Wearable activity trackers have quickly become common place and it is easy to understand why. The devices are so effective at monitoring steps taken, calories burnt, and sleep patterns that they have proven effective in motivating healthy changes. Your future wearable device might provide an even more important metric though, mental wellness. New devices are coming to market that monitor your stress levels or that can help energize / calm you. A recent report by U.S. News And World Report takes a look at several devices they believe have the potential to improve our mindfulness and usher in a new era of wearable technology. Among these is the stunningly designed Spire, a small “river stone” that clips to your clothing and houses sensors to monitor your breaths and breathing patterns. Based on that information, Spire can sense when you are stressed and send you notifications to guide you to greater calm. Being is a mindfulness tracker that is worn on the wrist and tracks your mood via heart rate variability. Microsoft even has items in development that physically react to your stress; MoodWings is a butterfly pin that flutters when you are stressed. These devices are designed around the goal of increasing mindfulness and creating healthier habits when we are not moving.
Stress is continuing to be a large issue for Americans; the APA’s yearly Stress In America survey found that people believe, out of a 10 point scale, a stress level of 3.7 was healthy but when asked what their usual stress level was, the response was 4.9 (if you look only at participants who stated they did not have emotional support the reported stress level was over 6 out of 10). Out of all of the respondents, 42% said that they were not doing enough or were unsure if they were doing enough to manage their stress and 20% stated that they were not engaged in any activity to reduce stress. Chronic stress has the ability to be both psychologically and physically debilitating, causing everything from insomnia and a weakened immune system to heart disease, depression, and obesity. 32% of respondents said they eat poorly because of stress and 40% stated they lie awake at night due to stress. These types of numbers help create an understanding of why a wearable device designed to track your mental state might be important. While currently mindfulness trackers are being sold as dedicated devices, it is possible that as wearable makers look to include more and more features into their bands and smartwatches that the technology will eventually become integrated.
