ASK LOTTIE

“Do you think I need a wearable to track and therefore improve my health?”

Whilst wearables can be helpful in some situations, they're not a necessity and certainly won't be the silver bullet.

Smartwatches can genuinely be useful for certain types of exercise eg. if you're running or cycling and are aiming for a certain distance/pace, following a particular route, or being guided by steps from a pre-planned session. 

With that being said, constant exposure to metrics such as heart rate, recovery, steps, sleep, and stress can pull us out of our bodies and into our heads. It can also lead to obsessing over numbers, ironically stressing over your poor stress score, or losing sleep over a poor sleep score! This is where lower-touch wearables like Whoop or Oura can be favourable, as the data isn't constantly visible on your wrist. It's also worth remembering that wearables aren't 100% accurate.

Gentle nudges to move during the day can support healthy habits, as long as they don't create pressure or guilt. A wearable isn't the only way to get these reminders though - you can add reminders to your phone, stick a note by the kettle to prompt you to do a few squats whilst waiting for it to boil, or put your trainers by the door 

In my opinion, improving health means becoming more in tune and in sync with your own body, and you don't need to spend hundreds on a device to do this. There's also a mindset trap: the “If I get the watch, then I'll be healthier.” In reality, no single gadget is going to transform your health. What actually makes the difference are those small, consistent commitments: planning meals, putting your phone away in the early evening, getting outside daily for a walk, switching to decaf in the afternoon, showing up to move your body even when motivation is low.

Whilst wearables can support these habits by raising awareness of certain health metrics, you're the only one who can actually action any changes. No device (even the really fancy ones) can do the work for you. 

Lottie x