From smart laptops like the Apple Watch or Garmin trackers to sports celebrity Oura ring and the trendy WHOOP strap, health technology has come a long way from tracking your steps.
“There are a lot of different metrics now that we can start looking at,” says Dr. Davin Lundquist, family physician and chief medical officer of Augmedix. “Whenever we can become more aware of and pay attention to our health, it tends to influence behavior in a positive way.”
Here are four that doctors say can be helpful to control:
To sleep
Most healthy adults can benefit from sleep tracking to some degree, says Dr. Carlos M. Nunez, chief medical officer of the medical device company ResMed.
“Many users don't track the right information and can end up fixing or misinterpreting the data instead of looking at the larger trends that the trackers can help indicate,” says Núñez. “Users should start by tracking their sleep-wake cycle to establish a consistent routine quality soundwhich research has shown can lead to better concentration, increased productivity and generally feeling more positive.”
heart rate
Heart rate monitoring can give you a picture of your heart health. The lower your resting heart rate, within reasoning, the healthier your heart is, Lundquist explains.
“If you do more aerobic exercise, over time your resting heart rate should decrease. And that would be an indication that your heart is getting healthier,” he says.
Respiratory rate
“Some devices can also provide information on potential key health indicators, such as respiratory rate, activity level, and more,” Núñez says. “For some users, the data can also indicate how your body responds to stress.”
Respiratory rate is a metric that can also alert someone to other health problems. This is something that Michael Snyder, a Stanford School of Medicine professor who has studied smartwatches, experienced firsthand after encountering COVID 19. Although he tested negative for COVID, his own research app alerted him to sudden changes in his breathing and heart rate.
“I listened to my COVID test and I should have listened to my smartwatch,” he told CBS News in a 2022 interview.
heart rate
Tracking metrics like heart rate can help alert patients to larger problems.
“I had a patient whose Apple Watch told them they had a series of atrial fibrillation,” Lundquist said. “We took this person to a cardiologist; of course it was confirmed and the patient was treated appropriately.”
“Afib (atrial fibrillation) is a big problem,” cardiologist Dra. Tara Narula he told “CBS Mornings” in 2018 while Apple launched electrocardiogram technology in its smartwatches to help detect heart trouble. “It affects millions of Americans, increases hospitalization rates (and) increases death and heart failure.”
It also increases the risk of potentially debilitating strokes fivefold, he added.
“The problem with afib is that it can be asymptomatic, so you can be walking around and not know you have it while you're at increased risk of stroke,” he explained, noting that a tracking device could help empower patients, but it could also lead to a false alarm: “Anxiety, false positives, flooding doctor's offices with calls. There are definitely disadvantages, but I think this has the potential to be very useful in the future.”
How accurate is the data?
Doctors say health trackers have come a long way, but you shouldn't rely on these devices for 100 percent accuracy or diagnosis. The FDA specifically has it warned against any device that claims measure blood sugar without needles, as inaccuracies can lead to serious health consequences.
For other types of monitoring, “The accuracy of some of the smartwatches is still a bit in doubt, although with each generation they get better. So I think in general, doctors have more confidence in trusting these devices,” says Lundquist. . Plus, as he points out, users also have to remove the device to charge, meaning data won't be logged 24/7.
While the trackers can be a “valuable tool for many,” Nunez says the data shouldn't be used to diagnose serious sleep or health problems.
“Ultimately, sleep tracking devices can help users set and achieve health goals, but they are not a substitute for formal diagnosis or professional medical care,” he says.
They can also help doctors partner with their patients, Lundquist says.
“As these apps become more popular, being able to show up to your doctor's appointment, pull out your phone and show them your metrics would be a great way to engage with our patients and help – them to see where there are potential opportunities or problems,” he says.
