In a technology-driven world, it can be difficult to focus on your mental and physical health and put screens aside to do so. It may seem counterintuitive, but when used correctly and with the right devices, technology can actually help improve your overall health.
There are over 2,500 meditation apps on the App Store, a variety of wearable products such as smartwatches and smart rings that track your stress levels, and headphones with high-quality noise-cancelling technology to help you rest and reset. It helps you get the peace and quiet you need. .
Also: The best fitness tracker you can buy
As a wellness enthusiast, I have selected my favorites currently on the market to help with physical and mental health, based on my own experience using these products, as well as the experience of other ZDNET staff who have used them. We’ve rounded up some of the best wellness technology devices. with them. This year, we need to be more mindful about our health and how we use technology.
1. Devices for meditation
For those who want to make meditation easier, moonbird device A great resource for beginners. It fits in the palm of your hand and mimics your own breathing, allowing you to match the device’s rhythmic changes to your own breathing.
I’m not new to meditation, but this device makes it easier to focus on my breathing and get thoughts and worries out of my head. Once the app connects to your device, you’ll be able to choose meditation exercises such as balanced breathing, the box method, and setting your own customized breathing rhythm.
Once you complete a session, you’ll see your stress levels drop thanks to a photoplethysmogram (PPG) sensor that tracks your heart rate, heart rate variability, and coherence level (how synchronized your heart rate and breathing are). rate).
I’ve found Moonbird useful in stressful situations, such as traveling, especially since it’s pocket-sized and easy to carry.
2. Smart ring
What I’m wearing is Oura Ring Gen3 Horizon This model came out in November 2022 and changed the wearable game forever for me. As someone who hates wearing watches and loves wearing rings, the Oura Ring was a no-brainer, but its technology and detailed and accurate data made it even more of a win.
Oura Ring is known for its high-quality sleep tracking, and its insights are far superior to what you can get with Fitbit or other trackers. For example, it shows your HRV balance, temperature changes during sleep (which acts as a predictor of menstrual periods), blood oxygen levels, and time spent in each sleep stage.
Read the review: Oura Ring Gen 3 Horizon: Same features, flat spots are gone
Ring’s activity tracking is also very good. Track steps, calories burned (including active calories), heart rate during workouts, and training volume.
I especially like the readiness score it provides each morning (based on your sleep and activity scores from the previous day). This way, you’ll know if you’re feeling productive and motivated to get through the day, or if you need an extra espresso in your morning cappuccino.
There are also some new features focused on health, such as Daytime Stress and Resilience, which calculates how well your body can withstand and recover from physiological stress over time. The Oura app also has meditations and breathing exercises that you can listen to when your stress levels are high.
3. Sunrise alarm clock
of hatch restoration 2 is a sound machine, sunrise alarm, smart light, meditation app, and alarm clock all in one device. I have this on my nightstand and it has changed my night and morning routine. One of its distinguishing features is the lighting. Provides a reading light, a soft and soothing night light, and a gradual glow that allows you to wake up to light rather than unpleasant sounds.
Of course, if you need a sound to wake you up, Hatch Restore 2 has a soft chime to gently wake you up with nature sounds. You can listen to guided meditations when you wake up or before bed, or even listen to sleep stories if you need extra help falling asleep.
review: Replaced your cell phone alarm with this smart sunrise clock.The results lasted day and night.
The Hatch alarm clock is expensive, but considering all its features, it may be worth it for those seeking better health.
4. Meditation app
I was an avid user insight timer It’s been my favorite meditation app for the past few years. Download the app for free to access over 130,000 guided meditations centered around topics such as sleep and health, morning energy, gratitude, anxiety, stress, negative thinking, accountability, affirmations, and more.
You don’t have to pay for meditations or events that you can participate in within the app. Choose from daily events such as special full moon meditations, healing circles, book clubs, and sound baths. A great feature of this app is that you can filter by location to find meditation teachers, groups, and events within your area.
Also: Best Meditation Apps
Meditation is free, but more in-depth workshops to deepen your practice cost from $20 per session.
5. Smartwatch
we all know apple watch series 9 is great at tracking health data like heart rate, EKG, and fall detection, but recent features debuting in watchOS 10 are more health-centric. Through a feature called State of Mind, you can track your momentary emotions and daily mood from your mindfulness app. With the Digital Crown, you can scroll through your emotions and choose how you’re feeling, and you can also identify what’s making you feel that way.
This feature works in conjunction with the rest of your health metrics on your watch, such as sleep, exercise time, and even daylight hours. Apple is measuring more of the latter in WatchOS 10 to reduce the chance of developing nearsightedness or nearsightedness.
Also: My favorite WatchOS 10 features are ignored, underrated, and life-changing
“Every day at 3 p.m., my Apple Watch gently prompts me to record my thoughts in a journal. It’s now one of the great things I look forward to in the second half of my workday.” ZDNET Review Editor Kelly Wang writes. Features.
6. Sleep headphones
but also Anker Sleep A10 earphones One of the smallest products ZDNET’s former deputy editor Christina Darby has tried was still able to track her sleep while she was wearing it. Darby said she was particularly impressed with the earbuds’ comfort and lightness, as well as their sleep tracking technology.
“The Soundcore app tracks your sleep quality and shows you how much time you’re in deep or light sleep, and how much time you’re awake,” she writes in her review. “Aside from one or two false positives that indicated I was in ‘light sleep’ for a few minutes longer than the Apple Watch was tracking, I think the earbuds’ tracking stacked up well.” ”
Review: Do sleeping phones actually work? We tested the newest pairs on the market
These earbuds don’t have noise-cancelling technology, but they do use noise masking, which broadcasts a low-volume audio layer to mask surrounding and environmental sounds. Soundcore’s app lets you choose from 31 preset sounds to listen to as you fall asleep, including audio that mimics your resting brainwave frequencies. Plus, the earbuds’ in-ear alarm feature will wake you up in the morning, so your roommate or sleeping partner won’t be disturbed with a wake-up call.
7. Massage device
I’m the type of person who often gets headaches. And no matter what over-the-counter medicine or herbal medicine you try, your symptoms may not be cured.of Renho eye massager is a staple in my wellness toolbox. It uses compression, heat and vibration to massage your eyes and temples, effectively resting your head and eyes. Especially if you’re like me and stare at a screen all day, using this eye massager at the end of work is a game changer.
Also: best massage gun you can buy
It also plays soothing, relaxing music while massaging and warming your eyes (so soothing that I’ve fallen asleep many times while wearing them). However, you can connect the mask via Bluetooth to play your own music and sounds, such as white noise, which can actually help relieve migraine symptoms.
I’ve been a health enthusiast for several years and have personally used many of these products on this list. Other ZDNET staff members also have hands-on experience using these technological devices for health purposes. However, we can only talk about personal use cases of these products and how they have benefited us in terms of overall health and well-being. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or health objectives.
Meditation has so many different benefits that even one meditation session can have a huge impact on your life. These benefits include better managing stress, reducing negative feelings, increasing patience, lowering resting heart rate and blood pressure, improving sleep, and relieving anxiety and depression. there is.
The National Sleep Foundation recommends improving your sleep by practicing certain habits throughout the day and before bed. One is to follow a consistent bedtime routine of going to bed and waking up at the same time every day.
Additionally, dimming the lights a few hours before bed, limiting screen time (including the TV), and creating a cozy dark and cool bedroom environment are all ways to improve your overall sleep. is. Medical experts say regular exercise and limiting intake of alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine can also help with sleep health.
Here are some other options to consider that will benefit your overall health.
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