Fitbit Sense Review: The Smartwatch For A Stress-Free Life

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Today, we will be highlighting one of Fitbit’s best-released products in the market, the Fitbit Sense. Our Fitbit Sense review aims to take a closer look at whether this is the smartwatch for you.

In these times, looking out for our health is more important than ever. Ever since the pandemic started, a lot has changed in our lifestyles. We had to adjust from working in an office to working from home. Quarantines were placed in order to protect ourselves from a deadly virus.

But if you’re someone who was never much concerned about your health beforehand, perhaps it is time to start now. A great way to do this is through the use of smartwatches or fitness and health trackers.

These wearables are a helpful option for people who want to receive gentle nudges or notification alerts when it’s time to stay active as well as updates and analytics regarding their health from the comfort of their wrists.

That’s exactly what Fitbit is going for when they released the Fitbit Sense. So without further ado, let’s dive into the review.

Having trouble sleeping? See where the Fitbit Sense ranks in our top recommendations of the best sleep trackers in 2021.

Overview of the Fitbit Sense

Right off the bat, I think the Fitbit Sense is a really ambitious smartwatch that is built upon the success of its predecessors such as the Fitbit Versa line.

However, the Sense is more of an attempt to be a balance of both a smartwatch and a fitness tracker with a few yet significant upgrades on features that focus on one’s mental health and wellbeing.

Equipped with impressive features such as a more advanced sleep tracker, overnight measurements of your SpO2 levels, a stress monitoring sensor to help you manage your stress levels, an FDA-approved ECG, and so much more, this wearable aims to help you improve and monitor your overall wellbeing.

With such mindful tools packed in one device, you’ll be able to understand more about your physical and mental health so you can make small changes over time to live a more fulfilling and healthy lifestyle.

Personally, I really appreciate that a company like Fitbit is now placing importance on taking care of a person’s mental health. While more can be done than just monitoring and managing someone’s stress levels, this is a good way to start and I only hope that more companies follow the same route and continue improving upon this.

As we keep living in a time of a pandemic, some people’s lives can be more stressful than ever. So having a wearable handy that will detect any potential problems like an incoming panic attack due to overwhelming stress might be pretty helpful for your day-to-day life.

Not to mention, the FDA-approved ECG or electrocardiogram sensor built into this smartwatch can also detect any irregularities in your heartbeat or signs of atrial fibrillation, while the highly advanced sleep-tracking features provide more in-depth and detailed analytics regarding your sleeping patterns and overall sleep quality.

Features & Specifications

Product Dimensions:‎ 1.59 x 1.59 x 0.49 inches
Item Weight: 1.06 ounces
Manufacturer / Brand: Fitbit
Batteries Used: 1 Lithium Polymer battery.
Battery Life: Lasts up to more than6 days.
Wireless Communication: Bluetooth and GPS.
Compatibility: Android and iOS.
Interface Output: Touchscreen.
Waterproof: Yes.
Heart Monitoring: Yes.
Sleep Tracking: Yes.
Colors: Black with interchangeable bands.
Extra Features: EDA Scan app, Fitbit ECG app, advanced sleep tracking, Always On screen, on-wrist skin temperature sensor, built-in GPS, supports Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, built-in mic and speaker.

Here’s a preview of the Fitbit Sense presented by Fitbit through their Youtube channel.

What We Love About The Fitbit Sense

From the wide array of health monitoring features to the fitness tracking abilities we all come to know and love from Fitbit, here are some of the things we really liked about the Fitbit Sense.

Stress Monitoring & Management

The Fitbit Sense is packed with a lot of amazing health and fitness tracking features, but what really shines and stands out from the rest is its stress monitoring.

This is made possible by its built-in EDA sensor. Essentially, this particular sensor will provide you with measurements of your stress levels through the form of electrodermal activity (EDA) responses, which is detected through the conductivity of your skin. This means that the Sense retrieves this certain data from your sweat.

