Fitbit tracker for sleep. Helpful

So I am 5 months in and just got some sleep back a couple of weeks ago. I got a Fitbit bc I remembered it tracked my sleep before.

 

I wish I had done this sooner because it shows exactly how much sleep I am getting and how much I am awake an how much deep sleep, REM and light sleep. Low and behold I think I am not sleeping much but I am. This is mostly helping with my anxiety as it relates to not sleeping..... That is half the battle. I am awake every couple of hours and am mostly get light sleep so no wonder I feel so crappy and not rested but I am seeing that I am getting some deep sleep and REM. Like half of what it should be and wayyyy too much awake but it helps to see I am sleeping at least a little.

 

Just throwing it out there. It has been three days and minus the awake I am getting about 4-5 hours which is like WOOT WOOT when I know for a fact I was NOT SLEEPING for at least two months. Had to be micro sleeps but for anyone who might want to really see their sleep I got the Fitbit on amazon for 100 bucks I think.

 

The brain will re-learn to sleep. It will. Just like all the other symptoms will also go away. The damn thing about Benzos it is soooooo slow until it is not. We would all have been better off on heroin from what I have been reading. And to think we took these meds as dr. prescribed.

 

 

I totally agree.  I did not think I was getting any sleep but then my husband recorded my snoring and I felt somewhat relieved.  I then bought an inexpensive sleep watch which tracks REM/Deep and Light.  I was getting more than I thought.  This then helped me relax and now my sleeping is improving, slowly but surely.

Holding,

Thanks for posting this. I have been reluctant to get a sleep tracker device because I didn't want to see that I am not getting any sleep but now I am sleeping a little better, so I may invest in one. It is so true that, miraculously, the brain can heal from benzo damage. I used Xanax to sleep! so getting off of it is a double whammy. I get all the usual WD symptoms plus months of really bad insomnia. I am also averaging 4 or so hours a night now (I think?) which is better than what i was getting. Congrats on your improved sleep and thanks, again, for the post!

 

HM

My fit bit says I’m asleep when I’m laying on the couch binge watching Netflix? Soooo. If it helps u feel better about the situation that’s a good thing I guess. But mine is a liar.

So I am 5 months in and just got some sleep back a couple of weeks ago. I got a Fitbit bc I remembered it tracked my sleep before.

 

I wish I had done this sooner because it shows exactly how much sleep I am getting and how much I am awake an how much deep sleep, REM and light sleep. Low and behold I think I am not sleeping much but I am. This is mostly helping with my anxiety as it relates to not sleeping..... That is half the battle. I am awake every couple of hours and am mostly get light sleep so no wonder I feel so crappy and not rested but I am seeing that I am getting some deep sleep and REM. Like half of what it should be and wayyyy too much awake but it helps to see I am sleeping at least a little.

 

Just throwing it out there. It has been three days and minus the awake I am getting about 4-5 hours which is like WOOT WOOT when I know for a fact I was NOT SLEEPING for at least two months. Had to be micro sleeps but for anyone who might want to really see their sleep I got the Fitbit on amazon for 100 bucks I think.

 

The brain will re-learn to sleep. It will. Just like all the other symptoms will also go away. The damn thing about Benzos it is soooooo slow until it is not. We would all have been better off on heroin from what I have been reading. And to think we took these meds as dr. prescribed.

 

Indeed, street drugs don’t take this long to wd from. Plus u get more help to get off them

My Amazfit band records me at light sleeping when I am awake.  It only records awake when I go to the bathroom.  I use it as a general indication as to tracking REM and Deep sleep of which it records based on motion and breathing.  I then use this in combination of how I perceive the amount of time that I slept versus sleep.  I am averaging about 2 to 3 hours of REM/Deep and about 3 to 3.5 hours of light although my sleep watch says 5 plus hours of light.  I use it as a general indication and knowing I am getting some sleep helps.

Based on so many people saying it doesn't record accurately, I don't think I am going to invest in one at the moment. Sounds like they are all over the map. I'll have to continue to use an old fashioned clock and my dreams and gut instinct to let me know how much I am sleeping.

 

HM

Based on so many people saying it doesn't record accurately, I don't think I am going to invest in one at the moment. Sounds like they are all over the map. I'll have to continue to use an old fashioned clock and my dreams and gut instinct to let me know how much I am sleeping.

 

HM

 

The FitBit is literally the best commercially available device that isn't a full polysomnography machine. But it does have limitations. It will detect very slow resting wakeness as "light sleep".

