Fitbit's new tracker is already available in stores and online Fitbit.com
We previewed the features of the new Fitbit Alta HR, the latest tracker from Fitbit, the leading company in the Connected Health and Fitness market.
Fitbit Alta HR is the world's thinnest wristband with continuous heart rate detection, combining the benefits of PurePulse® technology for heart rate monitoring, automatic physical activity recognition, sleep monitoring, a battery that lasts up to seven days, and smart notifications. All in a sleek, linear design that can be easily customized to fit everyone's style.
By listening to the needs of the global user community-undoubtedly one of the company's strengths-Fitbit decided to work to make available the feature most requested by users of the previous Alta model.
With a unique chip that has reduced the size and number of components required so as not to weigh down the tracker's linear design, the new Alta HR model features
PurePulse technology that offers continuous heart rate monitoring. By viewing trends in theFitbit app (pictured opposite) and comparing them with your own physical activity, you can then assess the positive effects of constant exercise on your heart health with the Alta HR.You can also better measure the calories you burn each day, even while practicing non-step sports such as yoga and spinning, with a tally of the ratio of calories in/out to calories burned, to help you reach your weight and health goals; check in real time and on your wrist what "cardio zone" you are working in; and see your physical activity summaries in the Fitbit app so you can train at the intensity that suits your health and fitness goals.
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Sleep monitoring: the functions Sleep stages and Sleep tips
Sleep, along with nutrition and exercise, is a key factor in overall health, but most people are little aware of it.
Good sleep is critical to ensuring health and well-being, as it protects against cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity, increases neurocognitive function, mental health and longevity. For this reason, Fitbit has introduced two new dynamic sleep monitoring tools.
- Sleep stages and Sleep Tips - which provide more in-depth data regarding sleep quality and suggestions for improving it, enhancing the popular sleep-related features that have enabled millions of people to monitor their rest since 2012.
Developed over the past two years with a group of sleep experts-Michael Grandner, director of the Sleep and Health Research Programatthe University of Arizona; Allison Siebern, consulting assistant professor at the Stanford University Sleep Medicine Center and director of the Sleep Health Integrative Program at the Fayetteville VA Medical Center; and Michael T. Smith, Jr. professor of Psychiatry, Neurology and Nursing at the Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine-the feature Sleep Phasesnow allows millions of users to access information previously available only in sleep labs, while Sleep Tips offers personalized suggestions to help improve it.
"Sleep, or lack thereof, plays a vital role in everyone's life-from boosting the immune system to preserving cognitive function to maintaining a healthy weight. - Says Stanford University's Allison Siebern - Fitbit's new sleep tracking features use a scientific approach to show sleep cycles over time and provide validated data and concrete actionable insights to help modify one's daily routine to improve sleep quality and thus overall health. Given the comfort and accessibility of this product, it is one of the most valuable and useful sleep monitoring devices available to consumers outside of a sleep lab."
The Sleep Phases feature, powered by PurePulse, uses accelerometer data and heart rate variability, in addition to Fitbit's
proven algorithms, to more accurately estimate how much time is spent each night in wakefulness, deep sleep, light sleep, and REM: light sleep (including sleep stages N1 and N2) is repeated several times throughout the night and is important for memory, learning and physical recovery; for most people it accounts for 50-60% of the night; deep sleep (N3) promotes a healthy immune system and muscle tissue growth and repair; for most people it accounts for 10-25% of the
night (depending on age); REM sleep-which comes at the end of the night and is often the phase most affected by the decrease in sleep duration-is the phase in which dreaming occurs and is important for mental recovery and memory formation; for most people it accounts for 20-25% of the night; periods of wakefulness (10-30 times) are a normal component of the night sleep cycle.
Each of us has different sleep cycles. However, knowing them better and understanding their impact on one's day allows one to make lifestyle changes in terms of diet, physical activity, relaxation before falling asleep, and maintaining a consistent bedtime that, over time, can help improve sleep quality. For example, if you wake up every morning feeling exhausted despite apparently having had enough sleep, perhaps the amount of deep sleep is not enough. Sleep monitoring could also help identify variations indicative of other critical issues. It has been shown that irregularities in sleep cycles could signal sleep disorders that should be discussed with a physician.
Fitbit has conducted rigorous testing of the capabilities of its devices, including the Alta HR, in estimating sleep stages in adults. These results validate Fitbit's new Sleep Stages feature and have been accepted for presentation at SLEEP 2017, the premier event for sleep scientists and physicians.
Sleep Advice, having access to data obtained through Fitbit from more than 3 billion nights of
recorded sleep nights (Fitbit data obtained from automatic sleep monitoring on Fitbit devices since Jan. 1, 2015) the equivalent of 2.5 million years, makes Fitbit an irreplaceable tool for providing valuable sleep-related data, concrete action cues, and guidance for improving sleep quality and, consequently, overall health.
For example, it is important to understand the relationship between sleep,exercise, diet, weight , and heart rate: one Fitbit tip might be, "There seems to be a strong correlation between sleep and running. The last ten sleep records show that on days you went running, restful sleep increased by 20 minutes." or "Lack of sleep can increase hunger hormones. So if you are trying to lose weight, make sure you get enough sleep."Or "You slept an average of 9 hours 30 minutes this weekend, which is significantly higher than your average of 5 hours 40 minutes on weekdays. This variation may mean you're not getting enough sleep during the week."
"Alta HR and these powerful new sleep monitoring features are a testament to our ongoing commitment to developing innovative technology that delivers deeper, more usable data and helps users improve their health. - says James Park, CEO and co-founder of Fitbit (pictured opposite) - The miniaturization of PurePulse heart rate monitoring technology creates exciting opportunities for future generations of devices and design. Our advances in sleep monitoring will enable millions of users worldwide to access valuable information that previously could only be obtained through expensive lab tests."
Sleep Stages is already available for the Alta HR and Blaze devices and will be available on the Charge 2 starting the first week of April via the Fitbit app for Android, iOS and Windows and on the Fitbit.com panel.
Sleep Tips will be available for all Fitbit devices that monitor sleep via the Fitbit app, with the same release dates as the Sleep Stages feature.
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Other functions
In addition to the advanced health and fitness monitoring experience that PurePulse brings to Alta HR, the most popular features and notifications help keep you connected and motivated to reach your goals:
- 24-hour automatic monitoring of your most important statistics (heart rate, steps, distance, calories burned, active minutes), day and night, with up to 7 days of battery life- Automatic SmartTrack™ workout monitoring for physical activities such as walking, running, biking elliptical, aerobic workouts, so you can see in the Fitbit app your progress in achieving your weekly goals
- Movement reminders that help you stay active all day, reducing sedentariness to help prevent diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease.- Notifications of incoming calls, messages and calendar events that keep you connected and focused on your day
- Connect with one of the world's largest social fitness networks through the new Communities tab in the Fitbit app to find support and inspiration on your path to improved health and wellness.
Style
The subtle and unique design of the Alta HR fits every look, with a range of accessories for the Alta and Alta HR devices: the classic trackers with classic black, blue-gray, fuchsia, or coral-red straps and matching aluminum buckle; the special editions with 22k rose gold-plated case and classic pink strap (pictured opposite) and with gunmetal case classic black strap; the Luxe leather collection in brown, indigo, and lavender shades with matching buckle; and finally the Luxe stainless steel bracelet that can be combined with other jewelry.
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Pricing and availability
The Alta HR is already available on Fitbit.com and in stores worldwide for €149.99; Special Edition models for €169.99; Classic fitness straps for €29.99; Luxe leather straps for €59.99; and the Luxe metal wristband for €89.99.
Valentina Rota