Wearable tech – can it help improve your health?
Wearable technology has come a long way from when you wore a plastic pedometer on your waistband to count your steps. Smart watches, fitness trackers and smart phones now do so much more – and can contribute to positive health outcomes.
ABC News* (Australia) reported in December 2021 that approximately one in five Australians own a wearable technology device such as a fitness tracker or smart watch, and about a quarter use a mobile app or website to monitor their activity levels and health. And sales are predicted to grow over the next five years.
Maybe you received a smart device for Christmas? Many smart watches and fitness trackers now not only track steps, but also count calories burned, monitor heart rate and are able to analyse data to give you a better picture of your overall health.
A fairly new item in the wearable tech arena is the smart ring. Smart rings have the potential to monitor heart rate, track blood oxygen and track sleeping. They use NFC (near field communication) technology to interact with your smart phone, tablet or computer. They can also measure heart rate variability (HRV), respiration rate, temperature and blood oxygen.
Australian company Opuz is developing a wearable ring that monitors blood glucose levels. Unlike current blood sugar measurement options, this is a non-invasive and pain-free method. This should make for an amazing resource for diabetics. The company conducted clinical trials in November 2021.
The advantage of many wearable tech items is that they give you a record of health data in your smart phone that you can potentially show to your doctor.
With some devices able to measure and analyse your deep sleep, REM sleep, light sleep, nightly heart rate and bedtime schedule, they might be able to point to the root cause of poor sleeping patterns and insomnia.
More than just fitness
Fitness trackers have reportedly saved lives by picking up unusual data. For example, sudden and unexplained changes to heartbeat have sent wearers to see medical professionals, potentially preventing heart attacks. While these instances have been rare, keeping a close eye on your health, whether it’s normal or not, is the exact reason these devices were invented.
And what does the future hold? Technological breakthroughs mean we can look forward to advanced medical tech like smart clothing made from infused fabric that can track your biometric data. And companies like Brisbane-based Wear Optimo are developing wearable micro sensors to help save lives, prevent disease and deliver real-time information on the wearer’s health signals.
Advantages of using wearable technology in fitness
• Accountability
• Goal setting
• Motivation
• Monitors heart rate
• Enables you to stay connected
• Engagement
*www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-13/wearable-fitness-trackers-do-they-work/100691444
Additional information sourced from HCF article: www.hcf.com.au/health-agenda/body-mind/physical-health/wearables-and-your-health
DISCLAIMER: This wellbeing message is brought to you by the health and wellbeing team at rt health – a division of the Hospitals Contribution Fund of Australia Limited. The health information provided here is intended to be informative only and should be carefully evaluated for its source, accuracy, completeness and relevance for your purposes. It is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional. Always obtain appropriate professional advice relevant to your particular circumstances. rthealthfund.com.au 21
This article was originally published in Be Well magazine in March 2022.