Three Areas of Your Health Connected Devices Can Help

Connected devices: A quick refresher

By now, you’ve no doubt heard about connected devices. These devices have been implemented and improved over the years to help people better monitor their health in various ways. The most common devices are smart watches, but the list continues to grow with the evolution of devices like more discrete bio-wearable rings, glucose monitors, in-ear devices, blood pressure monitors, and chest straps for running.

Whether you’ve been along for the ride since the introduction of connected devices, or you need a crash course on what they’re capable of, here are three areas of your health that connected devices can help you keep tabs on.

Heart

Now more than ever, heart health is top of mind for many Americans. A report by the American Heart Association found that the prevalence of hypertension among adults 20 years or older from 2017 to 2020 was roughly 46%. The good news is that it’s never been easier for heart conscious people to keep track of this foundational organ’s performance.

Many smart watches, bio-wearable rings, and widely available in-home blood pressure monitors and cuffs provide daily heart rate monitoring and blood pressure readings. More recently, users have been empowered by these devices to take an electrocardiogram (ECG) test at will.  This extremely important test can help those with a family history of heart disease continually monitor for any markers of disease. It should be noted that this type of ECG, though convenient, shouldn’t be thought of as a diagnostic tool and users should consult their healthcare provider if they are experiencing any irregular cardiac symptoms. Heart disease can be a costly and debilitating condition to manage, so take advantage of connected devices to avoid complications down the road.”

Sleep

An emergent trend that many health professionals are concerned about is the rising prevalence of sleep deficiency. Recently, sleep has been included in conversations about health management as it’s been found to aid in memory formation, support consistent physical performance, and even prevent chronic illnesses. That’s why connected devices can be a useful tool to ensure that you get the recommended amount of sleep every night to maintain a productive and healthy life.

Connected devices can be used to tune in to your circadian rhythm, the body’s natural clock that dictates when you wake up and go to bed. During sleep, they’re able to catalogue your heart and breathing rates during the night, which sleep cycles you’re in and when, and present that data to you over a period of months or even years if you’re consistent enough. This type of information can be extremely useful in gamifying sleep to see how well you can manage getting to bed on time, sleeping the full night, and waking up feeling refreshed, ensuring that you’ll have plenty of energy to get through your busy week.

Physical Activity

At this point, fitness tracking may be the first thing that comes to mind when you hear about connected devices. It goes without saying, these devices are synonymous with step tracking, calories burned, stairs climbed, workout regiments followed, miles walked or run, the list goes on and on. What’s important to remember is that you don’t have to do it alone. Connected devices are still offering more ways than ever to get your daily 30 minutes of exercise in and have fun while doing it.

Wellbeing and engagement platforms like Sonic Boom Wellness can be used in conjunction with connected devices to host fun challenges and provide bonus incentives to get people moving. These types of platforms make it simple for people to sync up a connected device to an app for access to daily reminders, contest sign-ups, and updating their steps. These apps make it easier than ever to engage in wellness activities like standing throughout the day, hitting movement goals, and even starting friendly competition with family and friends to support an active lifestyle.

Monitoring your health has never been easier or more accessible

Not too long ago, it may have been unheard of for health management to exist anywhere outside of the primary care office, but we’ve reached a point where healthcare in your pocket is well within reach. Thanks to advancements in the technology of connected devices and the popular adoption of these devices commercially, it’s now more affordable and easier than ever to get started on your journey to better health.

At Premise Health, our members can sync their connected devices to the My Premise Health app for convenient, on-the-go health management. The app allows them to schedule appointments, manage their medications, message their provider, upload real-time health data, and more, wherever they may be.

If you’re interested in talking more about how your organization can get started on using connected devices for their health management goals, get in touch with us today.