Fitbit recently announced the New Sleep Profile feature that gives Fitbit users more insight into their sleep than ever before. As part of this new feature, Fitbit Premium users are provided with monthly sleep analysis based on 10 metrics, guidance on how to improve sleep and a Sleep Animal that most closely mirrors your sleeping style.
I'm all for looking at monthly trends and ways to improve my sleep; however, what I was most interested in was my Fitbit Sleep Animal. Am I a dolphin or a bear? Do I sleep like a hedgehog or more like a giraffe? Or is it a tortoise? Since Fitbit will roll out the new feature gradually starting in July, I won't be able to able to tell for another month and a half.
Or will I? If you're crafty like me, you'll find a way to check what the animal categories are and what sleep characteristics are most important for each before 1 August rolls around. After some digging, I found the description for each Fitbit Sleep Animal category and, as it turns out, I'm a Parrot! 🦜
I will double-check this when my Fitbit Charge 5 finally decides to assign me an animal in August but looking at all the Sleep Animal category descriptions; I'd be surprised if my Sleep Animal were anything else but the parrot.
I'm using the Charge 5 because it A) has the newest heart rate sensor and B) is small enough not to bother me when I sleep. It's T3's pick for the best sleep tracker at the moment and the best Fitbit for sleeping, too... although the Fitbit Versa 3 and especially the Fitbit Sense 2 aren't far behind. Below is Fitbit's description of each Sleep Animal category – which one are you?
[UPDATE 01 AUG 2022: I tracked sleep throughout the month of July, and the results are in: my Sleep Animal is the Bear, not the Parrot as I expected it would be. Maybe I sleep deeper than I thought?]
Parrot
You tend to keep a consistent bedtime and don't sleep too early or late. You typically reach sound sleep quickly and usually get a good amount of sleep each night. You likely sleep deeply once you drift off but can be light on REM due to waking up briefly throughout the night.
Dolphin
You tend to fall asleep later than most and sleep for less time overall – maybe due to an inconsistent sleep schedule. Compared to others, you tend to be a lighter sleeper and might take more naps to catch up
Tortoise
You tend to fall asleep at different times each night, but often earlier than most. Paired with slightly later average wake times, you tend to spend more time in bed overall but may find it takes longer to reach a sound sleep, impacting your lower than average deep and REM sleep.
Giraffe
Your sleep tends to be shorter, and you are more likely to sleep later and wake up earlier. You have a relatively good proportion of deep and REM sleep despite a shorter overall duration.
Bear
You tend to have a consistent sleep schedule, regularly falling asleep around the same time. You go to bed earlier than most, and you tend to reach sound sleep quickly. Your sleep tends to be long and restful, with a relatively high proportion of deep and REM sleep.
Hedgehog
You usually fall asleep later and wake up earlier. You are a lighter sleeper – typically taking longer to reach sound sleep and may get less deep and REM.
To see what Sleep Animal you are, you should wear your Fitbit to sleep for at least 14 nights per calendar month. Of course, the more you wear the device to sleep, the more precise the evaluation.
"Sleep can vary significantly from night to night", Fitbit says, "so it's helpful to analyse your sleep data over a longer period from your own sleep environment to uncover more insights into your habits and how you can improve."
Sleep Profile is rolling out in the Fitbit app to Premium users with Sense, Versa 3, Versa 2, Charge 5, Luxe, or Inspire 2 devices upon launch. Users will receive their first profile during the week of 4 July 2022, followed by monthly profiles delivered in the Fitbit app on the 1st of each month.
