Why wearables?
Wearables have come a long way in a short amount of time. The wearables market exceeded $2 billion in 2015 and will hit almost $3 billion this year and more than $4 billion in 2017, according to Forbes. Historically we’ve been toying with wearable ‘technology’ devices since the 16th century when a few bracelet watches were worn. Fast forward to the past four decades where walkmans and mp3 players marked a new gateway for wearing some type of hardware as entertainment. In just the past three years, higher-tech information-gathering gadgets have transformed from mostly timekeepers and pedometers to smart watches and healthcare devices. This next generation of higher-tech wearables monitors everything from blood pressure and heart rate to sleep and vision quality. So the question is, how does all of the extra data improve one’s life and overall health?
Impact on Health
Of course wearing one of these health-centric innovations can only be helpful if they’re actually used properly and if the user heeds the information and advice output by the device. As with any exercise support or weight-loss tool, it’s best when used consistently and combined with proper diet and exercise.
Fitness
Wearables aren’t just effective for those who want to lose weight, they are especially valuable for the health-conscious person who is mindful and regimented with her fitness regimen. Many studies on why some people are overweight or ‘out of shape’ reveal that those people who (even subliminally or moderately) evaluate their weight weekly or daily usually adjust their activity and food intake accordingly. For instance, if white collar worker Stan realizes his weight goes up the more hours he spends at his desk (while his number of steps decrease). He then can change this behavior and improve his stats and ultimately his weight by increasing his activity and steps. He can also track his caloric intake via a wearable like the Fitbit Flex, (Amazon’s best selling calorie counter). This device, as a calorie counter, is popular among those trying to lose weight systematically. In addition to live data, it provides a custom estimate of calories burned, based on personal traits like gender and weight.
From Lightweight to Hard-core Athletes
Even weekend warriors and people who walk a few times a week can benefit from wearables. Keeping track of steps is good, with many health experts saying we should shoot for 10,000 steps per day. Tracking heart rate during these walks, according to age and the intensity of your walk, will help determine your best pace for calorie burn and overall health. Knowing your resting heart rate is also helpful. For instance, if you are gardening in the hot sun and see a spike in heart rate from your device, you know it’s time to cool down and take it easy. On the other end of the spectrum, there are wearables for those who don’t ever take it easy. There’s even a device for triathletes who want to store information about their heart rate while training and competing underwater.
Sleep & Health Tracking
We all know sleep deprivation and poor sleeping habits are counterproductive for good health and productivity in school and work. Many wearables come with sleep tracking technology. Monitoring your sleep can even pinpoint underlying conditions such as depression or sleep apnea.
Some of these devices monitor a user’s heart rate, respiration rate, body temperature and galvanic skin response, to tell the difference between REM, light and deep sleep in detail. There are even apps and devices that can help you time your nap so that you awake before you fall into a deeper REM sleep. These apps or wearables can gently wake you and some have a ‘snooze’ feature where you can continue to the next sleep cycle. The end goal with more advanced napping technology is a refresher nap to prevent that foggy feeling after sleeping too deeply in the middle of the day (or anytime you need those extra Zs).
How Much Does Accuracy Matter?
When many of the latest fitness trackers are tested, there are typically many discrepancies among brands according to different testers. A recent test of these three trackers by the Today Show’s Rossen Reports shows that the Jawbone Up3, Garmin Smart HR and the Fitbit Charge HR all resulted in different results. When monitoring steps, the tracker that was the most accurate was the Fitbit followed by Garmin and then the Jawbone. When determining calories, however, the Jawbone came in first, then the Fitbit with Garmin showing up last in this category. Some companies responded that results will vary depending on whether the devices were all worn at the same time and based on which hand they were worn on (dominant vs. non-dominant hand).
According to health and fitness experts and a study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania, it’s not the varying degrees of data that users should focus on. Instead, the experts say, we should be engaged with the device and use it to change our behavior (and activity) for the better. In short, wearables are behavioral ‘carrots on a stick.’ The more we pay attention to our health stats and check in on them, the more we will want to exercise and maybe even compete with others for our own ultimate benefit.
Where & What to Buy
So now that we are basically in the second generation of these devices and the first awkward stages are behind us, there are several more feature-rich devices to choose from, for different needs and uses. Here’s a recent infographic showing the most popular wearables, pricing and best retailers to ease your search for the perfect device for you.
What’s Next?
Continual upgrades of existing wearables’ features will be the norm. Integration with smartphones, your gym and your workout buddies are just some of the existing technology that will only improve. Schools, businesses and all facets of society are adopting these technologies into their wellness programs and as long as people engage, everyone can benefit. The key to their effectiveness is obviously adoption and engagement. The devices must be used habitually for any meaningful health benefits, not just flashed as a piece of arm candy to impress others.
Holly Rollins
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