Track your health and fitness

10 Jun 2020

Health and fitness trackers have been around for years. But did you know that the small bit of technology you can wear on your wrist can actually tell your doctors and you a lot about yourself?

Popular fitness trackers including the Apple Watch, Samsung Gear Fit and FitBit are designed to observe daily movements such as the amount of steps you take. The little devices are also great for informing health professionals of your health progress. Hence, we talk you through the product.

The benefits for you

As we age, it becomes more important to stay active, physically and mentally. Fitness trackers help you set goals for yourself and then track your progress, so they can serve as checks and balances to ensure you’re getting the right amount of exercise, without pushing your body too hard. This can be done in consultation with your doctors.

In terms of sleep, we all know the benefits of getting the right amount every night. Health and fitness trackers monitor your sleep patterns; telling you how long you’ve been asleep, the quality of your sleep and how many times you woke in the middle of the night. By having a better understanding of this, you can adapt your night time routine to hopefully get better quality sleep.

Looking to the future, as technology develops, they may also be a way to help the older generation stay at home for much longer. 

On the market

The technological world can be daunting, but never fear, here’s a breakdown of what’s available.

APPLE WATCH comes with several features including fitness tracking, heart rate monitoring, ECG readings on series 4+ and you can also respond to messages from your wrist.

FITBIT has a range of devices, depending on what you want out of them. The Flex, the most basic of the devices, tracks steps, distance and calories burnt, and monitors your sleep. The Surge tracks your heart rate, automatically tracks your GPS and displays your call and text notifications on your screen.

GARMIN offers a range of devices from the Vivofit which monitors steps, distance and intensity minutes. It also reminds you when you have been sitting for too long and displays the time. The great thing about it is that it offers a one-year battery life. Garmin also has the Vivoactive, described as a smartwatch for the active lifestyle.

SAMSUNG Gear Fit tracks your movements via GPS and offers an optional heart rate monitor. It’s got fantastic screen quality, with a 1.5-inch screen for clear reading. It also gives you real-time coaching to motivate you in your fitness journey.