# ELI5 Activity Trackers - how do they detect deep sleep?

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/eli5-explain-like-i-m-5-bite-sized-answers-to-stuff-you-should-know-about-in-a-mini-podcast-484092/eli5-activity-trackers-how-do-they-detect-deep-sleep
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/eli5-explain-like-i-m-5-bite-sized-answers-to-stuff-you-should-know-about-in-a-mini-podcast-484092/eli5-activity-trackers-how-do-they-detect-deep-sleep.md
Podcast: [ELI5 Explain Like I'm 5: Bite sized answers to stuff you should know about - in a mini podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/eli5-explain-like-i-m-5-bite-sized-answers-to-stuff-you-should-know-about-in-a-mini-podcast-484092)
Published: 2026-01-23T06:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://prefix.up.audio/s/pscrb.fm/rss/p/op3.dev/e/traffic.megaphone.fm/ATHLLC8752058361.mp3?updated=1714753427
Audio file: https://prefix.up.audio/s/pscrb.fm/rss/p/op3.dev/e/traffic.megaphone.fm/ATHLLC8752058361.mp3?updated=1714753427
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/eli5-explain-like-i-m-5-bite-sized-answers-to-stuff-you-should-know-about-in-a-mini-podcast-484092/episodes/eli5-activity-trackers-how-do-they-detect-deep-sleep
Duration seconds: 504

## Resource

What are the creative ways people fool their FitBit? How does my activity tracker differentiate between steps and my tapping to a rhythm? Does it use GPS to calibrate? How does it know what stage of sleep I'm in? ... We explain like i'm five! Help more people fund us by leaving a rating on iTunes. Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community, and specifically the following reddit users whose questions and responses formed the basis of this conversation: failtuna, fieldpeter, devilishgainz, srslylovesgames & groundhogcakeday To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

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## Transcript

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