Fitbit Nags: Get To Bed, Time To Get Up

(RTTNews) - Wearable fitness device maker Fitbit Inc. (FIT) has unveiled a new, personalized 'Sleep Schedule' feature to help maintain a more consistent sleep routine and improve overall health. The new feature is focused on helping a user meet his personalized sleep goals.

Sleep plays a critical role in health and well-being, from protecting against cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity, to boosting neurocognitive functions, mental health and longevity.

Fitbit has developed the new sleep features in collaboration with a panel of sleep experts including Michael Grandner at the University of Arizona, Allison Siebern at Stanford University, and Michael Smith at Johns Hopkins University.

Fitbit noted that while many people understand the benefits and importance of a good night's sleep for their health, getting enough sleep of 7 to 9 hours and regularly going to bed around the same time each night can be a challenge.

Constantly changing your sleep routine can have the same effect as giving yourself jetlag because you are continually changing your circadian rhythm, also known as your internal clock, which can negatively impact your health and wellness.

Fitbit cited research that shows getting enough sleep can also positively impact how much a person will exercise the next day and is vital to post-training recovery, playing an integral role in the body's ability to repair itself.

In addition, Fitbit data shows a correlation between consistent bedtimes and daily active minutes, especially for users who go to bed early each night.

Users who sleep an average of 7 to 9 hours nightly also have a lower body mass index or BMI than those who sleep only 3 to 4 hours per night. Those who are overweight or obese with a BMI over 25, on average sleep over an hour less per week than those with a normal BMI.

The new feature is rolling out on the free Fitbit app and is compatible with all Fitbit devices that track sleep. Fitbit's new Sleep Schedule feature helps a user to get a more consistent pattern of sleep.

With the new setting, users can establish personalized sleep goals based on their sleep data to achieve optimal amount of sleep each night.

It will also offer customized bedtime and wake-up targets to establish sleep consistency, and introduces reminders to help a user to stick to his sleep goals. It also includes a sleep schedule history to chart a user's progress.