Wearable technology has become a valuable companion for anyone who wants to take control of their well-being. From smartwatches that remind you to get moving to rings that monitor your sleep patterns, these devices promise to bring wellbeing within reach. But as our wrists, fingers, and even clothes become intelligent, are we feeling healthier, or merely more stressed out by the non-stop flow of information?
Let’s dive in and see the impact wearable tech has on our wellness path.
From Step Trackers to Personal Wellness Coaches
Those days of having fitness trackers only track your steps are behind us. Wearables such as Fitbit Sense and Apple Watch now come loaded with a range of sensors that track everything from heart rate and sleep patterns to stress levels and even skin temperature. As Health & Wellbeing Magazine says, such devices “work quietly in the background to give you gentle nudges and helpful tips,” making it simpler to keep up with your health without feeling like you’re being forced to do so.
The Upside: Everyday Wins and a Sense of Control
There’s much to love about wearables. For some users, it’s been a lifesaver in terms of stress management, enhancing sleep, and even helping to cope with chronic illness. Today’s devices are able to pick up on microscopic cues of stress, such as alterations in heart rate or body temperature, and provide timely reminders to stop and recalibrate. As Health & Wellbeing Magazine reports, “research shows wearables can help people feel more in control of their stress.
Sleep tracking has also proven valuable. Seeing your sleep data laid out can be eye-opening and often leads to healthier habits and better rest. Many people report improved moods and energy levels after adjusting their routines based on insights from their devices.
Mindfulness is also receiving a technological boost. With guided meditations and breathing exercises pre-installed, smartwatches are able to provide moments of tranquility during the day. As the magazine points out, “just a few minutes during your lunch break or after a tough meeting can help you reset.”
For patients with long-term conditions, wearables provide reassurance by monitoring long-term patterns and making it simpler to present this information to healthcare professionals, resulting in more tailored care and fewer unknowns.
The Downside: When Helpful Becomes Harmful
But not everybody loves being constantly bombarded with data. To some, it can rapidly become too much. The need to maximize every metric—be it steps, calories, sleep, or stress—is to live “inside an Excel spreadsheet,” as a user described to Refinery29. While for some it can be motivating to track, it can create health anxiety if not balanced.
The psychological consequences can be more severe for individuals with a history of eating disorders or perfectionism. A qualitative study in the National Library of Medicine indicated that diet and fitness tracking apps tend to perpetuate obsessive tendencies, restrictive eating, and food anxiety. One of the participants said, “It’s triggering because you kind of look at food differently. It’s a number game.”
The research also emphasized how such apps can create unhealthy competition and feelings of guilt when one fails to achieve goals. As another respondent phrased it, “The app makes us overthink food, which can lead to obsessing about it.”
The Business of Wellness: Paywalls and Premium Features
With advancing wearable technology comes the increasing pressure to monetize user data. Garmin, for example, has already announced that certain future features will be exclusive to paying subscribers. During a recent earnings call, the company said, “certain [features] we will likely reserve for premium offerings.” This is part of a larger industry shift toward subscription models—and it’s caused fears about “enshittification,” or the steady elimination of value for non-paying users as more features get pulled behind paywalls.
While Garmin and others have pledged to maintain core metrics as a free offering, the trend toward premium levels is a given. When more companies join the bandwagon, consumers might be forced to balance the need for more sophisticated features against the increasing expense of remaining connected.
Can Wearables Promote Mental Health?
Technology firms are increasingly positioning wearables as solutions for mental well-being, but the situation is more complicated. Although these devices can sense physical signs of stress or anxiety, they’re not stand-ins for the help of professionals. In an article in Debugger, one author described how their Fitbit Sense mistakenly interpreted a panic attack as exercise, highlighting the limitations of technology today. “None of the Fitbits, including my Fitbit Sense, have any sort of real-time stress meter. This appears to be by design, and my experience easily demonstrated why.”
Nevertheless, when used thoughtfully, wearables can provide feelings of agency and promote healthier behaviors. They give gentle reminders to take care of yourself—mentally and physically—which can be an empowering first step toward the development of self-awareness.
Looking Ahead: Smarter Tech, Higher Stakes
Wearable technology is evolving rapidly, with each new release promising a deeper understanding and a more personalized experience. But as these devices become ever more woven into our lives, we’ll have to find a way to balance useful feedback with information fatigue.
The future of wellness technology is certainly bright, but also ever more complicated. As we adopt these technologies, it’s worth asking: Just how much tracking do we require to lead healthy lives?