If you’ve ever owned a Fitbit™ or other step-tracking device, you’ve been part of the early years in the wearable evolution. Step-tracking was one of the first forms of data a wearable could record, helping owners to set goals for walking each day to change a sedentary lifestyle.
Beyond Pedometers
Gradually, these simple pedometers grew increasingly more sophisticated, tracking heart rate, linking to phone apps to track overall fitness goals, and more.
But today? Wearables provide much more. A simple wristband or ring can now:
- Instantly deliver key cardiovascular health indicators, such as: blood pressure, heart rate, heart rate variability, and oxygen levels.
- Track the amount and quality of sleep you get each night by: reporting when you enter progressively deeper levels of sleep, how many health-restoring hours of REM sleep you’re getting, how often you wake up through the night.
- Monitor stress factors: Wearables can monitor when your body is under strain, and advise you which exercise routines are energizing you, and which exercises require more recovery time.
- Give you feedback on your unique hormone cycles by analyzing and interpreting your data, giving advice on hydration, diet, and more to help you stay in balance while a given hormone is high or low.
- Show your biological age, and project changes to it based on your current lifestyle and health routine, letting you know whether you are extending or shortening your predicted lifespan through your choices.
Data Based on Your Unique Condition
New wearables also allow you to customize reports to data you provide, such as recent lab tests, health goals, existing health conditions, reproductive cycles like pregnancy, fertility or menopause.
You can also track how your wearable data changes if you’re are sick with a cold or flu, traveling on an airplane, trying a new diet or supplement, etc. You’ll know instantly how any life change is impacting your health, and get advice on how to keep going in a positive direction.
Wearables often come with a library of health information, videos, articles, and reports that you can access through their accompanying app, to help you apply what you’re learning about your own body.
A wearable can never substitute for a medical exam and diagnosis, and they’re not designed to treat illness or disease. They can, however, be a great tool to help you and your doctor monitor the success of a treatment or lifestyle plan between visits.
Choosing a Wearable for You
Today’s wearable market is quite competitive, so each wearable is capable of most of the above, and their capabilities are growing every year. That means you don’t need a separate device to do all of these things.
The first choice to make is whether you’d like to wear a wristband (no face) or wristwatch (traditional digital watch styling), or whether you prefer a ring. You’ll find lots of style and color options for each.
Next, shop around the major providers, like Apple Watch™, Garmin™, Aura™, Oura™, or Whoop™, and search for the style you like and functions you prefer.
There are a range of products at different price points. Be aware that most wearables also come with a subscription cost that gives you access to apps that record and assess your data. However, you can often save money with an annual vs. monthly subscription, and earn free months with special discounts or by referring friends.
Be sure to check your insurance provider, or if you have an HSA or FSA account, on whether the cost of a wearable might be covered for you.
Conclusion
For those who are excited by the thought of fine-tuning their wellness routine and gleaning more information about their internal health, a wearable can provide a veritable goldmine of information that can help you learn more about your body. For the same price as a wristwatch, you’ll have a fashion accessory and an important addition to your health maintenance toolkit.
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About the Author
Olivia Hsu Friedman, LAc, Dipl.OM, DACM, Cert. TCMDerm, is the owner of Amethyst Holistic Skin Solutions and treats Acne, Eczema, Psoriasis, and TSW. Olivia treats patients via video conferencing using only herbal medicine. Dr. Olivia is the past chair of the board of directors of the American Society of Acupuncturists, serves on the Advisory Board of LearnSkin, and is a faculty member of the Chicago Integrative Eczema Group sponsored by the National Eczema Association.