 

It's pretty good for deep and REM, which are the two factors that actually matter for feeling rested.

Andros, which Fitbit?

I have an old one, which I stopped wearing after a few years because it caused my lower arm to swell if ever so slightly. The band was fairly loose, so not sure why. One day my daughter and I  sat next to each other and I checked her lower arm and sure enough it was swollen. We both wore Fitbits.

it is a great way to check the number of steps, heart rate and sleeping. I'm just curious if I need the expensive one to do that.

Thanks,

NG

Andros, which Fitbit?

I have an old one, which I stopped wearing after a few years because it caused my lower arm to swell if ever so slightly. The band was fairly loose, so not sure why. One day my daughter and I  sat next to each other and I checked her lower arm and sure enough it was swollen. We both wore Fitbits.

it is a great way to check the number of steps, heart rate and sleeping. I'm just curious if I need the expensive one to do that.

Thanks,

NG

 

Even the cheaper ones should be able to give a reasonably accurate Deep and REM #. The more expensive ones just have more bells and whistles. I have the Fitbit Sense. It can check my O2 levels and my snoring levels. Based on my current average, and what I was getting a year ago pre Z-drug, I am 90% healed. I still have low REM, but Deep is back to normal. Light sleep can be tricky. Even if you are awake but resting, it can measure that as light sleep, particularly if your heart rate went lower than resting.

Andros, thanks for the good information on the fitbit. I'll see what Costco has to offer and if any are on sale.

I do remember from my old one that it said I was sleeping when I was just quietly resting in bed. 

 

That's great you are 90%healed! Congratulations!! We are all on the right path. It just takes waiting it out.

 

NG

I think the sleep tracker is a silly piece of equipment, not like it solves anything anyhow, best advice is your daily routine, focus on that and stop analyzing and evaluating every night of sleep, just another thing to get anxious of, just relax, have a healthy lifestyle and save your money.

I think the sleep tracker is a silly piece of equipment, not like it solves anything anyhow, best advice is your daily routine, focus on that and stop analyzing and evaluating every night of sleep, just another thing to get anxious of, just relax, have a healthy lifestyle and save your money.

 

I took mine off for 6 months straight thru my withdrawal. The last thing I needed in my life was for every night getting a report of "restless, restless, restless".

 

I'd be careful with using it at least until you are getting 4hr or more of sleep. I put it back on when I started getting 5hr.

Andros, your signature says: "So far 7 days with 6-hr sleep. I think I am healed."

 

Did you continue to get 6 hours? Did you ever fall back to insomnia again? I had 3+ weeks of averaging 4+ hours of sleep with a couple/few 6's and 7's thrown in and I am back to 0 to 3 again.

 

I'm just curious.

 

HM

Andros, your signature says: "So far 7 days with 6-hr sleep. I think I am healed."

 

Did you continue to get 6 hours? Did you ever fall back to insomnia again? I had 3+ weeks of averaging 4+ hours of sleep with a couple/few 6's and 7's thrown in and I am back to 0 to 3 again.

 

I'm just curious.

 

HM

 

HeartMost. I haven't updated my sig. 6hr sleep was back in May. By July I was getting 7hr regularly. As of now, I am waking up right at 6hr, but able to go back to sleep (although it takes about 30-45min) and get another 1.5hr, so my average is around 7-7.5hr.

 

When I put the FitBit back on in May, my Deep was about half what it used to be, and REM almost non-existent. Right now Deep is back to normal (with some days less than adequate, maybe one out of every 3 days. REM is still hurting. I am able to get on average, 70% what I used to.

 

Mind you I am using the following every night:

 

1. Magnesium, about 300mg

2. Potassium, 100mg

2. Lithium Orotate, 5mg

 

If I stop taking them, my deep suffers about 30% and what I'm getting with REM suffers 50%.

 

Maybe my Lithium dose is too small, since I've gone without it for a week and no changes. But the Mag DEFINITELY helps.

 

Taking a time release Melatonin (3mg) pushes everything by 30% more. On paper, I get a phenomenal sleep. But I'm groggy all day. So I've only done it occasionally.

 

Have I had setbacks? Well, I have to completely black out my room. Even a little bit of light wakes me up. Have I had any insomnia nights? Yes, since May, I've had 3 nights of complete lack of sleep. They were due to stress. I am more sensitive to stress now than I was. Thankfully I don't have much of it in my life. I would say that's about 90% healed? I'm back to normal for all intents and purposes, but hope to be 100% by end of the year? I can't complain where I am now compared to the hell at the end of last year.