Decoding Whoop’s stress metrics calculation

Previously, users could only view the value for the stress metric on an individual daily basis. This was a step in understanding one’s stress levels, but it was just the tip of the iceberg. For example, there was no option to view stress trends. With this update the company is allowing users to delve much deeper into the nuances of their daily stress.

Whoop’s approach to stress metrics is rooted in scientific data and user-centric design. At the heart of its calculations are two vital physiological indicators: Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and Heart Rate.

• HRV: measures the variation in time between each heartbeat. It’s a key indicator of the body’s stress response. A higher HRV suggests a relaxed state. A lower HRV, on the other hand, can indicate stress or fatigue.
• Heart rate: A consistently elevated heart rate, especially when at rest, can be a sign of increased stress levels.

The stress monitor analyzes these two metrics in real-time. For instance, if a user’s heart rate is higher than usual and their HRV is lower than usual, the algorithm interprets this as a sign of stress.

But Whoop doesn’t just look at real-time data. The app compares the collected data to the previous 14 days, establishing a baseline to better assess fluctuations in values. This historical context is crucial. By understanding a user’s typical resting heart rate and average HRV, Whoop can more accurately determine if current readings are a cause for concern.

Physical activity naturally affects heart rate and HRV. Recognizing this, Whoop has designed its software to differentiate between stress caused by exercise and other types of stress. When users log physical activities such as running or biking, the app adjusts the stress levels based on the intensity of the workout. This ensures that the stress metrics aren’t skewed by physical exertion.

To make the data easily digestible for users, Whoop’s stress monitor assigns a value ranging from 0 to 3. Higher values indicate increased stress levels. This simplified scale allows users to quickly gauge their stress levels at a glance.

A deeper dive into daily stress

This latest software update allows for a much deeper dive into daily stress. Users can now see “Total Day Stress,” “Non Activity Stress,” and “Sleep Stress”.

Whoop’s introduction of these detailed stress metrics is not just about data. It’s about empowering users to take charge of their mental and physical health. By providing insights into different aspects of daily stress, Whoop is equipping its users with the tools they need to lead more balanced and healthier lives.

Total Day Stress: The bigger picture

The “Total Day Stress” metric provides an overarching view of a user’s stress throughout the entire day. This includes stress from physical activities, work-related stress, and even the minor stressors that we often overlook. By offering a holistic view, users can better understand the peaks and troughs of their stress levels as the day progresses.

Non-activity Stress: Beyond physical exertion

While physical activity is a known contributor to daily stress, it’s not the only factor. “Non Activity Stress” focuses on the stress that arises outside of physical activities. This could be due to work pressures, personal issues, or even environmental factors. We also have this influence, some more than others depending on their circumstances. By isolating the metric, Whoop provides clarity on how daily life, minus the workouts, impacts our well-being.

If you find non-activity stress elevated, some breathing exercises might fit the bill. There’s a section in the smartphone app for that.

Sleep Stress: The silent disruptor

Sleep is crucial for recovery and overall health. However, stress can significantly impact the quality of our sleep. The “Sleep Stress” metric sheds light on the stress levels experienced during the night. Whether it’s due to nightmares, restless sleep, or other factors, understanding sleep stress can be pivotal in improving overall sleep quality.

Trends: The power of data over time

Another feature of this update is the ability to view trends. Now you can view long-term changes in your stress metrics, just like you can with any other Whoop data.

As can be seen from the above screenshots, instead of just daily snapshots, you can now see how their stress levels fluctuate over days, weeks, or even months. This trend data can be invaluable in identifying patterns, understanding triggers, and ultimately, making informed decisions to manage and reduce stress.

Don’t forget to check out our hands-on review of Whoop on this link.

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Whoop stress monitor

The stress monitor analyses heart rate variability (HRV) and heart rate data in real-time, providing users with an easily digestible metric. For example, if your heart rate is higher than usual and your heart rate variability (HRV) is lower than usual, this can indicate that you are stressed.

Previously, the Whoop app only displayed HRV values during sleep, as the metric can fluctuate significantly with daily activity. However, the activity band does track HRV around the clock.

Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets

Director of Analytics Emily Capodilupo explained the rationale on Whoop podcast episode #29, stating, “While we do take it 24/7 throughout the day, we chose to measure it during sleep when we can mitigate the noise of all the inputs that go into HRV.” She added that presenting an average HRV throughout the day could be misleading, and the focus is on providing actionable data for users.

Easily understandable data

The stress monitor assigns a value ranging from 0 to 3, with higher values indicating increased stress levels. The app compares the collected data to the past 14 days, establishing a baseline to better assess fluctuations in values. The data is also compared to a person’s typical resting heart rate.

