Miya Pearson
Sleep is an essential component of health, impacting everything from our daily mood to our appetite, physical activity, and more. Fitbit offers advanced sleep tools to help users track their sleep and improve their rest. Fitbit devices with heart-rate tracking can record the different sleep stages users cycle through: light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep. The device uses movement and heart-rate patterns to estimate sleep stages and provide a personalized sleep score. It also offers features like snore and noise detection, a monthly sleep analysis, and a silent alarm.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Sleep tracking method | Heart rate, movement, and blood oxygenation levels |
| Sleep cycle stages | Light sleep, deep sleep, REM sleep |
| Sleep tracking devices | Wrist-based Fitbit devices, Google Pixel Watch series |
| Additional features | Snore and noise detection, sleep score, sleep profile, silent alarms |
| Accuracy | 69% accuracy in 30-second time windows |
| Data access | Sync device in the morning to view sleep data in the Fitbit app |
What You'll Learn
Fitbit's sleep tracking features
Fitbit offers a range of sleep-tracking features to help you understand your sleep patterns and improve your sleep quality. Here are some key features:
Sleep Tracking
Fitbit devices with heart-rate tracking can monitor your sleep patterns and sleep stages. It uses movement and heart-rate patterns to estimate your sleep cycles. When you haven't moved for about an hour, your Fitbit assumes you're asleep. It also tracks the beat-to-beat changes in your heart rate, known as heart rate variability (HRV), which fluctuates as you transition between sleep stages.
Sleep Stages
Fitbit divides sleep into 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 usually occurs earlier in the night, while REM sleep, associated with vivid dreams, occurs more towards the end of the night.
Sleep Score
The Fitbit Sleep Score is a quick way to gauge your sleep quality. It is based on heart rate, time spent awake or restless, and sleep stages. The score ranges from 0 to 100, with most users scoring between 72 and 83.
Snore and Noise Detection
Fitbit Sense and Fitbit Versa 3 offer snore and noise detection features. The microphone on these devices tracks noise, including snoring from you or someone next to you. When you wake up, you'll receive a summary report of your nightly results.
Sleep Profile and Insights
Fitbit provides a detailed monthly sleep profile, offering insights into your sleep patterns and quality. It includes information on your sleep duration, sleep quality, restoration, and trends over time. You can also receive personalized tips and guidance to improve your sleep habits.
While Fitbit's sleep tracking features offer valuable insights, it's important to note that they may not be 100% accurate. If you have specific concerns about your sleep health, it is recommended to consult a healthcare professional.
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Sleep stages and cycles
Sleep is an essential component of health and well-being. It impacts a person's daily mood, appetite, physical activity, and more. Fitbit's advanced sleep tools can help users get better rest, boost energy, and improve their overall well-being.
Sleep can be broadly divided into two types: REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and non-REM (NREM) sleep. During REM sleep, the eyes scurry rapidly behind closed eyelids, and the brain waves are similar to those during wakefulness. The breath rate increases and the body becomes temporarily paralysed. This stage is associated with vivid dreams. During non-REM sleep, the body relaxes, the heart rate and breathing slow, and the body temperature drops. Non-REM sleep is further divided into four stages: Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, and REM sleep (also known as Stage 4).
While asleep, the body typically goes through several sleep cycles that last on average 90 minutes each. Each cycle alternates between two types of sleep: light sleep and deep sleep. Periods of deep sleep are usually longer earlier in the night, while REM sleep periods tend to be longer towards the end of the night. During a sleep cycle, the body transitions from light sleep to deep sleep, then back to light sleep, and finally into REM sleep. This cycle then repeats, but sleep patterns vary naturally.
Fitbit estimates sleep stages by using movement and heart-rate patterns. When the device senses that the user hasn't moved for about an hour, it assumes they are asleep. It tracks beat-to-beat changes in the heart rate, known as heart rate variability (HRV), which fluctuate as the user transitions between different sleep stages. In the morning, when the user syncs their device, Fitbit uses movement and heart rate patterns to estimate their sleep cycles from the previous night.
Fitbit's sleep log combines awake and restless time into total awake minutes to give a clearer picture of the user's sleep cycles. The sleep log also shows the percentage of time spent in each sleep stage. Fitbit's sleep researchers and the National Sleep Foundation have chosen names for each sleep stage in the log: light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep. Light sleep serves as the entry point into sleep each night as the body unwinds and slows down.
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Accuracy of sleep tracking
The accuracy of sleep tracking depends on the context. Fitbit devices use an accelerometer, which measures bodily accelerations of the wrist, coupled with a technique called optical photoplethysmography (PPG) to infer when a user is sleeping and what stage of sleep they are in. PPG measures blood flow based on how green light from an LED on the back of the watch is reflected by the body. Fitbit's sleep tracking also uses movement and heart-rate patterns to estimate sleep cycles. When a user hasn't moved for about an hour, the device records that they are asleep. Additional data, such as the length of time when movements indicate sleep behaviour, help confirm the user's sleep status. While the user sleeps, the device tracks beat-to-beat changes in their heart rate, known as heart rate variability (HRV), which fluctuates as the user transitions between light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep stages.
