Is your smartwatch making you anxious? Wearables can lead people to stress more about their health

Medical Xpress August 4, 2024
Caleb Ferguson, The Conversation

Wearable trackers and monitors (such as smartwatches) are increasingly popular and sophisticated. For people living with heart conditions, they can provide important information, including updates about abnormalities in heart rate and rhythm.

But a recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found using wearables to monitor heart conditions like atrial fibrillation—an irregular heartbeat—can actually make people more anxious about their health.

It’s a catch-22 situation: the wearable device may help you better manage your chronic heart condition, but wearing it could make you anxious—which is bad for those conditions.

So what are the tradeoffs? And how can we get the most out of wearables, without unnecessary worry?

Wearables to monitor heart conditions

Wearables are playing an...

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