A significant concern with any sort of stress metric is the impact of exercise, as physical activity can cause an increase in stress. To address this, Whoop has designed the software to limit the effect of exercise on the stress metric. When users log physical activities such as running or biking, the app adjusts the stress levels based on the intensity of the workout. We are keen to see how accurate this turns out to be in practice.

The Whoop app displays the stress monitor results on two separate charts. The first chart shows the user’s current value, and the second presents a daily timeline. By providing real-time information on stress levels, the feature aims to promote greater awareness and contribute to overall well-being.

Breathing exercises

Whoop CEO expressed on Twitter that he had spent a decade contemplating the development of the stress monitoring feature. In addition to this, the app update also includes breathing exercises developed in collaboration with neuroscientist and human performance expert Dr. Andrew Huberman.

These exercises cater to various needs, such as improving sleep, reducing stress, and maintaining alertness. Users can expect more breathing protocols to be added to the app in the future.

Stress continues to be a significant factor affecting mental and physical health for many of us. The addition of this new feature to the Whoop app is a useful upgrade. It gives users a resource for effectively managing stress and cultivating more balanced lifestyles.

You can check out our hands-on review of Whoop on this link.

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The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is an annual technology trade show that takes place in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is the place to be if you are interested in the latest and greatest gadgets that the world has to offer. This year the four day event beings on January 5th.

The show is organised by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) and has been held annually since 1967. The gathering is known for showcasing the most innovative consumer electronics products. Oxa Life certainly fits this category.

Oxa Life improves your wellbeing by teaching you to breathe properly

The gadget consists of a special shirt or bra equipped with electrodes and sensors, which are able to measure the activity of your heart, breathing patterns and more. This data is then used to help reduce stress, improve sleep and enhance recovery. The actual tech inside the pebble stone shaped core unit includes respiratory inductance plethysmography for breath monitoring, electrocardiography for heart rate monitoring and infrared sensing for skin temperature.

One of the standout features of the Oxa Life is its mindfulness aspect. The device encourages users to focus on their breath and become more aware of their bodies. Think of it as a game-like journey.

The accompanying smartphone app works in conjunction with the wearable. You can access various exercises which are personalised to your particular needs. Some are related to calmness, while others promote focus, resilience, vitality and rest. They range in time between 6 and 15 minutes. Oxa says it has plans to increase the diversity of exercises over time.

The audio and visual journeys from the Oxa Life adapt in real-time to how your body reacts. In the app you can also find something called the Calmness Score. Ranging on a scale from 1 to 10, it takes into account your heart rate, breathing rate and heart rate variability (HRV).

This mindfulness element, combined with data provided by the sensors, allows the Oxa Life to provide a comprehensive approach to stress management. And we could all do with a bit of that in today’s fast pace world.

Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets

Zurich-based Oxa recently completed a successful Kickstarter campaign having raised €58,702. The estimated delivery for those who invested on the crowdfunding platform is March. While the campaign has now ended, the product can still be purchased through the company’s website. The package, which includes both the shirt and sensor, is priced at 400 euros (approximately $423).

Overall, Oxa Life is an innovative and unique wearable that offers a comprehensive approach to stress management. Its combination of mindfulness and data-driven insights make it a promising solution for individuals looking to improve their overall well-being.

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To remind the company had launched its original product back in 2016 via Indiegogo. That one came in the form of a little disc that clips to your waistband to track the way both your diaphragm and chest move in and out while you breathe and the position of your body. The idea was to facilitate the interconnection between good breathing and good posture to reduce stress. Ultimately, the product was discontinued because of technical challenges with the design.

This next generation device offers an improved form factor and features. The main functionality, however, is the same. As before, the wearable tracks diaphragmatic breaking and monitors posture.

Breathing exercises are an important part of the functionality. Prana spits out 80 scientifically validated breathing exercises targeting specific physiological effects. Real-time sensor feedback lets you know how well you are doing. These can help with stress relief, increased energy, improved focus and better sleep. Or simply teaching you how two properly breathe. The exercises can be combined with posture feedback.

In addition to this Training mode, there’s a Passive mode which tracks your breathing and posture (upper and lower back) in the background. In this mode you can receive alerts, for example if Prana notices stressed breathing or a slouching posture.

As shown in the picture below, the app shows a graph illustrating your breathing and posture. There’s also a Live Graph mode that provides instant data.

Prana comes in the form of a circular retractible design. It reminds a bit of the standard chest strap, only worn slightly lower on your body – on the torso. No special clothing is required.

In Training mode, you are meant to wear it anywhere between 3 and 15 minutes. In Passive mode you can wear it as long as you want regardless whether you are sitting, standing or lying down.

A novel aspect to Prana is the gamified mode. It allows you to control a flying bird in the smartphone app with your breathing. The character flies up when you inhale, and swoops down when you exhale. By carefully controlling your breath you are meant to collect flowers along the route. Slouching stops all movement.

