What you need to know
- Fitbit has announced a new approach to its Sleep Score in its Public Preview update, which has become more impressive and detailed.
- The Sleep Score now takes into account a wider range of data than just your sleep, and Premium subscribers can rely on a digital Coach and Personalized Insights for “actionable suggestions”.
- Fitbit recently opened the Public Preview to non-subscribers.
Fitbit’s digital trainer is giving your sleep a hard look this week, as the public preview gets a complete overhaul for your rest data.
A community post detailed the complete overhaul of Fitbit’s Sleep Score in Public Preview for registered users this morning. Fitbit calls out the old Sleep Score, stating that “a single number can only tell part of the story.” This new era is moving toward plans to be “more holistic” and “transparent,” so you see exactly where you need to improve—not just a number.
In this new period, Fitbit says, there’s more to your Sleep Score than your “total sleep time.” While this is the “vast majority” of your score, it also looks at how long it took you to reach Sound Sleep. Think about how long it takes for you to fall into a steady state of relaxation with a deep, REM, or comfortable heart rate. Fitbit then details “Sound Sleep,” which adds “all the moments during your sleep period when your body appears to be sound asleep.”
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Rest, Full Wakes and Breaks are also taken into account. Each of these aspects is now broken down into bright, colorful bars in your Fitbit Sleep data space. Users can visit there and see if they are in range, at the limit, or well below it. Fitbit says these ranges are based on “people of your age and gender.”
Sleep is important – now you know it
Fitbit Premium users can take advantage of this new Sleep Score experience with a digital Coach and Personalized Insights. The app will now suggest “changes to your operating mode” if it took a while for the user to fall asleep, the post says. Similarly, if your Sleep Score has changed in any way and you’re wondering, the digital Coach can explain why you’re more tired one day than another (even if you don’t feel it).
As this new Sleep Score kicks in, Fitbit says you may see your number drop slightly. It’s just a program that adjusts to these new settings, so your body has to “level” to the puppy you’re in now. Additionally, Fitbit acknowledges the problem with Sleep Score, as your device may say one thing, but the app will say something else. Going forward (until fixed), the number on the app is what you should take.
The good thing here is the non-Premium subscribers You can access the Public Preview even now. If you’re not subscribed, you won’t see subscriber-specific features—remember that. Fitbit’s latest update brought more and better insights into women’s health, like Cycle Health for periods.
Android Central’s Take
Actionable insights are one of the things my colleague Derek Lee talks about in his review. Fitbit’s personal health coach. Numbers are flashy and nice to look at, but without a backbone, are you really getting anywhere? Fitbit seems to have realized this and is bringing this impressive vibe to the Sleep Score. Sleep is incredibly important. There are times when I feel like I’m not getting enough (mostly my fault). Regardless, now users can actually see what’s going on to make the changes they deserve.
