Many of us focus solely on the number of hours we spend in bed, neglecting the quality of that sleep. Dr. Conor Heneghan, a researcher at Google's consumer health team, highlights the limitations of self-evaluation: "People often misjudge their sleep duration and quality." This is where wearable devices like Fitbit come in handy.
Fitbit devices with heart rate sensors track your sleep and record this data in the Fitbit app. This information is used alongside other metrics to generate insights like Sleep Stages, Sleep Score, and Daily Readiness. Fitbit Premium users can also access Sleep Profile. This data empowers you to understand how well you slept, not just how long. Dr. Heneghan offers advice: "By identifying areas for improvement in your sleep hygiene, like managing stress, reducing alcohol intake, and avoiding late-night workouts, you can significantly enhance your sleep quality."
Intrigued by the possibility of banishing restless nights and groggy mornings? Here's why tracking your sleep heart rate is a great first step:
- Deep Sleep Gauge: Throughout the night, you cycle through various sleep stages: light, deep, and REM (Rapid Eye Movement). The quality of your sleep hinges on the duration of each stage. "For a refreshing awakening," says Dr. Heneghan, "roughly 15-20% of your sleep should be deep sleep." The Sleep Stages tool in the Fitbit app reveals how much time you spent in each sleep stage the prior night.
- Restorative Sleep Indicator: A lower heart rate during different sleep phases indicates a more restorative sleep. This signifies your body and brain are getting the deep sleep needed for crucial processes like muscle repair, tissue growth, and other functions vital for brain function and overall health.
"Ideally, your sleeping heart rate should be lower than your resting awake heart rate," explains Dr. Heneghan. He recommends measuring your resting heart rate with your Fitbit upon waking, before getting out of bed. Compare this to your sleep heart rate data. "During deep sleep stages, you'll see a low and consistent heart rate. Conversely, a higher-than-normal heart rate, significant fluctuations, or spikes during sleep can indicate a restless night with less restorative sleep," he says. Fitbit Premium users can leverage the Restoration Score to assess their sleep's restfulness.
- Sleep Consistency Monitor: Consistency is key to any self-improvement endeavor, and sleep is no exception. Fitbit integrates heart rate and movement data to calculate your Sleep Score, which reflects the quality of your sleep night after night. This helps you identify trends and variations in your sleep patterns. If you're an inconsistent sleeper, your Sleep Score can help you connect restless nights to periods of heightened stress, strenuous late-night workouts, or perhaps overindulging in alcohol. "Our studies revealed a correlation between people rating their sleep poorly and their heart rate not dropping as much as usual during sleep," says Dr. Heneghan.
A Sleep Score above 80 indicates good to excellent sleep quality. If your Fitbit consistently records lower scores, it might be time to re-evaluate your habits. After all, those late-night workouts and drinks might not be worth sacrificing quality sleep for.
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