Can a health tracker be dangerous for you?

Make no mistake, I’m not about to counsel that health trackers are a foul factor. We love them right here at Android Authority, and the overwhelming majority of householders both see optimistic advantages from proudly owning one or are not less than impartial about them. It’s very uncommon {that a} health tracker or smartwatch has a foul or adverse impact in your well being or another facet of your life aside from maybe your financial institution stability if you fork out for it.

That stated, health trackers can pose some comparatively small however actual dangers. As unlikely as they could be to impression you, it’s essential to concentrate on them. Let’s discuss a number of the important ones.

Health trackers are nice for protecting tabs in your exercise and serving to you keep on monitor to hit your objectives, however they may gasoline unhealthy habits round meals and weight for sure individuals. As an illustration, obsessively monitoring each calorie burned or consumed can flip into one thing extra problematic, particularly for those who’re already liable to disordered consuming. It might probably really feel much less like a useful instrument and extra like a continuing reminder that you just’re “not doing sufficient,” resulting in restrictive behaviors and even making current consuming problems worse.

Analysis helps the concept that some customers of health trackers, notably these centered on weight and energy, usually tend to develop dangerous habits like overexercising or extreme calorie restriction. It’s not the tracker’s fault precisely, however for individuals with sure vulnerabilities, it could possibly add gasoline to the hearth. Whereas the overwhelming majority of customers received’t face these points, it’s one thing to be aware of if you end up getting a little bit too fixated on the numbers.

On a associated notice, one other delicate threat with health trackers is that they’ll typically trigger you to tune out what your physique’s really telling you. Ever felt such as you needed to hit your 10,000 steps it doesn’t matter what, even if you’re exhausted or feeling underneath the climate? It’s fairly widespread. Many individuals get caught up in sustaining streaks, assembly every day objectives, or competing with buddies on apps like Strava, which is all enjoyable till it begins overshadowing your physique’s want for relaxation.

Research counsel that when individuals rely an excessive amount of on tracker knowledge, they might push via accidents or fatigue to keep away from breaking a streak. It’s simple to fall into the entice of “only one extra exercise,” however your physique is a way more efficient metric than the info from the gadget in your wrist, and it is aware of what’s finest for you. Overlook competing or attempting to fulfill that arbitrary objective your tracker units, and take a day or two off if you really feel such as you want it.

With all the flowery instruments packed into trendy health trackers — coronary heart charge displays, blood oxygen sensors, ECGs, and even stress trackers — it’s simple to really feel such as you’re in excellent well being if the numbers look good. And let’s be sincere, many people love a motive to keep away from the physician. However we shouldn’t rationalize on this means. Whereas these units can present useful insights, they’re not a substitute for normal medical check-ups.

Health trackers aren’t foolproof. As spectacular as their sensors are, they’ll typically be inaccurate and provide you with a false sense of safety. As an illustration, a coronary heart charge monitor would possibly miss delicate arrhythmias or different coronary heart points that solely a correct medical gadget would catch. Likewise, your blood oxygen degree being on level doesn’t imply you’re proof against different underlying well being issues.

Briefly, relying solely in your health tracker may imply lacking indicators that one thing dangerous is lingering beneath the floor, and that’s of venture you don’t wish to take. If it helps you see sure issues about your well being, then that’s useful, however don’t get lulled right into a false sense of safety by your wrist companion.

Your health tracker is aware of lots about you. Out of your every day step rely to your coronary heart charge fluctuations, sleep patterns, and even your location, these units gather a ton of delicate data. That knowledge might be helpful for protecting tabs in your well being, nevertheless it’s simple to neglect the safety dangers that include storing all this private data.

Let’s imagine the identical about your different units, however well being knowledge is especially delicate, and never each tracker or app presents top-tier safety. If a hacker will get entry to your account, they may doubtlessly collect not solely your well being stats but in addition issues like your private home tackle and routine. And it’s not simply hackers — typically, firms themselves don’t do the perfect job at protecting your knowledge personal or supplying you with the instruments to regulate the way it’s used. That’s an enormous deal for a few of us, particularly for those who want to maintain your private life personal.

There isn’t an ideal resolution to this if you wish to monitor your whole metrics, nevertheless it’s a good suggestion to dig into your tracker’s privateness settings, use sturdy passwords, and be sure to know precisely how your knowledge is being dealt with. You wouldn’t hand over your medical data to only anybody, so deal with your health tracker knowledge with the identical warning.

We’re ending on a lighter notice, however lots of people with health trackers are concerned with bettering how they give the impression of being. That’s truthful sufficient, so you may additionally wish to contemplate that the tracker itself can depart you with a less-than-ideal vogue assertion: the dreaded tan line. Spend sufficient time exterior with that tracker in your wrist, and also you would possibly fall sufferer to it. Whereas that’s extra of a beauty problem, there’s a extra uncomfortable aspect impact of extended use that some customers expertise: pores and skin irritation.

For those who’re not cautious, sweat, moisture, and grime can get trapped underneath the band, particularly throughout exercises. This may result in rashes or irritation if left unchecked. The excellent news is that more often than not, this may be prevented with easy upkeep — simply take a couple of minutes to scrub your tracker and your wrist commonly, and perhaps give your pores and skin a break by loosening the band or taking it off sometimes.

Some individuals could be delicate to sure supplies within the band itself, which might trigger irritation. For those who discover something alongside these strains, it’s value checking what your band is manufactured from. A little bit little bit of repairs goes a good distance in protecting your pores and skin comfortable.