Technology in the health sector is growing, especially the use of smartwatches to track your healthcare. The popularity of smartwatches has increased in recent years. These devices, which combine the features of a smartphone with the ease of a watch, are increasingly widely used.
As the world moves towards becoming more connected, it’s no surprise that healthcare is being featured more and more. With technology becoming ever-more advanced, various smartwatch options can offer great features for digital transformation in the healthcare industry.
What is a Smartwatch?
According to TechTarget, a smartwatch is a type of wearable computer that resembles a wristwatch or other type of timepiece.
Many smartwatches can connect to Bluetooth devices to give notifications about the time. The watch transforms into a wireless Bluetooth adaptor that can connect the user’s smartphone's features to the watch.
The interface on the watch can be used to make and take phone calls from a mobile device, read email and text messages, obtain weather updates, listen to music, compose email and text messages, and ask digital assistant questions.
Smartwatches for Healthcare
Smartwatches can help improve healthcare by providing real-time alerts and tracking patient health conditions. They can also be used to monitor worker health and safety. In addition, smartwatches can affect healthcare by increasing the efficiency of care in the workplace.
For example, a wearable device can track work hours and determine when employees are taking too much time off or not meeting their necessary deadlines.
How does a Smartwatch track your health?
According to NWPC, here are how smartwatches can track and improve our health. One recent survey showed that 57% of smartwatch owners began working out more after getting a wearable gadget like the Apple Watch or a Fitbit. So, how does the smartwatch work to track our health?
1. Activity lifestyle tracking
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Some smartwatches come with built-in activity trackers that record our movements. The number of steps we take each day, our heart rate, the number of calories we burn, and much more can all be tracked with a smartwatch.
Monitoring apps or digital healthcare for smartwatches are good to achieve our daily fitness aims and increase our regular physical activity by showcasing trends that redefine our goals.
Further, apps for smartwatches also provide us with quick interval exercises, simple explanations, and progress tracking. For example, using 10 minutes for short exercises once a day motivates many of us to increase our overall physical activity.
The apps also let us choose the fitness procedure that fits our schedule and level of expertise.
Even if it’s yoga, spin class, strength training at the gym, or any other activity. We can sync our smartwatch with our smartphone or another device to gain real-time readings of our overall results and the calories we burned.
2. Healthcare Data
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Smartwatches are transforming the doctor-patient relationship that can give insight into our healthcare based on data-driven.
To a better understanding of our general health, we may set up our watch to track our sleep, nutrition, physical activity, and other health-related data and share it with our doctor. For example, Apple Watches track and document crucial heart-related data that has helped save lives. It may be used to identify a chronic illness.
3. Medication reminders
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Following the prescription by our doctor is important. Although the user tries their best to follow the prescription, it’s simple that sometimes we forget to skip a dose.
Smartwatch apps are making it even simpler for us to create reminders that automate and track doses, helping us manage our medicines properly.
4. Track Diet and Calorie intake
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It's simple for us to lose concentration or become sidetracked even when we have the best of intentions to keep to our diets. We need to organise and give attention to monitoring calories, creating good eating habits, planning meals, and maintaining a routine.
Further, it's a good thing that smartwatches include apps that can track and register your calorie consumption for each meal, as doing so makes it much easier to keep track of calories.
Even apps exist that provide a lot of dietary data, including food products and the number of calories in a typical portion. Everyone is aware that a balanced diet helps one stay physically and mentally well.
Is it safe to use a Smartwatch?
But is it safe to wear so much technology on our wrists? Is wearing a smartwatch constantly bad?
The quick answer is no. It's not bad to wear a smartwatch, even if you wear it all the time. As long as you use caution, tracking your daily activities with a smartwatch is safe. It may even be advantageous, particularly when working out and exercising.
However, we must be aware because using smartwatches can affect our mental health. One article from India Today showed that being overly dependent on a smartwatch can result in mental health problems. They have the potential to create anxiety, and frequently, persons are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.
The study discovered that when readings are contradictory or unresolved, people commonly overthink or feel upset. Such outcomes are frequently considered to be dangerous. This can occasionally cause friction between a doctor and a patient.
Tips for using Smartwatches for Healthcare
When using a smartwatch for healthcare purposes, be sure to use it appropriately. For example, if you are working with sensitive medical data, avoid using an unsecured smartwatch or use one that is not waterproof. Be sure to read the user manual thoroughly and follow all safety instructions before beginning any use.
1. Be aware of health risks
Smartwatches can be used to track health risks such as sleep deprivation and anxiety, so be aware of potential health concerns when using them. Additionally, keep in mind that many smartwatches have sensors that can collect data about your physical activity and movements, which could be used to monitor your health risk profile and recommend additional preventive measures.
2. Use Smartwatches appropriately
If you work with patients or bioethics data, it is important to use secure smartwatches that are not vulnerable to unauthorised access or crime. If you are unable or unwilling to take precautions like previous sensitive information on your watch, consider using a safe workplace computer screen saver instead.
Wrapping Up
As time progresses, technology also develops. Technology makes it easier for us to get the best health services. It is also hoped that the use of smartwatches can help us monitor our health.
All technology comes with risks, and so do smartwatches. Do research before buying the smartwatch you need. You can apply the two tips above to help you use your smartwatch. Take care of your health wherever you are!