Another aspect to the wearable is the haptic training. It guides you through meditation letting you know via vibrations when to inhale, exhale and hold. That coaching feature sounds like a great tool for those getting into to mindfulness practices.

The device itself is very lightweight. It measures 0.6” x 1.89” x 2.75” and comes in at only 26.7 grams. There’s a status LED and vibrational element on-board, along with Bluetooth tech and posture sensors. The rechargeable battery lasts about a day of continuous use.

All in all, version two of Prana sounds like a significant upgrade on the original device. Those interested can check out the $199 device on the company’s website. Currently there’s only an iOS app, but the Android version is coming soon in the near future. If you are not happy with the product the company provides a 30 day money back guarantee.

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Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets

Sweat is often viewed as one of the next frontiers in wearable technology. Every drop of this liquid tells a story about what is happening inside the body. Sweat provides information on dehydration, stress, muscle cramping, high cholesterol, depression and even blood glucose.

It can also be used to measure cortisol, often called the “stress hormone.” High levels of the substance for too long can cause health issues such as high blood pressure, sleep disturbances, type 2 diabetes and more. This is why its important to keep your stress levels low.

There are fitness trackers and smartwatches out there that quantify the levels of stress. They do this by measuring heart rate variability (HRV) which is the variation in the time interval between your heart beats. The higher the value the lower the stress. Unfortunately fatigue from intense exercise effects HRV in the same way so there is no way to distinguish the cause.

But something better may be around the corner.

Wearables that measure cortisol

We wrote in early 2020 about research from Caltech. They have developed a sweat sensor made of graphene that directly measures cortisol levels in a person’s body. Because of its small molecular size, cortisol diffuses and can be found in sweat. Concentration levels in in the liquid closely reflect its circulating levels in the body.

The tech contains a plastic sheet at the end with tiny laser generated pores which collect sweat. This goes through an antibody (a type of immune system molecule), that can detect cortisol as it is very sensitive to the substance.

Assistant professor of medical engineering at Caltech Wei Gao was the main author of the paper called “Investigation of cortisol dynamics in human sweat using a graphene-based wireless mHealth system“. It can be found in the April 2020 issue of Matter, the content studio owned by Twitter founder Evan Williams.

The technology works in real-time and is mass producible. It is inexpensive, non-invasive and accurate giving it the potential for widespread use not just for measuring stress but also for detecting anxiety post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. All of these are correlated to elevated cortisol levels.

“Depression patients have a different circadian pattern of cortisol than healthy individuals do,” Gao says.

“With PTSD patients, it’s another different one.”

Plus the analysis is done very quickly. Unlike typical blood tests the results are available in only a few minutes.

“Typically, a blood test takes at least one to two hours and requires stress-inducing blood draw. For stress monitoring, time is very important,” he said.

“We aim to develop a wearable system that can collect multimodal data, including both vital sign and molecular biomarker information,” he says.

The technology was tested in two different ways. The first involved monitoring a person for six days around the clock. Cortisol levels rise and fall on a daily cycle, which higher values typically experienced in the morning. Data dished out by the sweat sensor correlated with this natural cycle. The second approach involved stressing the participant with high levels of exercise in one test and ice water in another. Both are correlated with high levels of cortisol, with the results showing exactly this.

This is not the only successful trial. Similar tech was covered in the January 2022 issue of Science. It is about a cortisol tracking smarwatch that was developed by researchers at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles).

We’re not sure if this is entirely new tech or an advanced version of the 2020 device seeing as all this research comes from universities in California. The wearable tracks cortisol non-invasevily, accurately and in real-time as shown in the picture below by analyzing sweat.

The team has developed a flexible field-effect transistor (FET) biosensor array that exploits a previously unreported cortisol aptamer. You can read about it in full on this link – a word of warning as it is quite techy.

This wearable has the advantage of having “label-free detection, the sensing system is autonomous and wireless, the cortisol detection limits are ultralow (1 pM), and they validated sweat cortisol as a stress biomarker in a large clinical study.” Researchers connected the sweat sensor to an Android app to test out the results.

They add that for wearable applications, monitoring relative changes in biomarkers in an individual over time is more important than single readings. That’s because baseline cortisol levels differ from person to person. This might change further down the line once enough data is collected allowing for more thorough research. For now, think of it the way Fitbit tracks skin temperature. The device measures variations rather than absolute values.

Our takeaway

Will this type of technology make it into your next Garmin or Apple Watch? The answer to this would be no – at least not in 2022. But it is only a matter of time before it does. This type of technology has the potential to transform healthcare.

The science of sweat is still in the early stages although clinical uses trace back to the 1950’s. At least for now, it remains a relatively underexplored biofluid.

