access advanced features like snore and noise detection, a detailed monthly sleep profile, and guided programs to improve your sleep habits.
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Fitbit sleep tracking accuracy
Fitbit sleep tracking uses motion tracking, heart rate monitoring, and machine learning to estimate your sleep duration and quality. While this technology may sound impressive, there are some limitations that can impact its accuracy and reliability.
Motion Tracking
Fitbits use accelerometers to detect movement during sleep. When you're in a deep sleep, you generally move less, while in REM sleep and lighter sleep stages, you tend to move more. However, motion tracking can lead to misinterpretations, such as classifying periods of restless sleep as wakefulness or periods of inactivity as sleep.
Heart Rate Monitoring
Fitbits monitor your heart rate throughout the night to estimate periods of wakefulness. They track beat-to-beat changes, known as heart rate variability (HRV), which fluctuate as you transition between sleep stages. However, heart rate can vary due to factors such as exercise, diet, and alcohol consumption, which may impact the accuracy of sleep stage identification.
Machine Learning
Fitbit uses a machine learning algorithm to analyse motion and heart rate data. This algorithm can provide insights into your sleep patterns and help you notice variations. However, determining sleep stages based solely on motion and heart rate is a simplified approach compared to more advanced methods used by sleep experts, such as electroencephalography (EEG).
While Fitbit sleep tracking can provide valuable feedback on your sleep habits, it is important to manage your expectations regarding accuracy. Research suggests that Fitbit tends to overestimate total sleep time by about 10% and underestimate deep sleep and REM sleep by about 20% each. As such, it may give the impression that your sleep quality is worse than it actually is, and improvements in sleep quality may go unregistered.
It is worth noting that other sleep trackers, such as Apple Watches, Garmin watches, Oura rings, and Whoop bands, face similar challenges in accuracy, particularly in identifying specific sleep stages.
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Frequently asked questions
You don't need to set up sleep tracking on your Fitbit Blaze. When worn at night, it automatically senses when you fall asleep and starts tracking how long and how well you sleep.
The Fitbit Blaze uses a combination of movement and heart rate metrics to help determine sleep patterns and estimate sleep stages. Movement metrics, measured by built-in accelerometers, can indicate when you toss and turn or get out of bed during the night. Heart rate is used to estimate when you move from one sleep stage to the next.
You can view your sleep data on the Fitbit app. From the Today tab, tap the Sleep duration tile. Tap Sleeping heart rate to find stats for your most recent sleep session. To check sleep stats for other days, choose the desired week, month, or year using the tabs.
Your Fitbit sleep data can help you determine what factors to change in order to achieve the most restorative sleep. For example, you can experiment with your sleep environment to see if it has any impact on your sleep data. Turning down the thermostat and darkening your bedroom may improve your sleep quality.
