I found during my testing that fastening the Alta HR tighter than I normally would helped ensure it didn't budge, but that's slightly uncomfortable and I ultimately didn't find the discomfort worth the information gleaned.įitbit should also improve its app's Sleep Insights. It's easy enough to make sure you've put on the tracker securely around your wrist before going to bed, but you can't guarantee that your arm doesn't move and nudge the device out of position while you're passed out. Someone should tell Fitbit that is basically impossible. instead of sleep stages for the previous night.' So that means I have to make sure my arm doesn't shift into an Alta-hindering position all night. If you slept in a position that prevented your tracker from getting a consistent heart-rate reading or wore it too loosely, you may see your sleep pattern. Also, 'your tracker needs to detect your heart rate to estimate your sleep cycles. The Alta HR could stop tracking your sleep states if you slept for less than three hours or your battery level is critically low. The company explained that there could be several reasons for the discrepancy. There was only movement-based data about how long I had been awake, restless and asleep. I was disappointed one morning to find my sleep-tracking chart for the night didn't include any sleep stage information. The bad news is that the Alta HR's sleep tracking can be inconsistent, at least if the pre-release unit I tested is any indication. Fitbit's estimates of when I was awake mostly matches my fuzzy memory of being conscious while I tossed and turned or when I had to dismiss a phone alert, although that's not a very scientific assessment. Below that is a bar chart that breaks down the exact duration in each zone, telling me I spent four hours in light sleep, an hour and a half in deep sleep and about the same in REM. The good news is the Alta HR's sleep stage-tracking tool works, and I love waking up to a colorful, detailed sine-like wave graph of my time in bed. In the deep sleep part of the cycle, your body is repairing itself. During the REM stage, for example, you're likely to be having vivid dreams as your brain recovers from the day and forms memories. Research shows that the body and brain go through five or six sleep cycles a night, with each round including different types of slumber. This lets Fitbit estimate what stage of sleep you enter (REM, deep or light) and track how long you stay in each phase.Īs a refresher, humans don't just fall asleep and wake up feeling energized. While most other devices use just accelerometer data and an algorithm to figure out when you're asleep, the Alta HR also taps your heart rate variability as a source of information. The device delves deeper into sleep analysis than other fitness trackers. On to what makes the Alta HR special, then.

You can disable notifications at any time in your settings menu. Oh, and like every other Fitbit, the Alta HR is water-resistant enough to withstand rain, sweat and light splashes, but the company cautions against taking it in underwater or in the shower. In addition to that and the new heart rate monitor on the underside, the updated Alta looks nearly identical to last year's model. Speaking of straps, I like that Fitbit has replaced the peg-and-hole closure on the original Alta with a watch buckle, making it easier to fasten. Still, the Alta HR looks inoffensive and feels comfortable, and Fitbit offers a diverse variety of swappable bands for you to personalize the device. My colleague Devindra Hardawar liked the Alta's design when he reviewed it last year, but I'm less impressed by its plain, blockish aesthetic. Like the original, the new Alta has a narrower footprint than Fitbit's flagship Charge tracker, making it look more like a bangle than a cuff. Before we get into all the things the Alta HR can do, let's take a moment to examine how little its design has evolved.

Fitbit sleep monitor