We posted recently our review of Gatorade’s effort on this front. Their sweat patch does not measure cortisol. Instead, the product analyzes differences in color caused by chemical reactions to monitor both the level of dehydration and the concentration of chloride in the body.

One day we will get smartwatches that can provide this type of info. But that day is still a few years off. 

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The wearable from New York-based Feelmore Labs has been available for sale for several months now. We will be looking to post a full hands-on review on its effectiveness in January – so check back. So far customer feedback that can be found on Amazon have been very positive.

How does Cove work?

The lightweight device (50 grams) works unlike anything else out there. It does its thing by delivering carefully calibrated vibrations to the skin in the area behind your ears.

This in turn stimulates the effects of slow touch (also referred to as affective touch), which triggers an increase in alpha brain waves. These are known to reduce anxiety, quieten the mind and even promote creativity. So while beta brain waves help you stay alert and focused, the key to relaxed productivity is a good balance between alpha and beta waves.

Think of it as a “hug for your mind”. The area behind the ears is condusive for this sort of thing due to the proximity of various cranieal nerves.

You can use Cove anytime, anywhere. The company says a 20 minute sessions is all that is needed to help you chill. Ideally, you should aim for two such sessions per day. Perhaps something that you can integrate with your meditation time. If not, you can also use it while you work, commute, walk, etc. You don’t need to be at rest to use it.

The wearable allows you to adjust the strength of the vibrations. It is recommended choosing the lowest intensity setting at which you are able to perceive the vibration. Subtlety is key.

Clinical studies have shown that 90% of Cove users have experienced 41% less stress and 50% better sleep quality after using the wearable for a month. Its effectiveness has been validated by research with over 3,500 participants. This includes studies at Brown University and the work of a leading clinical researcher from Harvard Medical School.

It is important to note, the effects of using Cove are cumulative rather than instant. So don’t expect perfect results after only a day or two of use. The gadget builds your resilience to stress gradually. Most users experience full benefits after about two weeks of use. But you should get at least some benefits much earlier than that.

Battery life is about 4 sessions per charge. It takes just over an hour to fully reful.

As you’d expect, there’s a smartphone app to go along with everything. It communicates via Bluetooth 4.2 with Cove to track your progress and session history, as well as show session data from the PPG heart rate sensor and 3d-accelerometer. But the app doesn’t need to be fired up each time you use Cove – only occasionally in order to sync the data, check on firmware updates and similar.

Price and availability

Cove retails for $490 at Feelcove.com. It is also available on Amazon (check price). If you are not fully satisfied, all purchases include a 45-day risk-free return option. The wearable is fairly pricey, but this is not a single person device – the full family can use it.

Essential reading: Best fitness trackers and health gadgets

Stress can take its toll on the body and mind – not to mention the negative long term effects when people stay in that activated state. We could all use a bit of destressing considering the pandemic and quarantine. Our mental health has certainly been challenged along with our general health!

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Stress can be healthy and unhealthy

Stress is an everyday part of life – for some more than others. Small amounts of stress are considered to be healthy. They can help to improve how your heart works and even strengthen your immune system.

Essential reading: Best fitness trackers and health gadgets

Chronic stress, however, is a problem. Amongst a plethora of negative effects on your body it also seems to affect food preferences. This is because stress produces elevated levels of a hormone referred to as cortisol. A consequence of this are increased cravings for sugary and salty foods. They offer a simple but unhealthy way to make yourself feel better in the short term.

Most Garmin fitness trackers and smartwatches these days track stress around the clock. The readings are not perfect but they do offer a decent estimate of the pressure you are under.

Garmin taps into heart rate variability (HRV) readings to arrive at these numbers. This is the variation in the time interval between your heart beats. Rather counter-intuitively, the more irregular these beats – the less stress you are feeling.

For ease of understanding, Garmin slots the stress readings into one of four groups. A reading up to 25 points indicates you are at rest. 26-50 shows low stress, 51-75 medium stress and anything above is high stress.

Now scientists are starting to tap into the wealth of data dished out by these devices.

Research on stress and cravings

Garmin has joined forces with RAE Health on a study to better understand stress cravings and how they affect your body. The research is actually building on previous studies conducted by RAE Health together with the University of Massachusetts and the University of Texas.

If you’re interested the papers are available to view in the Journal of Psychiatry and Brain Science. Some can also be found in the Drug and Alcohol Dependence Journal.

Garmin data will be used to expand on these studies. Initially only Vivosmart 4 users were invited to join in the research, but this has since been expanded. Participants are given access to a consumer version of the RAE Health app.

The app taps into your Garmin Connect stress and other data and spits out stress craving alerts – often before they happen and before you are even aware. At least, that’s the idea. The software has a complex biometric algorithm that alerts you to these situations.

