Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Nowadays, in the fitness-obsessed world, it is not an uncommon sight to see people looking repetitively at their smartwatches to meet their desired step target/burn calories etc, without knowing that this can actually trigger anxiety, experts feel. Wearable devices, particularly medical-grade ones, have grown in popularity, especially among the younger generation who want to stay informed about their health.
And to treat the body like a temple is certainly a noble thing to do, but doing it in extremes proves counter-effective, as Oscar Wilde said, that whenever a man does a thoroughly stupid thing, it often has a noble motive.
A recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association on July 16, 2024, found that patients with irregular heartbeat or atrial fibrillation (AF) used a wearable device (known as “Wearables”). Wearable users reported significantly higher rates of symptom monitoring, preoccupation, and increased treatment concerns.
As much as 20 per cent of wearable users experienced anxiety, prompting them to contact their doctors in response to irregular rhythm notifications. These individuals then underwent significantly more ECGs,
echocardiograms/transesophageal echocardiograms, and AF ablation (an invasive procedure to burn electrical pathways). Wearable devices like Apple Watch and Fitbit are popular for monitoring health. Still, they can also cause anxiety in users due to the unfiltered information they provide, as many lack the knowledge or perspective to interpret it.
