The new Fitbit Sleep Profile feature allows users to get intimate information about their sleep habits. That’s what happened when Jaymie Hooper tried it this month.
Although I have tried for most of my life, I am not a morning person. And it’s because I don’t sleep enough. For now, it’s because my adorable son is constantly waking me up (don’t get me started on sleep), but even before he arrived, no amount of bed yoga or proven sleep strategies could help me rest. necessary I’m a night owl and like to stay on task after the sun goes down, but when you need to be up at dawn, that lifestyle isn’t sustainable. Simply put, I’m tired AF. So when Fitbit asked me to review its newly launched premium sleep profile feature, I jumped (well, yawn) at the opportunity.
While Fitbit has been offering sleep tracking for a while now, the Sleep Profiler takes it to another level. Available to Premium subscribers, this new feature gives you an in-depth monthly sleep analysis, breaking down your bedtime habits into 10 key metrics. If you wear your Fitbit for at least 14 nights each month, you can track your sleep patterns, sleep quality, and how you compare to others in your age group.
Using information gathered while you sleep, the monthly reports also reveal your sleep animal, an archetype that closely reflects your own sleep style. Each animal represents a specific type of sleeper and has its own traits and behaviors, which can help you better understand your sleeping style.
“You could be a bear (who likes to go to bed early and usually sleeps deeply) or a dolphin (preferring to fall asleep later than most and sleep less time), but whichever of the six sleeping animals, the app will give you the most appropriate advice to help you get your most optimal sleep,” explains Dr. Carmel Harrington, founder of Sleep For Health.
“Your personalized sleep profile will help you see what may have affected your sleep over the past month (be it alcohol, room temperature or caffeine) so you can make changes accordingly,” he adds.
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How to use Fitbit’s sleep profile
Just put on your Fitbit. That’s it: your app will do the rest. Watch at least 14 nights (or the entire month if you can) and you’ll receive your personalized sleep report once the new month is over. I loved wearing the Fitbit Sense as it’s stylish, comes with a comfortable band and isn’t overwhelming when you’re trying to catch a few zzzs.
After a month of sleeping with the clock, I was finally given my sleep report, and I felt validated (I knew I wasn’t getting enough sleep) and horrified (I’m not getting enough sleep?!). Here’s what I learned.
I actually have a pretty consistent bedtime
While I’d love to be one of those people who hides under the covers at 9pm every night, the reality of my life means that’s not the case. Once my son comes down for the night, I run around the house trying to tidy up, get ready for the next day, maybe exercise (ha!), do whatever work I didn’t get done during the day, and then try to sit down. at least half an episode of what I’m watching on Netflix. This means I’m often in bed between 10.30pm and 11.30pm, which I’d always thought was terrible. Turns out I’m right in the middle of Fitbit’s recommended sweet spot, so that made me feel less guilty.
It takes me too long to fall asleep
While the ideal sleep onset time is between 10 and 20 minutes, I’m pushing 40. Even when I manage to jump into bed earlier, I often have too many thoughts running through my head to actually turn off. To help with that, I tried out the meditations and mindfulness exercises offered on Fitbit Premium, and those on the watch itself, for better relaxation before bed.
Quality matters more than quantity
Some nights I manage to get seven or eight hours of sleep, but I still wake up completely exhausted. Thanks to my monthly sleep report, I now know that this is because I have a surprisingly low amount of REM and deep sleep, probably from breaking my rest. Most nights I get through an hour of deep sleep and a pitiful 10 percent REM sleep, which is as low as possible. While I’ve known for some time that I’ve been turning a blind eye, seeing the numbers in black and white really highlighted how bad things have gotten.
Turns out my sleep profile is a lot like a parrot
According to my sleep profile, my animal archetype is a parrot. We like to sleep and wake up at the same time (something I should try harder to do), and we also experience frequent night awakenings. Until my son sleeps through the night, my awakenings won’t stop anytime soon, but Dr. Harrington says you can minimize other sleep disturbances by avoiding alcohol, writing down anxious thoughts before bed, and keeping your room cool and dark.
Why do so many of us struggle with sleep?
It’s no secret that as a society we are obsessed with sleep. We love comparing how many hours we do and how many scores our kids get, and changing bedtime routines is a favorite pastime. But what is behind our obsession? Is it that most of us secretly don’t have enough? According to the data, the answer is likely yes. About 50 percent of adults don’t get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep each night, a statistic that doesn’t surprise Dr. Harrington.
“Perhaps this is not surprising given the enormous effect that Covid had on the lives of many people,” he explains. “For many of us, it has been a time of great anxiety brought on by major financial and health concerns and we know from research that anxiety is one of the main causes of lack of sleep, causing difficulties both in starting and maintain sleep
“Furthermore, the demands of modern lifestyles, including 24-hour Internet access and increasingly demanding work schedules, are also causing widespread sleep deprivation. Simply put, many are not getting enough time in bed to sleep the necessary hours.”
What are the consequences of poor sleep?
While I wasn’t entirely surprised that my sleep quality was so low, it really showed me how serious things have become. While I’d love to stay up later checking things off my to-do list, the stats have made me realize that they can wait, and I really need to give myself the best chance to get more than five hours of closure . eye one night
As Dr. Harrington says, “Sleep is vitally important to our physical health and without adequate sleep we are more susceptible to cold or flu infections and, in the long term, are more likely to develop certain cancers as well as diseases of the heart and dementia.”
It also doesn’t take months of poor sleep to have an effect. According to Dr. Harrington, even a few nights of low zzzs can leave you feeling grumpy, less tolerant, and unmotivated. “Not only are we more likely to be in a bad mood, but we’re also less likely to exercise and participate in general activities,” she explains. “This lack of energy directly affects our productivity and ability to perform because it impairs our ability to think and learn. In addition, sleep deprivation is associated with numerous mental health problems, including a five times greater risk of depression”.
The great thing about knowing how badly you’re sleeping is that you have the knowledge (and power) to change it. While I have no control over certain aspects of my sleep, you can bet your bottom dollar that I’m going to try and go to bed earlier tonight, because I want to sleep as soundly as a bear next month.
Dr Carmel Harrington has a PhD in Sleep Medicine from the University of Sydney.
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