Can a health tracker be dangerous for you?

Make no mistake, I’m not about to recommend that health trackers are a nasty 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 no less than impartial about them. It’s very uncommon {that a} health tracker or smartwatch has a nasty or unfavorable impact in your well being or some other side of your life apart from maybe your financial institution steadiness whenever you fork out for it.

That stated, health trackers can pose some comparatively small however actual dangers. As unlikely as they is perhaps to impression you, it’s vital to pay attention to them. Let’s discuss among the most important ones.

Health trackers are nice for conserving tabs in your exercise and serving to you keep on monitor to hit your targets, however they could gas unhealthy habits round meals and weight for sure individuals. As an example, obsessively monitoring each calorie burned or consumed can flip into one thing extra problematic, particularly if you happen to’re already susceptible to disordered consuming. It could actually 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 issues worse.

Analysis helps the concept that some customers of health trackers, significantly these targeted 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 actually add gas to the hearth. Whereas the overwhelming majority of customers received’t face these points, it’s one thing to be conscious of if you end up getting just a little too fixated on the numbers.

On a associated word, one other refined danger with health trackers is that they will typically trigger you to tune out what your physique’s truly telling you. Ever felt such as you needed to hit your 10,000 steps it doesn’t matter what, even whenever you’re exhausted or feeling below the climate? It’s fairly frequent. Many individuals get caught up in sustaining streaks, assembly each day targets, or competing with associates on apps like Strava, which is all enjoyable till it begins overshadowing your physique’s want for relaxation.

Research recommend that when individuals rely an excessive amount of on tracker knowledge, they could push by means of 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 information from the gadget in your wrist, and it is aware of what’s finest for you. Neglect competing or attempting to fulfill that arbitrary objective your tracker units, and take a day or two off whenever you really feel such as you want it.

With all the flamboyant instruments packed into fashionable health trackers — coronary heart fee 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 trustworthy, many people love a motive to keep away from the physician. However we shouldn’t rationalize on this manner. 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 will typically be inaccurate and offer you a false sense of safety. As an example, a coronary heart fee monitor may miss refined arrhythmias or different coronary heart points that solely a correct medical gadget would catch. Likewise, your blood oxygen stage being on level doesn’t imply you’re resistant to different underlying well being issues.

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

Your health tracker is aware of rather a lot about you. Out of your each day step rely to your coronary heart fee fluctuations, sleep patterns, and even your location, these units accumulate a ton of delicate info. That knowledge will be helpful for conserving tabs in your well being, however it’s simple to neglect the safety dangers that include storing all this private data.

Lets say 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 probably collect not solely your well being stats but in addition issues like your own home tackle and routine. And it’s not simply hackers — typically, firms themselves don’t do the most effective job at conserving your knowledge personal or providing you with the instruments to regulate the way it’s used. That’s an enormous deal for a few of us, particularly if you happen to favor to maintain your private life personal.

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

We’re ending on a lighter word, however lots of people with health trackers are involved in bettering how they appear. That’s honest sufficient, so you may additionally wish to think about that the tracker itself can go away you with a less-than-ideal trend assertion: the dreaded tan line. Spend sufficient time exterior with that tracker in your wrist, and also you may fall sufferer to it. Whereas that’s extra of a beauty situation, there’s a extra uncomfortable aspect impact of extended use that some customers expertise: pores and skin irritation.

In the event you’re not cautious, sweat, moisture, and grime can get trapped below 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 repeatedly, and perhaps give your pores and skin a break by loosening the band or taking it off sometimes.

Some individuals is perhaps delicate to sure supplies within the band itself, which may trigger irritation. In the event you discover something alongside these strains, it’s value checking what your band is made from. A bit little bit of repairs goes a good distance in conserving your pores and skin comfortable.