One can easily imagine this type of functionality becoming part of fitness apps we already use, perhaps on an optional basis. It is a great example of leveraging existing sensor technology for more advanced insights.

In our recent interview with Valencell President & Co-Founder Dr. Steven LeBoeuf, he sees ample room for growth in this area – using existing sensors for more in-depth analysis. He also expects that we will see more “sensor fusion”, using multiple sensor modalities together to generate a more comprehensive physiological picture.

How to participate in the study

At the start only Vivosmart 4 users were invited to join the study. We were not really sure why as there are many other Garmin wearables that can track stress. Having said that, Vivosmart 4 is a great little device. In our review we found it to be a perfect fit for sleep and casual activity tracking. Now it seems availability of the app has been expanded to other devices including the Fenix 6, Venu, Instinct, Forerunner 945 and Forerunner 245 Music.

If you’re holding on to one of these and would like access to the RAE Health app, you can join here. The link takes you to a 2 minute survey you will need to fill in before downloading the software.

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An unavoidable reality of life, stress is your body’s way of responding to any kind of demand or threat by releasing a flood of hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol, which rouse the body for emergency action. In the short term, this is good. In the long-term it can cause damage to your health.

Why reduce stress?

Sometimes called the ‘Epidemic of the 21st century’, stress can be positive, keeping you alert and ready to avoid danger. It becomes negative when a person faces continuous challenges without relief or relaxation. This can lead to negative health implications such as headaches, fatigue, sleeping disorders, digestive problems, high blood pressure, heart diseases, aging and obesity. The longer the stress lasts, the worse it is for both your mind and body and the more difficult it is to recover.

Over two-thirds of visits to physicians are from stress related illnesses. The medical costs alone have been estimated in the United States at well over $1 billion dollars per year.

Essential reading: Activity trackers for women – merging fashion with fitness

This automatic response developed in our ancient ancestors as a way to protect from predators and other threats. Luckily, these days you’re not very likely to be eaten by a wild animal. But you do confront multiple challenges every day such as meeting deadlines, paying bills, and making the daily commute to your office – that may prompt your body to react in a similar way. The instinct is still there.

The best stress busting wearables

In the world of wearable technology, tracking fitness activity is typically the main goal. However, a growing number of devices are trying to gauge your state of mind. Reducing your stress levels can not only make you feel better right now, but may also protect your health long-term.

In the future such devices will be built into every-day objects. For example, a couple of years ago the car seat of the future was demoed. It is able to detect the traveler’s stress and drowsiness automatically. This allows it to take countermeasures if necessary such as a massage pattern or particularly air flow through the vehicle’s ventilation system.

This is our collection of some of the most interesting devices that claim to be able to keep you calm. It’s worth noting, this market is still in its infancy but such devices have been shown by studies to help with stress management.

*Disclosure: We are a review site that receives a small commission from sales of certain items, but the price is the same for you. We are independently owned and all opinions expressed here are our own. See our affiliate disclosure page for more details.

1.Spire

It’s a tiny gray stone, satisfying to hold, zen-like and paired with a beautiful cork charging plate. Attach it to your bra or belt and get ready to discover a new path to calm.

Created by a team of scientists at Stanford and winner of the 2014 National Hewitt Design Award, the Spire Stone is a personal breathing sensor. Unlike exercise-oriented fitness gadgets, it tracks respiration patterns and body movements to provide advice geared to emotional and cognitive well-being. Studies have shown that diaphragmatic breathing helps keep stress levels down.

The device itself is beautifully designed. It looks like a river stone on one side with a metal clip on the back. The Qi wireless charger is a stunner as well. With enough juice for almost a week Spire is rugged enough to survive the washing machine if you forget to take it off your clothes.

You wear it on your belt or bra, where it can measure your breathing. In our review of the device we found the smartphone app is designed to coach you to a more calm and productive day; it notifies you when you’re breathing indicates tension, provides daily and weekly reports on your state of mind, and includes audio exercises to improve your breathing and ability to reach a calm state of mind.

Spire has the added bonus of tracking steps and calories burned. You can even set custom reminders to nudge you when you’ve been inactive for too long.

Best features

• unobtrusive and pleasing to use
• tracks three types of breathing
• excellent daily summaries
• vibration level and frequency of messages are customizable
• guided meditations

Bottom line: Spire measures what no other tracker on the market does. The device has had a very favorable reception and comes in at an attractive price, particularly if you have an interest in technology and mindfulness.

2. Muse

Muse is a headset-style device that claims to be the first tool in the world that gives you real-time feedback on what’s happening in your brain when you meditate. The device passively detects changes in your brain from outside your head by using seven EEG sensors along your scalp.

