If you’re looking for a way to improve your health, get motivated to exercise more, or another way to manage health condition, wearable technology may help you get started. These devices use sensors to track your movement and other body functions and collect data that tells you more about your well-being.
“Fitness trackers can help with early detection of health issues and can also provide you with helpful insights into your wellness,” said Dr. Lauren Vocke, family medicine physician at McLaren Greater Lansing Family Medicine.
There are several different trackers available on the market now, becoming a popular accessory. The most common devices include:
- Fit trackers that count your steps, heart rate, burned calories, and sleep.
- Smart watches that track your heart rate and activity. Some even detect falls and can call emergency services.
- Smart rings that can monitor your heart rate, temperature, sleep quality, and recovery.
- Wearable ECG monitors, which can detect abnormal heart rhythms.
- Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), which track blood glucose levels for diabetics.
Get Up and Get Moving
“On devices such as trackers or smart watches, you can set reminders to tell you when you’ve been sitting for an extended period. Taking a moment to stand up and walk around can boost blood circulation, flexibility, and even your cognitive functions,” said Dr. Vocke.
There are many benefits of moderate to vigorous activity including lowering your risks of health conditions and diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. It also strengthens your bones and muscles, which reduces additional health-related problems, such as osteoporosis and arthritis. Studies have shown that those who wear health devices see improvements in their physical activity, with step counts increasing, on an average of 1,300 or more per day.
“For adults, it is recommended to perform 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity or 75-150 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity weekly,” said Dr. Vocke.
Heart Health
Some wearable devices track your heart rate and collect data that tells you more about where your resting heart rate is and where it stands during physical activity.
Devices specifically for heart health can get more in depth to alert you if abnormal heart functions occur and can also track your blood pressure. This information can be provided to your primary care doctor or cardiologist to help form a comprehensive treatment plan, allowing for more proactive and effective management of your heart health.
Supporting Healthy Sleep Habits
“Sleep is especially important for your overall health and wellbeing. Inadequate sleep causes low attention span, decreased sociability and depression, and is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and diabetes,” said Dr. Vocke. “A wearable device can give you insight into your sleep patterns such as total hours slept, the duration of different sleep stages such as REM and deep sleep, and how many times you awoke during the night.”
While commercial devices can’t diagnose you with a sleep disorder such as sleep apnea, they can identify trends in your sleep and monitor your heart rate. The McLaren Greater Lansing Sleep and Alertness Center can now diagnose sleep disorders through an FDA-cleared wearable ring called the Belun® Ring, worn on your ring finger, which records oxygen saturation, pulse rate, and actigraphy for up to 10 hours per night.
While there are many benefits to having a wearable health device, Dr. Vocke explains that it doesn’t tell all about your health and that it’s important to continue having regularly scheduled health exams and open discussions with your health care provider.
“These devices can help you get a better understanding of your health and hopefully improve your movement and activity level, but they can also create some anxiety, and they aren’t always accurate, so it’s important to talk to your doctor if you have any concerns,” said Dr. Vocke.
To schedule an appointment at the McLaren Greater Lansing Family Medicine, call (517) 975-3750.
For more articles on health and wellness, click here.