Like most technology, we often have to weigh price versus features before making a purchase — especially given these items can be extremely expensive. One tech item that more adults are adding to their collection these days is the smartwatch. In fact, according to the Pew Research Centre, at least 21% of adults have a smartwatch or fitness tracker.
But are smartwatches worth it?
If you are still on the line, consider the unique ways these watches are being used.
To track COVID-19
Much of the boost in smartwatch purchases is coming from the healthcare market, even during the pandemic. Last spring, Stanford Medicine, Fitbit, and Scripps Research Institute, began studying smartwatch data from Pac-12 athletes to see if they could improve the detection and prediction of the spread of the coronavirus.
It can monitor your chronic illness
The treatment and monitoring of chronic diseases is a full-time job for the patient and healthcare providers, but smartwatches may be making it a bit easier. One such chronic disease that is getting a lot of help from the smartwatch industry is diabetes.
Continuous glucose monitor (CGM) company Dexcom, for example, enabled the Apple Watch and Android smartwatch to view glucose data so that it displays your current glucose number and arrow trend, as well as graphs for 1-, 3-, 6-, and 24-hour periods. And other models out there will transmit that data back to your healthcare provider, so they can monitor your important vitals and provide care and advice as needed.
It can track how well you’re sleeping?
If you are wondering what your sleep habits are, a smartwatch is one of the best ways to monitor how your nights are going. Are you restless, how long does it take you to fall asleep, when do you get the most sleep, what time do you enter R.E.M. and how long are you there? A smartwatch can help answer all these questions, so you can research (on your smartwatch if you want) if you need to make changes to your sleep habits or nighttime routine to get a better night’s worth of rest.
If you are wondering if smartwatches are worth it, there is more to it than what these watches can do now, but what they are predicted to do in the future. When making a purchase, be sure to research what is coming next, so you can find the right option for your lifestyle — and your wrist.