While you meditate, the headband measures whether your mind is calm or active, and translates that data into sound that you can hear. When you’re calm, you’ll hear the sound of peaceful weather. If Muse senses your mind wandering, you’ll hear the weather sounds get stronger, gently guiding you back to calm. So Muse lets you hear your own mind as you meditate, helping you improve.

There’s also Muse 2 which slaps on a heart rate monitor, as well as an accelerometer and gyroscope to monitor body movement and breath in addition to your brain. In our review we found the sensors worked well and the app did a good job in quantifying our progress over time.

The best place to purchase Muse is the company’s website. Often you can find some good discounts on all iterations of Muse.

Best features

• Lightweight, easy to use
• Unbiased biofeedback
• Now tracks stillness, heartbeat and breathing
• Helps you focus
• App keeps tabs on progress

Bottom line: This is a headband designed to made meditating more interesting. The changes in your mind or body are instantaneously reflected through sounds which is pretty impressive to witness. If you’re looking for a biofeedback meditation headset, this is the one to go for.

3.Flowtime

Flowtime is a Biosensing Meditation Headband. In a sense, it is similar to the Muse headband. Both allow you to see what is happening inside your brain. But while Muse in a sense gamifies meditation, Flowtime provides you with real-time info on brainwaves, heart rate, HRV, relaxation, zen, attention and pressure level. This info will give you a pretty good idea on how well you are doing.

The hardware features two-channel EEG acquisition technology. This has the benefit of being able to separate brainwave energy from left to right-hemisphere.

The app provides analysis of all this data so you know exactly when you’ve entered into a meditation state. There are also lessons in the app to help you make progress every day.

Best features

• provides real-time info while you are meditating
• plethora of data
• teaches you to relax

Bottom line: This is a great option for those that want a real deep insight into what is happening inside their mind. It offers detailed and scientific data to let you know how well you are getting into the alpha/theta state.

4. Fitbit Charge 4

One of the most popular fitness trackers in the world, Fitbit’s flagship device does much more than just count your steps and calories. Amongst the slew of health and fitness tracking functionality is also something called Guided Breathing Sessions. This is a relaxing mindfulness experience that calms your body and mind.

What you get is a choice between a 2 and 5 minute session. Powered by PurePulse and personalized by using your real-time heart rate to measure your heart rate variability (beat-to-beat changes in your heart rate), the Charge 4 determines a comfortable breathing rate for you. It then slowly guides you into a relaxing state. The screen displays biofeedback and animations that help you align each inhale and exhale with the guide.

Outside of that, the Charge 4 checks all the boxes for  the average person who is after a solid activity tracker. You will find a large OLED display, 24/7 heart rate monitoring (including resting heart rate), and the device will keeps tabs on all your activity. There’s even built-in GPS.

A big update for the device is coming soon in the form of a round-the-clock stress tracking feature. This will tap into information from the heart rate sensor (resting heart rate and heart rate variability which has been shown to correlate with stress levels) and combine it with your sleep and activity data.

The end result will be an overall stress figure that goes from zero to 100. You’re meant to aim for the latter. This also disects the Score into Responsiveness, Exertion Balance and Sleep Patterns. The second and third of these are self-explanatory, the first quantifies if you’re showing a fight or flight response.

Those without a Premium subscription can access data for the past 7 days. Premium Subscription owners get much more data including long-term trends and insights.

Best features

• one of the best fitness bands you can buy
• built-in GPS for those into outdoor exercise
• breathing exercises
• 24/7 stress tracking feature

Bottom line: For a long time Fitbit devices didn’t track stress. This is all changing. Charge 4 is one of the most popular fitness trackers in the world for a reason, it is good at what it does. Now with stress tracking it is better than ever. 

5. Apple Watch

The Apple Watch is hands-down the best all-round smartwatch you can buy today. There is no real competition. However, if you are after a sports watch or a fitness watch, then you have other better options.

The latest iteration of the Aple Watch sports an always-on edge-to-edge retina display. Raise your wrist or tap takes it to full glory, lower your wrist and it will dim.

In terms of health and fitness, the device is able to identify falls, it sends high/low heart rate alerts, monitors for atrial fibrillation and there is the much talked about ECG sensor. You, of course, get all the great features of the predecessor versions including GPS, all day heart rate and more. 

In addition to reminding you to stand and walk throughout the day, the Apple Watch can help you destress. It will prompt you to take a minute to relax, focus and meditate with an app called Breathe. This will guide you through a series of deep breaths, and remind you to take time to relax every day. You choose how long you want to breathe, then let the animation and gentle taps help you focus.

Best features

• the best smartwatch on the market
• breathing exercises to keep you calm
• a plethora of other fitness and health functionality 

Bottom line: Unless you’ve lived under a rock you know of the Apple Watch. Now on its sixth generation, the device comes packed with fitness and health features. Couple that with and excellent design and lots of apps and you’re sitting on a winner. 

