In today’s unbelievable world, stress is like that clingy friend who won’t leave you alone. But what if we told you this snazzy Apple tracker watch can be your stress-fighting sidekick?
Apple Watch is not just a fancy wearable; it’s like having your chill-out coach on your wrist. So let’s break it down and see how a stress tracker Apple watch can turn your stress into yesterday’s news.
“Researchers in Canada at Waterloo University did an excellent study on the Apple Watch Series 6’s. They found out that this watch can tell you how stressed you are and is pretty accurate. As a tiny detective, it has an ECG sensor to track your cardiac activity. The developers combined the health and machine learning data to predict stress levels.”
So, in this article, let’s figure out how you can improve your mental health through this fancy wearable gadget.
All About Stress Tracker Apple Watch
In the digital era, customers want to stay tech-savvy at any cost. But the companies came up with something much more interesting gadgets, that not only care for their style but also about their health.
Here comes the Apple Watch. We all know the Apple series has been helping us in recording and maintaining our health in multiple ways. But this time, the Apple Watch came with a stress-tracking feature.
It’s insane! How? Using an Apple watch gives you some great insights into your stress levels. It will check your HRV (heart rate variability). Let me break the ice: Heart rate variability means how much your body can adapt.
High HRV means more happiness and less stress and vice versa.
So, you can check your Heart Rate Variability (HRV) history in the Health app on your iPhone.
Head to Browse > Heart > Heart Rate Variability and look at the 6-month or year trend.
This history will lead you to get the lifestyle that can make you less stressed and happier, SO YOU WILL LIVE LONGER!!
Apps To Download in Apple Watch That Measures Stress
Apple watch itself is okay for monitoring stress, but I have listed down three apps that you should try on. Consider these apps for daily stress monitoring using HRV.
1. Gentler Streak
“Gentler Streak” is a health and fitness tracker that prioritizes your well-being. It helps you strike a healthy balance between exercise and rest by providing daily workout recommendations, including rest days, to maintain your well-being streak.
2. Training Today
“Training Today” uses your health app data to create a typical HRV score for 60 days. Then, it compares your HRV over the last 24 hours to that 60-day average. It tells you how well you’ve recovered in the past day.
3. Stress Monitor for Watch
The “Stress Monitor” App uses body signals like Heart Rate Variability and Resting Heart Rate to gauge your mental, emotional, and physical performance. It helps you identify what influences your stress and overall well-being positively or negatively.
How To Track Stress Levels With An Apple Watch?
Here, I am overviewing an app “Breath,” to track my stress level. Let’s see if it tracks my stress level accurately or not.
1. Get Set Ready
It’s important to let the body relax when testing your stress level. Let your body get in a comfortable position. Doesn’t matter whether you are standing or sitting.
Then, most important, let your arm be at rest. Don’t pressurize your nerves and break your fingers.
2. Get Readings
For the perfect reading, you need to wear an Apple watch properly. Make sure it’s not loose. Adjust the band on your wrist to accurately track your heart health.
3. Use Breath App
When you are in a completely comfortable position, head to the breath app.
Hit the start button, and breathe normally. Don’t panic and get nervous.
4. Check Stress Reading
Just after breathing normally for 2-5 minutes, press the digital crown. Head to that app straight again and check your HRV score.
Again I want to remind you that high HRV – less stress, Low HRV – high stress.
Why Apple Needs to Update Stress Tracking Feature in Watches?
Apple needs to pay more attention to these queries of the customer. The big one is the way the watch analyzes stress on the Apple Watch, as it involves human touch to the crown for a full 30 seconds.
The study suggests that the quick 30-second stress sessions that people usually do might need to give the watch more information to predict stress levels accurately.
Plus, most people prefer when their smartwatches do things automatically in the background without needing them to do something like touching the watch. For example, the Fitbit Sense 2 can keep an eye on your stress all day without you having to start a special stress tracking session.
Apple already knows this because they’ve made their heart health readings work passively, meaning you don’t have to do anything special other than wear the watch. So, it’s likely that Apple will add a more hands-on stress tracking feature after having a way to work automatically.
But stress is still essential, and the Apple Watch can measure something related to stress called HRV. In the future, Apple might find a way to track stress more easily. So, the special heart technology mentioned in the study is available in the Apple Watch Series 8 and Watch Ultra but not in the Apple Watch SE.
Conclusion
The Apple Watch, especially Series 6 and newer, can help monitor stress levels with its ECG sensor and machine learning. It provides insights through tools like HRV monitoring and specific apps.
While Apple’s approach may require user interaction, it remains a valuable tool for stress management. Future models may offer more passive tracking. The specific heart technology mentioned is available in Series 8 and Watch Ultra but not in the Apple Watch SE.
FAQ
Can the Apple Watch accurately measure stress levels?
The article mentions that the Apple Watch, particularly Series 6 and newer, can provide reasonably accurate stress predictions based on heart rate data.
What is HRV, and how does it relate to stress monitoring?
HRV, or Heart Rate Variability, is a metric indicating stress levels. If the HRV readings are high, it means you are fit with no or almost less stress. But if the HRV readings are low, it means you are more stressed.
Are there apps recommended for tracking stress with the Apple Watch?
Yes, many apps can monitor stress. You can use Gentler Streak, Training Today, and the Stress Monitor for Watch.
Which Apple Watch models have the advanced heart technology mentioned in the article?
The advanced heart technology is available in Series 8 and Watch Ultra but not in the Apple Watch SE.
What other smartwatches offer passive stress tracking?
Fitbit and Samsung watches gives the accurate and paasive stress indications. But now, the Apple Watch also gives stress levels based on HRV readings.
