It’s important to continue exercising and engaging in healthy lifestyle practices as we grow older — and the more technology advances, the easier it becomes! Fitness watches and trackers have grown increasingly popular in recent years for the features they offer and the many ways they can help their wearer maintain their health, and with seniors, it’s no exception. If you want to become more active, here are four great ways that wearing a fitness watch can help you.
Creating Fitness Goals
As more fitness trackers have been developed with features designed to promote active lifestyles, they have provided an effective way to motivate you to move more and sit less. For example, a fitness watch can help you set goals like walking more than a mile a day. Many trackers will monitor and record the total number of daily steps, which can be viewed on a smartphone app, allowing users to track their progress over time.
These wearable devices also provide an easy way for you to monitor calories burned during physical activity, making them more than just a traditional pedometer. This feature makes them a great tool to support you on your fitness journey, providing tangible benefits throughout your daily life.
Health Monitoring
Fitness trackers don’t just support fitness goals — they can also play a vital role in monitoring your health. The health data gathered by these wearable devices can give you crucial insights into cardiovascular fitness, heart health, blood pressure, and blood oxygen levels. For instance, many fitness trackers provide real-time heart rate monitoring, which is an essential aspect of heart health. The ability to track this data consistently helps you and your healthcare providers detect any irregularities early on.
In addition, fitness watches often incorporate body temperature and breathing rate measurements, further improving their health monitoring capabilities. Some medical directors even encourage their use, as they can contribute to making more accurate clinical diagnoses.
Sleep Monitoring
While it may sound odd at first, fitness trackers are also an incredibly useful tool when it comes to sleep. These devices monitor sleep patterns, including periods of rest and activity during the night. By tracking this data, you can gain a better understanding of your sleep quality and length. Most fitness trackers also measure resting heart rate and heart rate variability during sleep, providing additional insights into the body’s state of rest.
This information can then be shared with a doctor or healthcare provider to address any potential sleep-related issues. For these reasons and more, fitness trackers and watches can help you achieve more restful sleep, which is crucial for both physical and mental health.
Accountability
Fitness watches can also help with self-accountability. Using a fitness tracker can lead to improvements in motivation and self-worth, as you can visually track your progress and achievements. However, it is important to avoid developing a negative obsession with the data these trackers provide, as they can sometimes yield inaccurate results. The primary aim should be promoting healthy habits and an active lifestyle — not solely focusing on metrics such as weight loss or how many calories are burned during workouts.
Still, many seniors find that seeing their daily activity levels, specific activities, and even stress levels tracked can be a motivating factor in their fitness journey. Despite their potential for inaccuracy, the benefits of fitness watches in promoting self-accountability far outweigh the potential pitfalls.
Contact Wesley Enhanced Living Today
For 135 years, Wesley Enhanced Living’s continuing care, non-profit retirement communities have been delivering a purpose-filled life to residents. Serving around 1,200 residents with over 1,100 employees and six locations throughout Pennsylvania, the Wesley Enhanced Living communities provide various combinations of independent living, personal care, memory care, rehabilitation, and skilled nursing services. For more information and to find a community near you in Doylestown, Hatboro, Media, or Philadelphia, please visit www.WEL.org.
