Why My Fitbit Stopped Tracking Sleep – 5 Possible Solutions

Let me share a story with you!

“One day, I returned from the gym and decided to nap. My Fitbit had not tracked any sleep metrics when I woke up. I was worried about why my Fitbit stopped tracking sleep. I tried multiple methods to fix this, and you know what? I learned various ways to resolve it.”

In most cases, outdated Fitbit apps, uncharged batteries, or minor bugs prevent your Fitbit from tracking sleep properly. Wear your watch to ensure its sensors are in direct contact with your skin. You can also try restarting or updating your Fitbit, and the issue will get fixed.

Fitbit trackers have been excellent and have provided great tracking options for a long time. Since it’s a gadget, Fitbit often goes down, and its tracking features stop working. Today, I’ll share with you several solutions in this article to fix the sleep tracking issue on Fitbits.

Fitbit Stopped Tracking Sleep – Reasons

There can be several factors responsible for the malfunctioning of your Fitbit. Unfortunately, it is not always easy to determine the root cause of problems with tech wearables. Here are some possible reasons that might be responsible for the sleep tracking issue of your Fitbit.

• The sensors might not be connected properly 
• Sleep sensitivity settings might be too low
• You might not have fully charged the battery
• Your Fitbit app version might be outdated
• There might be some minor bug in your Fitbit

Solutions For Fitbit’s Sleep Tracking Issue

Remember that there can be more than one reason for the malfunctioning of the sleep tracking feature of Fitbit. Here are simple solutions to all the possible causes for the sleep tracking issue of Fitbit. Follow all these steps so you don’t have to buy a new Fitbit.

Wear Your Watch Properly

Fitbit trackers can also be worn on other spots except for the wrist, such as the ankle, clip, or other body parts. The Fitbit watch has sensors on the back of the watch. These sensors measure the heart rate, and then the Fitbit algorithm works on it to track your sleep.

If you are wearing your Fitbit on a clip or the ankle, we suggest you wear it on your wrist. It is because the ideal spot for Fitbit is two fingers above your wrist. Sometimes a loosely snug watch can not track sleep properly as the sensors cannot measure the heart rate.

You may also try wearing your watch on the inside of your hand, the side in line with your palm. Sometimes a tattoo or too much body hair can cause trouble for Fitbit in tracking metrics such as heart rate. You may also try shaving your body hair or removing the tattoo.

Manage Sleep Sensitivity Settings

It is also possible that your Fitbit sleep sensitivity settings are not perfect. You can see two settings for sleep tracking; normal and sensitive mode. Some people move a lot while sleeping. A sensitive mode might cause issues with sleep tracking for such people.

Most people suggest normal sleep mode as a perfect option for almost everyone. The sensitive sleep mode shows you awake whenever you move your body, even if you are asleep. Follow these steps to manage your sleep sensitivity settings on your device.

• Go to Google or any search browser you prefer.
• Open Fitbit’s official site and log in to your account.
• Go to the settings section.
• Click on the “Sleep sensitivity” option.
• Set to “Normal” or “Sensitive” as per your choice.
• Hit the “Submit” icon to save your settings.

Recharge Your Watch Battery

Like every other digital device, Fitbit uses an electric charge to track your health metrics. Ensure that your device is fully charged. Sometimes due to low battery, Fitbit automatically turns on the power saving mode.

The power saving mode stops several functions of the watch, including heart rate or sleep tracking. Don’t forget to check the power-saving mode of your Fitbit even if it is fully charged. You might have unconsciously turned it on.

Update Your Fitbit App

An outdated model or software of Fitbit can cause tracking problems. Older versions of the Fitbit app or the Fitbit software do not give you access to the latest features. Even your Fitbit can face connectivity problems with your Fitbit device if any of these is not up to date.

You can quickly update the Fitbit app from the google play store. You may also visit the official website of Fitbit to check for the latest updates. Keep your Fitbit device close to your mobile or computer while updating the Fitbit software. 

Restart Your Fitbit

You might have heard that most of the time, just restarting a mechanical or digital device helps solve the problem. The same is the case with Fitbit. Even apart from sleep tracking, if your Fitbit watch is not working properly, you should try restarting it.

To restart your Fitbit, you should first check its battery. If it uses a CR2025 battery, you can restart it by removing it for some time and then putting it back in. However, follow these steps for the latest models of Fitbit, such as Fitbit Inspire or Fitbit Charge.

• Connect your Fitbit to the charging cable.
• Check to see if it is charging.
• Hold the side button for 10-12 seconds.
• Leave the button when you see a start-up screen.

Frequently Asked Questions FAQ’s

Conclusion

If you are conscious about tracking your sleep accurately, Fitbits are the best devices. However, due to some mechanical or technical issues, they might cause problems sometimes. But still, they are the best for fitness and activity tracking.

This was all about my research to get the answer to the question, “why my Fitbit stopped tracking sleep.” If your Fitbit sleep tracking isn’t working, you should contact Fitbit’s customer support. They offer great support and have quick solutions for most errors.