The accuracy of Fitbit's sleep staging is only correct in 30-second blocks slightly more than two-thirds of the time. This fact is not communicated to users in the Fitbit app. However, there is no systematic bias to how much light sleep, deep sleep, or sleeplessness Fitbit estimates. Therefore, if a user uses the app for many nights, they will get a good sense of how often they tend to be awake, lightly asleep, or deeply asleep on a typical night. There is a slight overestimation of REM sleep from sensor readings, but the Fitbit algorithm corrects for this. According to a paper published by Fitbit scientists in 2017, the watch's sensors can classify sleep stages with 69% accuracy in any given 30-second time window.
Fitbit Premium offers several tools to help users get better sleep, including a daily sleep score breakdown and personalized guidance. Fitbit Premium also has guided programs developed with sleep experts, such as "Habits for Restful Sleep" and "Get More Sleep". While Fitbit's sleep tracking can provide valuable insights, it is important to note that it is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical conditions and should not be solely relied on for medical purposes. If users have any concerns about their sleep health, they should consult a healthcare professional.
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Sleep tools and insights
Sleep is an essential component of health and well-being. Fitbit's advanced sleep tools and insights can help you get better rest, boost your energy, and improve your overall well-being. Here's how:
Sleep Tracking
Fitbit devices with heart-rate tracking can monitor your sleep patterns and quality. By wearing your Fitbit device to bed, it can automatically detect your sleep by tracking your movement and heart rate. When you haven't moved for about an hour and your heart rate is consistent with sleep, your device assumes you're asleep. It then tracks your sleep cycles, including light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep.
Sleep Stages
Fitbit estimates your sleep stages by using your movement and heart-rate patterns. While you sleep, your device tracks beat-to-beat changes in your heart rate, known as heart rate variability (HRV), which fluctuate as you transition between different sleep stages. The 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 occurs earlier in the night, while REM sleep, associated with vivid dreams, occurs more towards the end of your sleep.
Sleep Score
Fitbit provides a personalized Sleep Score based on your heart rate, restlessness, and sleep stages. The score ranges from 0 to 100, with most users scoring between 72 and 83. The score is calculated based on three components: sleep duration, sleep quality, and restoration. This score gives you a quick understanding of your sleep quality.
Premium Features
Fitbit Premium offers additional tools and insights to improve your sleep. It includes a daily sleep score breakdown, personalized guidance, and guided programs developed with sleep experts. The "Habits for Restful Sleep" program helps you build better daytime habits for deeper sleep, while "Get More Sleep" assists in improving your nighttime routine and achieving longer sleep.
Snore and Noise Detection
With a Premium subscription, you can enable the snore and noise detection feature on your Fitbit Sense or Versa 3. This feature uses the device's microphone to track noise, including snoring from you or your bed partner. When you wake up, you'll receive a summary report of your nightly results, helping you understand your sleep environment better.
Sleep Profile
Fitbit also offers a Sleep Profile, which provides a detailed monthly analysis of 10 key sleep metrics. It helps you understand your sleep style and provides insights to improve your sleep habits and quality.
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Sleep score and sleep quality
Sleep is an essential component of health, impacting everything from a person's daily mood to their appetite, physical activity, and chronic conditions. Fitbit's advanced sleep tools can help users get better rest, boost energy, and improve their overall well-being.
Sleep score
The Fitbit Sleep Score is a quick way to gauge your sleep. It is based on your heart rate, the time spent awake or restless, and your sleep stages. The overall sleep score is a sum of individual scores in three components: sleep duration, sleep quality, and restoration, for a total score of up to 100. Most Fitbit users get a sleep score between 72 and 83.
Sleep quality
Fitbit devices with heart-rate tracking use movement and heart-rate patterns to estimate your sleep cycles. They track the beat-to-beat changes in your heart rate, known as heart rate variability (HRV), which fluctuate as you transition between light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep stages. The device assumes you are asleep when you haven't moved for about an hour. Additional data, such as the length of time your movements indicate sleep behaviour (like rolling over), help confirm your sleep status.
Fitbit Premium offers several tools to help you improve your sleep, including a daily sleep score breakdown and personalized guidance. The Sleep Profile feature, available with a Premium subscription, includes the snore and noise detection feature. This allows your Fitbit to track noise, including snoring, and provides a summary report when you wake up.
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Frequently asked questions
Fitbit uses an accelerometer, which measures bodily accelerations of the wrist, and optical photoplethysmography (PPG), which measures blood flow based on how green light from an LED on the back of the watch is reflected by the body. It also uses your movement and heart rate patterns to estimate your sleep cycles.
When your body is completely at rest and you haven't moved for about an hour, your Fitbit records that you're asleep.
Fitbit estimates your sleep stages by using your movement and heart rate patterns. While you sleep, your device tracks the beat-to-beat changes in your heart rate, known as heart rate variability (HRV), which fluctuate as you transition between light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep stages.
The Fitbit Sleep Score is a quick way to gauge your sleep, which is based on heart rate, the time spent awake or restless, and sleep stages. The overall sleep score is a sum of your individual scores using three components: sleep duration, sleep quality, and restoration, for a total score of up to 100.
Fitbit Premium offers several tools that can help you get better sleep, including a daily sleep score breakdown, personalized guidance, and guided programs developed with sleep experts. You can also set a silent alarm to wake up during the optimal stage of sleep and receive bedtime reminders to help you stick to a consistent bedtime.
