What is the wireless sync dongle for Fitbit?
This is the wireless fitbit dongle - it's a small USB that allows your fitbit device to synchronize it's data onto a laptop or computer and upload that information to the fitbit website on your dashboard. To find out more about it, please visit What is the wireless sync dongle and how do I use it? If you've lost it, you'll need to order a new one from somewhere like Fitbit - Wireless Sync Dongle for Flex, One and Zip Fitness Trackers - Black. Not an endorsement, just an example.
How do fitness bands track my sleep? How do they sense the light sleep and deep sleep?
To track your sleep, the Mi Band (and every other fitness band) uses a tiny chip which senses movement , called an accelerometer. For a full explanation of how sleep trackers work, check out:The Ultimate Guide To Sleep TrackingHere's a short video on how accelerometers work:Accelerometers are cheap and ubiquitous. They cost pennies to manufacturer and can be found everywhere from phones to fridges. Fitness bands are not really very good (compared to a sleep study)A medical-grade sleep test on the other hand can cost $ thousands. Why the massive difference.Well, even the most basic sleep study ( also called a polysomnogram) involves a vast array of medical equipment and sensors to track every physiological signal involved with sleep, including:Brainwaves – an electroencephalogram (EEG): multiple electrodes attached to the scalp pickup your brain activity, which determines your sleep stagesEye movement – electrooculogram (EOG): electrodes attached above and below the eye detect when your eyes are moving, giving an accurate indication of when you are in REM (rapid eye movement) sleepHeart rate –electrocardiogram (ECG): electrodes attached to the chest measure the electrical activity of the heart as it contracts and expandsMuscle tension – electromyogram (EMG): electrodes attached to the face and legs detect when your muscles relax and contractOxygen levels – pulse oximetery is a non-invasive way to measure oxygen levels in the bloodBreathing/air flow – sensors attached below the nostrils can detect any breathing abnormalitiesMicrophoneFrom Home | Sleep JunkiesAs you can see, you need a lot of equipment to properly determine sleep staging.Fitness trackers are not great at monitoring sleep (yet)Something like a Mi-Band can only track movement, so it can only guess whether you're in light or deep sleep, based on how much you move around. Some of the more sophisticated fitness trackers, like the Basis Peak, Jawbone Up3 or the sophisticated Oura ring can also detect metrics such as heart rate, temperature, pulse oximetry as well as movement. They then use sophisticated algorithms to interpolate the data and give an approximation of your sleep stages.Even so, without directly measuring the frequency of your brain waves, you won't be able to get a real accurate measurement of sleep staging.The good news is that the technology is getting better and better. There are lots of new innovations happening in the sleep technology sector. Watch this space!
How can I temporarily switch off my fitbit charge?
Did you know that your Fitbit’s readings will be affected by which wrist you’re wearing it on? The extra movement from your dominant wrist will have an impact on your charts, so letting the app know which wrist you’re wearing it on will make your readings all the more accurate and reliable.Speaking of making your charts as reliable as possible, link up the app to MyFitnessPal, so both apps will be aware of everything you eat and drink during the day. Fitbit use this data to make your readings a combination of your calorie input and output, so there really is no hiding from the truth.The Fitbit’s nifty little light indicators will automatically reflect your progress towards your step count goal, but you can change them to reflect how close you are to your calorie or distance goal. Depending on what you’re looking to get out of wearing your Fitbit, this can be hugely beneficial, especially if you’re counting calories via a third party app and need to check how you’re doing before heading out for dinner.To turn off your fitbit charge:Put your One in the charging cable and plug it in.Hold the button for 12 seconds. The battery icon will disappear after about 5 seconds but keep holding the button a few seconds longer.To turn your One back on, press and hold the button for a few seconds.
I no longer receive notifications for text messages on my iPhone 4. How can I best troubleshoot this?
Thanks for the A2A.If you haven’t done so already, try restarting your iPhone.Also, tap Settings, then tap Notifications and scroll down until you find Messages. Tap it and check your notification settings. Also check to make sure Do Not Disturb is not turned on. (It is really easy to accidentally turn it on in Control Center). You can tell if Do Not Disturb is on if there is a moon at the top of the iPhone screen next to the location, bluetooth, and battery indicators.If none of that works, you could try doing a Factory Restore.That’s about all you can do short of taking it to an Apple Store or buying a new phone. (Hey, it’s an iPhone 4 — maybe its time.)
How can I keep going to bed and getting up early every day?
I use the Sleep as Android app as my primary tool for keeping a decent sleep schedule. A lot of other tips for getting to bed on time easily abound. Here are a few of them:Use Flux on your computers and other devices if you find yourself (like so many others) looking at screens at nightWatch your diet: caffeine in the afternoon or evening can mess with your metabolism at night (alcohol is even worse), overly acidic / heavy meals shortly before bed are a bad idea, tryptophan contained in poultry and certain soothing herbal teas can help you relax, etc. Regular exercise carries many health benefits - including better sleepFine-tune your sleeping environment for maximum comfort and relaxation: most people prefer a slightly cool ambient temperature, minimal / no light, and silence or soft / white noise in the background as they fall asleep. Others prefer a bit of warmth, a nearby nightlight, and to drift into slumber while listening to music. To each their own; find out what works for you and then use it!Invest in a good bed. You spend about a third of your life there - which is more than most Americans spend in their living rooms and cars combined.Waking up at the right time in a sleep cycle can make all the difference in how well rested you feel. Sleep as Android helps with this, giving the option to wake you during light sleep within a user-defined range of time within the wake-up deadline.Alarms that start at a very low volume level and then gradually increase the volume are a decently gentle way to wake. So is a vibrating device like a smartwatch or FitBit. So are smart lights or - you know - good old sunrise. :)Having a nightly routine that you follow religiously that is designed to prime you for rest helps a lot.If the siren call of your devices is too hard to resist when you should be avoiding them at night (within the last hour or two before sleep it's best to avoid screens in general - but especially bright ones), you could configure them to automatically lock up (unable to log in) at specified times. Alternatively, if you sleep with a partner each night, you could ask them to establish a password for your device and only unlock it for you when morning comes.For more about the science of sleep, the National Sleep Foundation is a great source to reference. For more practical tips on getting better sleep, I recommend searching LifeHacker for their articles on sleep as they have plenty of good advice.