The popularity of smartwatches continues to grow, with more consumers wanting to get the latest devices as soon as they hit the shelves. However, whilst many of us buy a smartwatch to help with productivity and connectivity, did you know it also has the potential to save your life? Take a look at some of the ways your smartwatch can help you stay alive.
Heart Health
One of the biggest advances in smartwatch technology is the heart health tracking that is available. Apple Watch Series 6 offers ECG capabilities and heart rate monitoring to allow you to check how your heart is performing. The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2, Withings Move ECG, and Fitbit Sense all offer in-depth heart monitoring, too, allowing you to pick the watch you want without missing out on heart monitoring. For the best heart monitoring watches – see a comprehensive review on superwatches.com
Heart Health – ECG Measurement
ECG examines the electrical function of the heart. It can assist in detecting irregularities in heart rhythm and identify the areas in the heart which are weak or overburdened. Advances smartwatches such as the ones mentioned above have sensors that can measure ECG.
Heart Health – Pulse
Most smartwatches today include sensors that emit green light on the back of the watch. This green led light is used to measure your pulse and in turn gives you a picture of your heart rate through the day and specifically for while performing sports activities.
Whilst they do not claim to be medical devices, the heart tracking capabilities that come with these watches allow you to build up a picture of how your heart is working and show you when you may need to get help – making your chances of survival from heart-related problems higher than ever before.
Emergency Support
Another great feature that comes with the latest smartwatches is access to emergency support when something goes wrong. Many devices, such as the Samsung Galaxy Series and the Apple Watch, have an SOS function that will connect you to emergency services or emergency contacts as set by you, whenever you need assistance.
You can also get a device that has fall detection in case you are hurt and unable to call for help independently. Freedom Guardian, MobileHelp Smart, and the Apple Watch Series 5 and 6 will all identify when you have fallen and let someone know if you are not responding to the assistance on your wrist – saving vital time if you are in a life and death situation.
Temperature & Blood Oxygenation Levels
Having a blood oxygen level of over 95% is a good indication of a healthy heart, but knowing when your oxygen saturation levels have dropped can be hard to tell. Smartwatches with Sp02 monitoring work hard to keep you informed so that you can get medical advice immediately.
From the Fitbit Versa 2 and 3 to the Garmin Venu 2 and Garmin Forerunner 245, Sp02 monitors are becoming more accessible to consumers. With blood oxygenation rates being a key indicator in understanding when a person’s health is declining, it is a valuable tool to have on your wrist.
Stress Levels
Stress levels are another important tracking feature on many smartwatches today. Stress tracking works by taking your health data and providing you with a stress score that you can use to understand how well your body is dealing with stress.
The Mi Smart Band 5, Honor Watch ES, and Amazfit Bip and GTS all offer stress monitoring and can help you to pinpoint which times in your day are the most damaging to your health, helping you to understand where to make meaningful and health-focused changes.
Blood Pressure
High blood pressure can cause major issues such as heart attacks and organ failures. A lot of newly introduced smartwatches now support taking blood pressure measurements. In most cases these measurements are based on sensors and algorithms, unlike traditional blood pressure devices which use cuff inflation. This non-invasive use of sensors for monitoring blood pressure may not be as accurate and needs ongoing calibration but has many benefits. The most important benefit is the ability to continuously monitor blood pressure and on the go. Read more about how smartwatches sensors work.
GPS Location
Although this feature is not directly related to health, it can help others find you when you need emergency support. With GPS you are able to locate and pinpoint your exact location for rescue and emergency support. GPS location can be used by parents to locate their kids or vice versa. GPS helps you navigate when you are lost and speeds up your journey when resources are scarce.
Built in Phone
Many well known smartwatch brands offer models which include a sim or an esim that allows receiving and making calls without having your phone nearby. Some examples include the Apple Watch 5/6 and SE and also the Garmin 945 LTE. Essentially you can be out and about and remain connected using your wearable device alone. These LTE/Cellular standalone smartwatches now support popular messaging applications so you can call for support or help others as long as there is a cellular signal where you are.
Can a Smartwatch Really Save Your Life?
Many people are skeptical about the life-saving powers of a smartwatch, but with some watches offering near medical-grade technology, it’s clear that having your life saved by your smartwatch is a real possibility. Using these devices to help monitor your health will help you to understand what normal looks like for you and when it is time to get checked out by a physician. They are not to be mistaken as a medical device but in many ways they help you stay on top of your health and alert for abnormalities.
With smartwatches, early diagnosis is more likely than ever before, so if you are wondering whether they are worth buying, then the answer is a resounding yes!
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