vívosmart 4 - Body Battery Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a device that provides a Body Battery reading, you can track your overall energy level on a daily basis directly from your devie and from the Garmin Connect app. 

SKIP TO:

• What is Body Battery™ Energy Monitor?

• Why is it important?

• Should my Body Battery always be high?

• What does Charged and Drained mean?

• How do I recharge my Body Battery?

• What happens if I take off my device?

• What if I train with another Garmin device that does not have Body Battery?

What is Body Battery Energy Monitor?

Body Battery is a feature that uses a combination of Heart Rate Variability, Stress, and Activity to estimate the user’s energy reserves throughout the day.  It records and displays a number from 1-100 that represents the individual’s energy level.  The higher the number, the more energy the user should have to complete tasks and activities.  A lower number may indicate it is time to conserve energy.  The unique aspect of Body Battery is that it is a cumulative metric that builds a picture of a user’s energy over hours and days. 

Why is it important?

Body Battery can be used to help manage a user’s day.  When the number is high, it should mean the user has enough energy for a workout or exercise.  Conversely, when the value is low, it may be a good idea to conserve and rest.  It can also be used to learn how the body reacts to various situations and stimuli.  For example, if the Body Battery shows a low number in the morning, the user may be able to look at the past few days of cumulative measurements to identify what may have been the cause.

Should my Body Battery always be high?

Not necessarily.  The Body Battery should generally be highest after waking up from a restful night’s sleep.  Then it will drain naturally as the user goes about the day.  A vigorous activity will drain the battery faster, but this is not necessarily a bad thing.  Regular exercise, activity, and recovery should increase the body’s resiliency and stamina over time.  Body Battery can be used to help manage when and how long exercise can happen as well as encourage enough recharge to handle an upcoming activity or a busy day.

What does Charged and Drained mean?

For compatible products, charged and drained is displayed in Garmin Connect showing how many points of Body Battery was recharged or recovered vs. how many were spent or used up.  Ideally, there should be a similar level of each at the end of the day, indicating a balance of activity and recovery. Too much of one without the other is not recommended.

How do I recharge my Body Battery?

A good night’s sleep is the best thing to do to charge.  Try to avoid things that hinder restful sleep such as caffeine, alcohol, or exercising too close to bedtime as those will delay recovery.  Eating healthy, while always a good idea, does not directly impact the Body Battery metric.   Similarly, energy shots or other caffeine based drinks may increase alertness temporarily but do not actually increase Body Battery.

What happens if I take off my device?

The Body Battery metric will estimate the charging or draining during short periods when the device is off.  If it is off for a long period of time (several hours), the value will reset based on a model and continue from that point once worn.  After wearing the device continuously for a full day, the values should correlate closely to what your Body Battery should be.  The more you wear it the more accurate it should be.

What if I train with another Garmin device that does not have Body Battery?

For now, we recommend that you wear your vívosmart 4 along with your other Garmin device to ensure continuous measurements of Body Battery.  Information recorded from a device that does not feature Body Battery will not be included in the Body Battery calculation on the vivosmart 4.