Health
Tech, AI, and your health: How wearables and apps can improve your health and wellbeing
Technology and AI is overhauling the way we manage our personal health. Wearables and apps offer incredible insights into fitness, mental wellbeing and overall health. If you’ve got health questions, AI tech’s got answers!
By Carolyn Tate
Say what you like about technology and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI); one thing it has done is take the guess work out of a lot of health issues. High blood pressure, sleep quality, stress – all of these things used to be only measured in a doctor’s office. But thanks to AI and tech, we can now keep an eye on so many of our health metrics ourselves, leading to earlier conversations and potentially better health outcomes.
More than mere gadgets to play with, these AI-powered wearables and apps are designed to help us understand and improve our physical and mental health with unprecedented insight and precision.
Here are some of our favourites that can keep you feeling tip-top.
Fitbit Charge 6
An advanced fitness tracker that goes beyond basic step counting, the Fitbit Charge 6 offers comprehensive health insights and smart connectivity. It provides highly accurate heart rate monitoring across 40+ exercise modes, including HIIT, skiing, and surfing, while tracking GPS, ECG, sleep, stress and blood oxygen levels. Its real magic lies in seamless Google integrations – you can get turn-by-turn directions on your wrist, make contactless payments, control YouTube Music and even sync your heart rate directly to compatible gym equipment via Bluetooth.
Available from: Fitbit Australia or buy it for less at Amazon
Apple Watch Series 9
A comprehensive health and fitness smartwatch with cutting-edge wellness tracking capabilities that monitor heart rate, ECG, blood oxygen levels and it can even detect sleep apnoea (perhaps a great gift for that snorer in your life!). The watch supports an impressive range of workouts from running to swimming, delivering advanced performance metrics – and if your eyesight isn’t what it used to be, it also boasts the biggest and brightest Apple Watch display to date. Its ultra-thin wide-angle OLED screen charges remarkably quickly – reaching 80% in just 30 minutes – and integrates perfectly with Apple Fitness+ for guided workouts and meditations.
Available from: Apple Australia or pay less for a renewed version at Amazon
Samsung Galaxy Ring
Watch too big and clunky for you? This discreet, lightweight smart ring could be straight out of a Bond film, but instead of spying on the enemy, it tracks an impressive range of health metrics including heart rate, sleep stages, blood oxygen levels, menstrual cycles and skin temperature trends. It provides a personalised "Energy Score" based on your daily health data, helping you make informed wellness decisions. The ring's most playful feature is its ability to control Samsung Galaxy devices with simple gestures like pinching your fingers to snap photos or dismiss alarms, all while being crafted from durable titanium and offering water resistance up to 100 metres with a seven-day battery life.
Available from: Samsung Australia or order it at Amazon
Withings ScanWatch 2
One for the ‘old fashioned’ among us, this sophisticated hybrid smartwatch blends traditional design with medical-grade health tracking technologies. It offers medical-grade ECG, continuous body temperature monitoring, sleep apnoea detection and tracks over 40 activities while estimating VO2 max for fitness enthusiasts. The watch's unique design features a traditional analog face with a hidden OLED screen for discreet health stats and boasts an impressive 30-day battery life.
Available from: Withings Australia or buy it at Amazon
MyFitnessPal
This nutrition and fitness tracking app allows you to log your food intake, monitor your calorie consumption, and track macros with incredible precision. Its standout feature is a barcode scanner that instantly logs packaged foods, backed by an impressive database of over 14 million food items – so you can keep track of everything you eat. The app integrates easily with various fitness devices and apps, making health tracking super simple. Start with the free version.
Available from: App Store and Google Play
Calm
This leading mindfulness and meditation app is designed to reduce stress, improve sleep, and support mental wellbeing through guided meditations, breathing exercises, and relaxation techniques. What sets Calm apart are its unique sleep stories – imagine drifting off to sleep to the voice of celebrities like Matthew McConaughey or Idris Elba… you’re sure to wake up refreshed! The app also offers dedicated programs for focus, anxiety management, and even mindful walking. Start with the free version.
Available from: App Store and Google Play
Strava
This social fitness tracking app tracks your workout but it’s so much more than that. It also connects you to a wider fitness community experience for runners, cyclists, swimmers and hikers. Its famous "Segments" feature allows you to compete with friends and local athletes on specific route sections, adding a competitive and motivational element to fitness (it doesn’t have age categories though and there are some pretty speedy folks out there!). The app also gives you detailed performance analytics so you can keep tabs on your progress, and monitor your personal goals. Start with the free version.
Available from: App Store and Google Play
Headspace
Headspace is a popular meditation and mindfulness app that helps you manage stress, anxiety, and improve your sleep through guided meditations and mental fitness programs. What makes Headspace unique are its situation-specific meditations like "Mindful Commuting" and "SOS" sessions for moments of overwhelm. It also provides a flexible, accessible approach to mental wellness with short, targeted meditation experiences, so even if you only have a few minutes, there’s always something you can do. Start with the free version.
Available from: App Store and Google Play
Sleep Cycle
This clever sleep tracking app analyses your sleep patterns using your phone's microphone to listen to breathing and movement (not creepy at all!) and you don’t need any additional wearable devices to use it. It provides detailed insights into your sleep quality and trends, with a smart alarm that wakes you during your lightest sleep phase for a more natural awakening in the morning. The app even offers sound recordings to help detect potential sleep disturbances like snoring, which could be useful either for you, or the person who doesn’t believe you when you tell them they snore like a chainsaw. Start with the free version.
Available from: App Store and Google Play
While they’ll never replace a good GP, these clever tools can empower you to tune in to your body’s signals, take earlier action and feel more confident in your health journey. And that’s what we call a smart move.
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Feature image: iStock/andreswd
The information on this page is general information and should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease. Do not use the information found on this page as a substitute for professional health care advice. Any information you find on this page or on external sites which are linked to on this page should be verified with your professional health care provider.
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