6. Bellabeat Leaf Chakra/Nature/Urban

This popular range of jewelry is designed to track women’s health. The three iterations include Leaf Chakra, Nature and Urban. You can wear them as a necklace or bracelet with Leaf accessories or items you already own – or clip to any clothing item as a stylish accent. Just choose what fits your style best in any given occasion.

The trackers learn about you and provide quality insights and improvements to your daily routine to help you feel your best. This includes info on breathing, sleep, activity and monthly cycles through the smartphone app. The sensors are hidden inside the wood housing, providing a soft natural appeal.

The wearables also have some great stress tracking features. To initiate, simply clip to your waistband, slightly on the side so that the abdominal movements while breathing can be measured. Then select the desired breathing exercise in the app and try to perform the exercise as precise as you can.

Best features

• designed for women
• very fashionable
• tracks breathing
• calming exercises
• no charging – works on replaceable coin cell battery

Bottom line: This is a range of attractive connected wearables for women. A great gift for a loved one, you can choose from multiple designs. All of the devices in the range have pretty much the same smarts. If you’re not after a traditional fitness tracker or smartwatch the device may pique your interest. 

7. Garmin Vivosmart 4

The latest iteration in Garmin’s Vivosmart series comes with a blood oxygen sensor and the device keeps tabs on your body’s energy reserves. Apart from that you get pretty much everything you need for 24/7 activity tracking.

The oxygen sensor allows Vivosmart 4 to gauge your oxygen saturation levels at night. This can potentially be used to identify sleep conditions such as apnea, although Garmin will not diagnose these. You can also check your oxygen levels on demand during the day. Body Battery uses a combination of stress, heart rate variability (HRV), sleep and activity data to let you know when to push hard, when to rest.

As part of that 24/7 monitoring, when users are not on the move the device measures heart-rate variability which it uses to calculate and measure stress levels. To make you worry-free, you get relaxing mindfulness experiences through deep-breathing sessions. A longer timeline of stress levels is accessible on the smartphone app.

Garmin has started integrating its stress monitoring technology in its other fitness trackers and some sports watches. It has made its way into its smallest fitness band yet, the Vivosport and Vivoactive 3 and 4. The high-end Fenix 6 and latest crop of Forerunner watches will also help keep you calm. There’s also the Venu range, so pretty much something for everyone whatever sports you are into.

Best features

• Slim, lightweight design
• Long battery life
• Comprehensive stress tracking features
• relaxing dee-breathing sessions
• excellent fitness tracker

Bottom line: This is a decent little fitness band that has plenty to offer. A casual user will find most things they need for 24/7 activity monitoring including stress tracking. Garmin has a lot of experience in building such products which means you can be confident the data is accurate.

8. Fitbit Versa 3

Versa is Fitbit’s second smartwatch. When it comes to features, this is a timepiece that puts fitness first.

The Versa range includes everything you would expect from a Fitbit device, along with capturing real-time stats on multiple activities including swimming. And you’ll be able to keep tabs on all this in real-time on the gorgeous AMOLED touchscreen. The third generation has a big update that comes in the form of built-in GPS. This means you no longer need to carry your phone for a satellite tracking of outdoor exercise.

Of course, Versa also has Fitbit’s Relax feature, the exercise that squashes stress. The tracker recommends a personalized breathing pattern to maintain a quieter state of mind. This can be effective in the morning as you prepare for the day, prior to an important mid-day meeting or function, or in the evening as you wind down before bed.

Just like Charge 4, Versa 3 is also getting Fitbit’s stress tracking feature. The software update is due to start making its rounds in the near future.

Best features

• a great fitness watch at the right price
• Beautiful screen
• stress tracking
• breathing exercises
• built-in GPS for those into outdoor exercise

Bottom line: There is lots to like with Fitbit Versa. The devices covers all the basics as far as activity tracking. Now there is also comprehensive stress tracking to go along with all the other great functionality. If you’re after a stress-tracking fitness watch, Versa 3 is an attractive buy.

9.Fitbit Sense

Fitbit Sense is for those that want the best of what Fitbit has on offers. It has a build that doesn’t really differ from Versa, but under the hood there are some extra smarts.

One of these is an electrodermal activity (EDA) sensor. This is a device that reads moisture in the skin. Sense combines this info with data from the heart rate sensor and you activity and sleep to arrive at a stress estimate. Of course, the wearable also comes with Fitbit’s breathing exercises.

Beyond that there is everything you would hope from a health watch including ECG, blood oxygen tracking and monitoring of skin temperature variation. Longer term trends and some insights sit behind a Premium Subscription so this is something to keep in mind.

