Your smartwatch may have it all, but when it comes to your overall health, it may also be taking something away from you.
Devices like the Apple Watch and Garmin smartwatches have become increasingly sophisticated, with some models now able to detect irregular heart rhythms. These high-tech wearables will alert users when something seems amiss, which sounds useful in theory, but could be doing more harm than good, professionals say.
In 2020, a study funded by the National Institutes of Health found that this type of device can affect the tranquility of users by triggering psychological problems, such as greater anxiety.
Study researchers examined the records of a 70-year-old woman with atrial fibrillation, a condition defined by an irregular heart rhythm that increases the risk of stroke, who had bouts of anxiety from wearing a sensitive smartwatch that took 916 EKG recordings. in a year. . The patient believed that the many notifications on the watch indicated coronary incidents, which worried her more.
Because of her smartwatch, the woman initiated 12 unnecessary visits to the emergency room and outpatient clinic, as well as a series of phone calls to providers, none of which changed her current treatment, the study found. It also dealt a serious blow to her mental health, eventually receiving six sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy to deal with her anxiety.
Doctors say this is becoming more and more common.
“With the distribution of smart watches and other wearable fitness devices, there is now a lot more information that patients have access to, which is a double-edged sword,” Adam Skolnick, a cardiologist at NYU Langone, told The Post. “On the one hand, it’s fantastic because patients can detect abnormal heart rhythms earlier; on the other hand, too often there are false alarms for rhythms that are interpreted as abnormal, but are actually normal.”
In the last two years, Skolnick has noticed more communications from patients regarding readings from their smart devices. But what most users don’t know is that any stress on the body, such as inadequate sleep, anxiety or alcohol, can trigger normal, temporary and benign coronary changes.
Stavros Mountantonakis, director of cardiac electrophysiology at Lenox Hill Hospital, told The Post that this can lead to a vicious cycle.
“When patients are nervous or anxious, sometimes … they look at their watch to get an answer, and that makes them more anxious, which increases the adrenaline in the body and the heart rate goes even higher,” he said.
Both doctors agree that users should raise any concerning readings with their doctors, but they should also keep in mind that smart devices are not a replacement for in-person testing.
Device results “should always be confirmed with a standard medical diagnostic test with the patient’s physician,” Skolnick said, and Mountantonakis added: “[By no means] Is this a final diagnostic test?
Still, doctors are hopeful that, with improvements, smartwatches will provide useful early detection for heart patients.
“I’m sure their algorithms will continue to improve … so the algorithm can learn from their mistakes and be more accurate in detection,” Mountantonakis said.
Here are five of the newest smart devices and their supposed pros and cons.
The Cadillac of smart watches, this new installment of Garmin offers regular heart monitoring, as well as relaxation reminders and timers for breathing exercises.
These new features complement the product’s unique data-driven Body Battery that analyzes how your heart rate, amount of sleep, and stress levels affect your well-being on a minute-by-minute basis. The watch also offers AI guidance that can be used to improve health in real time, such as hydration levels and tips for better sleep. The 32-gigabyte device also offers pregnancy and period tracking features.
Advantages: Body Battery, which rates the efficiency of the body in real time, records how and when stress affects daily health and provides suggestions on how to mitigate it. For the rugged adventurers, it has detailed navigation maps via GPS, swim tracking capabilities for both pools and open water along with built-in solar charging panels, a flashlight, and a five-week non-passive battery life for the display. tactile.
Cons: At $900, it’s expensive, and some reviews, like one in Cycling Weekly, mentions that the swimming data is not perfect. Others say the watch’s bulk takes away points in the style department and the abundance of detailed features can be overwhelming for newcomers. Body Battery technology is also available on many of Garmin’s less expensive products.
fēnix 7 Sapphire, $900 at garmin
Released in late 2021 by fitness company Whoop and made from flexible knit material, the latest update to the device measures blood oxygen levels and skin temperature. It also tracks the user’s sleep cycle and provides tips for better and more efficient rest. Like the Garmin, the Whoop can also help with menstrual tracking.
Advantages: Instead of simply running metrics on previous workouts, a review of TechRadar He says that much of Whoop’s analysis focuses on recovering from stress and physical strains to benefit his next activity. The Whoop 4.0 is also dust and water resistant, and because the brand sells sportswear, it can be paired with Whoop clothing that comes with device pockets.
Cons: You’ll have to commit: Whoop 4.0 is only available with a minimum six-month subscription. TechRadar also reports that annual subscriptions must be paid in full at $288. Since the price of a subscription is the cost of a standard smartwatch, it might be a drawback that it doesn’t have a screen for other capabilities, like texting. .
Howl 4.0, $30/month with a minimum six-month subscription at Howl
It may not be one ring to rule them all, but it can still get the job done. Described by PCMag Like a “mood ring on steroids,” the titanium Oura Ring Generation 3 released in November uses micro-sized sensors to monitor the wearer’s sleep, heart rate and body temperature. Like Whoop, Oura Ring also requires a membership ($5.99 per month) to access app-based features of detailed health data, personal suggestions, and around 50 guided meditations.
Advantages: PCMag praises the ring’s long battery life, saying its best features are for meditation, stress relief, and daily guidance. This latest model also has more sensors to improve the body metric measurements of previous models.
Cons: While Oura is great for mindfulness, it also provides minimal training data according to the outlet, which also warned that the gold finish may show wear. Also, a basic subscription may not provide access to the full set of features.
Oura Ring Generation 3, starting at $299 at Oura Ring
Same apple, different day. The Apple Watch Series 7, the brand’s latest to be available since October, has received general criticism for being like its Series 6 predecessor despite some minor size tweaks (now 41 and 45 millimeters compared to 40 and 44). CNET writes.
However, the seemingly redundant model includes new health features, such as the ability to measure blood oxygen levels and even perform an EKG. It also has compatibility with the brand’s Apple Fitness+ virtual training regimen.
Advantages: Along with new health options, this watch is more durable and dust resistant, according to CNET. It also loads faster than previous models and has a new keyboard layout that’s easier to use.
Cons: Although they charge faster, CNET complains that not much was done to improve the watch series’ chronic battery life issues.
Apple Watch Series 7, $399 or $16.62 per month at Apple or Amazon
Like the latest Apple Watch, Tom’s Guide Warns the Fitbit Charge 5, introduced in September, “doesn’t bring anything new to the table, it just looks and feels sleeker.” Despite its similarities to the previous Charge 4, the new model has an EKG sensor and adds a new “Daily Readiness Score” based on fatigue, heart rate, and sleep. The Charge 5 also has an electrodermal activity sensor that supposedly helps monitor stress from skin readings.
Advantages: The relatively low price (less than $200) is one of the product’s greatest assets. Tom’s Guide also says it’s comfortable to wear, has a seven-day battery life, is made 10% thinner than its predecessor, and its new lighting system works well in strong sunlight.
Cons: Although not strictly necessary, a premium membership (six months free with purchase, then $9.99 per month) is required for in-depth analysis of sleep patterns and other wellness tips. The Charge 5 also has a new charging port design that makes previous models obsolete and doesn’t support Spotify.
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