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Respiration rate dont work in activities

Former Member
Former Member over 5 years ago

does anyone know if the respirator rate works in activities?In GC application it works and also in the fenix 6x as a widget but I can't make it work as a data field in some activity, before  it worked but it doesn’t anymore I don't know why, someone knows? I am in firmware 6.1 and in the sensor hub 4.2 when it worked it was in firmware 4.2 or 4.3 by the way i never used de OHR from fenix 6, always was a Rhythm+ and this time polar OH1+ neither record.

  • 0 over 5 years ago

    For respiration to work you need a chest strap. Respiration is a derived from HRV and that only comes from a chest strap 

  • 0 over 5 years ago in reply to Dr Phil
    Dr Phil said:
    For respiration to work you need a chest strap. Respiration is a derived from HRV and that only comes from a chest strap 

    That's a very important point that many folks seem not to realize.  HRV (Heart Rate Variability) is the basis for many metrics - one of them is Respiration.  HRV can only be obtained with an electrical measurement of the pulse - this means a chest strap.  NO Optical Heart Rate Monitor will yield HRV data.  Some will synthesize (make up) something that is supposed to approximate HRV, but it is not accurate.  Polar even states on its web site that if you want more accurate HR data and HRV data you should use a chest strap:

    What's the difference between optical heart rate measurement with OH1, and monitoring heart rate with a traditional chest strap?

    The main difference is in how you wear the measuring devices. Traditional chest strap heart rate monitors are worn around the chest because they measure electric signals that the heart generates as it beats and pushes blood to circulation. With a chest strap heart rate monitor you usually need a separate wrist device or mobile to pick up the heart rate signals from the chest strap and to interpret the received data.

    There are more options for sensor placement with the OH1: on the upper or lower arm in sports where the sensor placement might hinder your movement or performance. Examples that come to mind are bench pressing, volleyball or racquet sports. These physiological constrains can be solved by taking advantage of the versatility of optical heart rate tracking and the placement of the sensor.

    Certain factors, like sports with extreme arm motions, and training in cold conditions may affect the optical heart rate measurement. In these cases, the Polar H10 / H7 heart rate sensor is the optimal training companion. Polar H10 heart rate sensor is more responsive to rapidly increasing or decreasing heart rate, so it’s the ideal option also for interval type of training with quick sprints.

    With the Polar H10 / H7 heart rate sensor, you can get detailed HRV (heart rate variability) based information about your body and fitness in case you’re looking for more personalized guidance for your training habits.

    Direct link here: What's the difference between optical heart rate measurement with OH1, and monitoring heart rate with a traditional chest strap?

    HTH

  • 0 over 5 years ago in reply to gaijin

    Further to my last:

    From FirstBeat (aka the horse's mouth)[Emphasis on last sentence is mine]:

    Respiration Rate

    Keep track of your breathing during activities.

    What is it?

    Respiration rate describes how often you inhale and exhale in a minute. It is also a primary vital sign along with heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature. Resting respiration rates are typically between 12-20 times per minute during rest and can be around 40-50 times per minute during intense physical activity. This increase in respiration rate reflects the increased oxygen demand of producing aerobic energy.

    Key Benefits:

    • Familiarity with your body
    • Monitor changes over time
    • Recognize when your working harder than normal

    How it works?

    Each breath you take coded into your heart rate variability (HRV). The length of time between consecutive heartbeats shortens slightly as you inhale and lengthens as you exhale. The term for this biological phenomenon is respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA).

    The ability to analytically extract respiration rate from HRV data depends on accurate heartbeat data. The degree to which one heart rate changes from one beat to the next can be a matter of milliseconds. Challenging monitoring conditions related to the performance of physical activity mean that the pinpoint accuracy needed for this analysis is only achievable using a chest-belt type heart rate monitor.

    HTH

  • 0 over 5 years ago in reply to gaijin

    Last one, I promise:

    Here is an excellent explanation of the 18 FirstBeat features available in the fenix 6 series watches:

    Link to FirstBeat Features Available On Garmin fenix 6 Watches

    I found this very informative.

    HTH

  • 0 over 4 years ago

    I know this is quite an old thread but i agree with Alex. I'm confused too.

    i added respiration rate as a datafield but it's blank.

    I have read the posts from gaijin, etc. That to me explains why a chest strap is more beneficial but i think Alex and I are querying why the respiration widget isn't feeding its calculation into the datafield or at least whether there's a choice between taking that result or the output from another sensor.

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to Gary

    I just tried the widget and it does not track my breathing at all. Activate it and breath quickly. The number barely move. I think it displays some sort a average but no real time data that you would expect in the datafield. 

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to Martin868

    yep it's an average and it definitely changes, though only very modestly typically.

    I tried some rapid breaths but just made myself dizzy lol

    from all the posts it seems like it's derived from HRV,.

    I wondered whether the SpO2 assessment could be used as well (i've got mine on all day).

    Over the last 24 hours, my reported respiration rate has moved between 9 and 20.

    My waking average is reported as 13

    I'm going to do a workout later, so will try to remember to report back.

    EDIT: my respiration did increase to 18 - i was doing a higher intensity HIIT type (but not to tabata 'i can't do any more or i'll start throwing up' levels). HR supposedly mid 100s (average 135)

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to Gary

    Don't be surprised if you see little or no useful data. Respiration rate without a strap is only available outside of an activity when you are relatively still - think here sleeping or sitting down. The OHR is then able to guesstimate breathing rate from Pulse Wave Variation (basically interpreting the sinusoidal colour change as blood is pulsed under the skin). This is not possible during activity or most movement due to the number of artifacts introduced from the movement and the increased heart rate.

    Gary said:
    I wondered whether the SpO2 assessment could be used as well (i've got mine on all day).

    You may well have this on all day but you will only get data when you are relatively still.

    You will only get respiration rate during an activity when using a strap.