Best features

• offers the full range of Fitbit health and fitness tracking
• comprehensive stress tracking and management
• tracks skin temperature, SpO2, ECG and lots more
• built-in GPS

Bottom line: Sense is the most feature-packed Fitbit you can buy. It is also the only devices in the company’s range with a built-in electrodermal activity (EDA) sensor for stress tracking. This makes it a much more serious health device.

10.Pip

This drop like device is a biosensor which senses electrodermal activity (EDA), the electrical changes at the surface in the skin, to provide an indicator of stress response. This is communicated via Bluetooth technology to PIP’s iOS and Android Apps, which use audio and visual feedback to externalise your body’s changing stress levels.

Essential reading: Why Sitting is Slowly Killing You and What You Can do About it

Your levels of stress fluctuate continuously – significant changes happen in fractions of a second; and with the fluctuation, the electrical properties of our skin change. The skin at your fingertips acts as a particularly sensitive indicator.

Pip contains two gold-plated sensors which the user grasps between the thumb and forefinger. The device detects the rise and fall of stress, and feeds data into an app at the rate of 8 times per second. There are a number of apps you can connect to – which provide a platform for stress-easing exercises.

Best features

• measures stress by examining skin condition
• teaches you how to manage stress better
• allows you to see your stress levels

Bottom line: Something for those that don’t want a devices that goes around their wrist. Pip is a discreet wearable that measures stress and teaches you how to chill.

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We often wondered why Fitbit did not have some sort of stress tracking. Other brands, such as Garmin, have had the feature for years.

All that changed with the introduction of Sense last year. The wearable introduced a Stress Management Score that combines info from a number of sources. This includes resting heart rate, HRV, temperature and more. The info is combined with electrodermal activity (EDA) sensor readings (which reads moisture in the skin), into a single figure that ranges from zero to 100.

Your aim is to get to the higher end of the scale. Those with a regular subscription see an overall value and a week’s worth of data. Fitbit Premium members see the score breakdown and long-term trends. This also provides you with access to 200 mindfulness sessions so you can get your stress score down.

As can be seen from the image above the metric consists of Responsiveness, Exertion Balance and Sleep Patterns. The first looks at your heart rate data and electrodermal activity to determine whether you are showing a “fight or flight response”. The second takes into account fatigue caused by physical activity, the third your sleep.

Other Fitbit devices are getting the stress score

Sense was the only Fitbit with this type of functionality until the unveiling of Luxe a few days ago. The wearable does not have a galvanic skin sensor but it still offers a stress score. This is based on your activity levels, sleep and heart rate. So the only difference as compared to Sense is that the Responsiveness metric does not take into account electrodermal activity when using the EDA Scan app.

Essential reading: Best fitness trackers and health gadgets

The good news is that the metric is coming to older devices. In a press release, Fitbit states that the Stress Management Score will soon be available on Charge 4, Inspire 2, Luxe, Sense, Versa 2 and Versa 3. Most would agree, this will be a welcome addition for an even better health and fitness tracking experience.

The firmware update should start rolling out soon. If you have one of these devices you might want to keep an eye out for it.

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As we go about our day we experience the world around us. Some days are great, others not so much. All this can take toll on our wellbeing. This is why its important to monitor your stress and emotions.

Essential reading: Ten stress busting wearables to help you chill

The appropriately named Upmood Watch is a new wearable that continuously monitors your biodata to figure out how you’re feeling. The gizmo detects your stress levels, vitality levels and emotions. The Hong Kong startup says it can do this by keeping tabs on your heart rate and heart rate variability through a PPG sensor with an unprecedented level of accuracy. Algorithms then turn the raw pulsewave data into actionable analytics.

All this essentially allows you to understand yourself on a deeper level. The 11 emotional states that are tracked include anxious, calm, challenged, confused, excited, happy, tensed, pleasant, sad, unpleasant and zen. Knowing this in real-time can potentially help you identify triggers.

The stress tracking display places you in one of four categories: Low, Mild, Normal and High. The app also features and music player that selects optimum sounds for boosting productivity, focus, relaxation and more.

Other than that, there is basic fitness and sleep tracking.  You can connect with loved ones via the accompanying smartphone app and view their mood or share your updates within the ‘mood feed’. The app also tracks your vitals over time, empowering you to take better care of your health.

The wearable sounds very much like SenceBand, another crowdfunded emotion-tracking wearable. It also reminds a bit of the recently announced Amazon Halo. But that one will listen to the tone of your voice to figure out social and emotional wellbeing.

The wearable has been some two years in the making and was showcased at CES 2020 in January. If all goes well with manufacturing, a $90 pledge is what it takes to have one of these on your wrist at the end of the year.

Price: $90 and up

Funding open:

$16,456 raised out of $5,160 goal
35 days to go

Estimated delivery: December 2020

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The post Upmood Watch: make tracking your daily emotional health a no-brainer appeared first on Gadgets & Wearables.