Fitbit trackers are quite versatile since they are designed to track exercise, act as smartwatches, and track your sleep activity. They can log your sleep stages, and total time asleep, and give your sleep score.
But how does Fitbit track sleep? In this article, I’ll explain how to track your sleep with Fitbit and share some crucial tips on how to sleep better.
Related: Fitbits for Men 2023
What is Fitbit Sleep Tracker?
The Fitbit sleep tracker is a feature designed to give a detailed look into your sleeping patterns and help you adopt healthier habits. For this feature to work, you have to wear your Fitbit tracker to sleep. Once you wake up, you’ll find your sleep duration, awake time, and the time you spent in each sleep stage: light, REM, and deep.
How Does Fitbit Track Sleep?
Fitbits use heart rate sensors and motion detectors to track sleep. They use your sleeping heart rate, movement, and more to measure your time spent in each sleep stage and give you a personalized Sleep Score that shows how well you slept.
To track your sleep, you can swipe up from the clock face to see Fitbit Today and check the sleep tile to see your sleep information. You may have to swipe up to find it.
Fitbit estimates your sleep stages using a combination of your movement and heart rate patterns. Additional data, such as the length of time your movements are indicative of sleep behavior (such as rolling over, etc.) help confirm that you’re asleep.
List of Fitbits that Track Sleep
The Sleep tracking feature is available on the following Fitbits:
- Fitbit Inspire 2
- Fitbit Ionic
- Fitbit Versa
- Fitbit Versa 3
- Fitbit Inspire HR
- Fitbit Luxe
- Fitbit Charge 4
- Fitbit Charge 5
- Fitbit Sense
- Fitbit Versa 2
All of the above Fitbits track sleep stages and provide a Sleep Score, insights, and graphs so you can better understand your sleep patterns and quality.
Related: Fitbits for Women 2023
How Do I Turn On Sleep Tracker on My Fitbit?
Most Fitbit devices do not need to be put into Sleep tracking manually. All you need is to wear your tracker to bed. After you wake up, sync your device to view the last night’s sleep stats.
How do I know if my Fitbit is tracking sleep?
Swipe up on the Clock face to view Fitbit Today. Check the sleep tile to see your sleep information. If you cannot see the sleep tile, click settings and ensure that the sleep tile is turned on.
How Does My Fitbit Device Automatically Detect Sleep?
How does Fitbit know you’re sleeping? Most Fitbit trackers have built-in sleep monitors that function automatically. Fitbit has several ways to determine when one is asleep. First, if you don’t move in an hour, the tracker assumes you’re sleeping, but it has to confirm by monitoring if there are any movements.
Secondly, if your device has a built-in heart rate monitor, it combines movement data and heart rate to create an accurate pattern of your sleep cycle. Fitbit trackers monitor your general sleep and sleep stages. Your tracker gives you the total sleep cycle containing deep, light, and REM sleep stages. Some Fitbits determine sleep stages using the heart rate viability (HRV), which varies between deep, light, and REM sleep.
Fitbit Not Tracking Sleep? How to Resolve This
Turn on “On Wrist” Mode
First, check if you’ve switched on the “On Wrist” mode. If the “On Clip” mode is active, your tracker may fail to monitor the heart rate and sleep.
Ensure that Your Tracker Has Enough Juice
Although most Fitbit devices have excellent battery life, this might give you a false sense of security. If the battery is low, your tracker will turn off sleep tracking automatically. So ensure your device is always topped up.
Restart Your Tracker
The go-to solution for any problem with your tracker is restarting it. This usually rectifies any problem you might experience. This is also an effective way if you’re not receiving data on the Fitbit but getting it in the smartphone app.
Wear it Correctly
Ensure that your tracker fits snugly on your wrist but not too tight. For accurate data, wear the Fitbit a bit higher than you wear it during the day.
Contact Fitbit Support
If the above methods fail to work, your tracker might be faulty. You can contact Fitbit support if your device is under warranty.
How to Improve Your Sleep Habits
If you’re not impressed by your sleep habits and want to improve, the obvious applies. One of the best ways to improve this is by adopting a regular sleep schedule and having at least 7 hours every night. It is also advisable to avoid afternoon naps, exercise regularly, and have a relaxing bedtime routine. Additionally, Fitbit suggests that exercising earlier in the day has a positive effect on your sleep.
Conclusion
Although Fitbit devices collect tons of sleep information, they don’t measure your sleep directly. Instead, they monitor your inactivity to estimate your sleep pattern.
But still, these trackers are beneficial to healthy guys since they help them recognize their sleep habits. However, if you have issues with the quality of your sleep, it’s advisable to consult your doctor.