However, it is important to keep in mind that emotional factors aren’t the only thing that will make you sweat. Physical activities, as well as heat, can also have an effect on your EDA responses.

In order to scan your stress levels, all you need to do is place your free hand over the stainless steel rim on the top of the watch for two minutes. Make sure it is placed securely around your wrist and after that, you will feel a gentle vibration.

Finally, the EDA sensor will measure any possible stress markers triggered by your sweat. If you get fewer EDA responses, that probably means you’re not as stressed at that moment.

Moreover, you can also get a stress management score from Fitbit so you’ll have an idea of how your body reacts and responds to stress based on factors like your heart rate, activity data, and sleeping patterns and habits. Additionally, the app will also provide you with stress management suggestions that can be helpful for you.

Advanced Sleep Tracking Features

Another noteworthy feature of the Fitbit Sense is its impressive sleep tracking features. If you find yourself having trouble sleeping and would like to have an idea why or how to improve your situation, then you will love how detailed the analytics this wearable will provide you.

In addition to extremely detailed information regarding your score on your sleep quality, the Fitbit Sense will also determine and measure your skin temperature overnight as well as your oxygen saturation levels.

I only wish that the two latter features could be done at any given time instead of only being viable at night when you go to bed.

Fitness Tracking

As you can see, Fitbit is really working hard to bridge the gap between fitness and wellness here. This is something quite apparent with most smartwatches nowadays but when it comes to fitness tracking, Fitbit easily is one of the best in the market. So no disappointments here!

The Fitbit Sense offers the same fitness tracking features that we are already well familiar with plus the addition of a new feature called Active Zone Minutes. Furthermore, the integrated GPS also helps a lot in making sure that your stats are done with better accuracy.

Design & Build

When it comes to design and build, Fitbit has really outdone themselves with the Fitbit Sense. Overall, it’s a very good-looking smartwatch. One that rivals the Apple Series Watch. It has a sturdy build with a very appealing design.

You can also have the bands changed if you want other colors and the display is much brighter and clear even under harsh lighting such as direct sunlight. Plus, it’s a very comfortable watch to wear even after long periods of time.

Want to check out our top picks for the best sleep trackers this 2021? Click here!

Our Least Favorite Things

No product is perfect. Though, still a pretty impressive and reliable smartwatch, here are a few things we don’t love as much from the Fitbit Sense.

Some apps require Fitbit Premium

As much as I love the impressive health monitoring features on the Fitbit Sense, it’s important to take note that some of these features do require you to subscribe to Fitbit Premium in order to maximize its full potential.

The only upside is that upon purchase, you get a 6-month free trial of the Fitbit Premium app so you can see for yourself if it’s worth the upgrade.

In A Nutshell

Not that we have broken down what we loved and disliked about the Fitbit Sense, here’s a narrowed down list of the good and the bad with this smartwatch.

Pros

Impressive battery life as expected from Fitbit. Can last up to 6+ days depending on usage.
You get extremely detailed sleep analysis and results.
Supports Google Assistance and Amazon Alexa for getting the latest updates and trends.
The screen and display are very bright and vibrant.
The ECG is fairly easy to use.
Comfortable to wear around the wrist everyday and overnight.

Cons

Some apps require you to subscribe to Fitbit Premium to fully utilize them.
Interface is a little laggy compared to its competitors.

Final Verdict

Overall, the Fitbit Sense is a great balance between fitness tracking, wellness, and health monitoring. I think Fitbit succeeded in what they were going for here. It’s not just a wearable that will help you stay in shape but will also keep you healthy and stress-free throughout your usage.

If that’s something that you think will benefit you and improve your current lifestyle, then I highly recommend considering this as an option. Especially if you find smartwatches like the Apple Series Watch a little way over budget for you.

Already own the Fitbit Sense? Feel free to share any insights, experiences, suggestions in the comments section below. I would love to hear your thoughts about our Fitbit Sense review!