Get the latest tech news

Smartwatches and rings make health a game; the challenge is being ready to lose

Fitness watches encourage healthier choices. But when health stats like HRV are "poor" no matter what you do, it's hard to accept.

That's a better approach, but even then, AI-backed apps like Samsung Health may encourage you to set improvement goals and praise you for beating your past self in areas like RHR or weight — or shame you for slacking off. 29ms is above average for me, but would be a bad sign for someone else (Image credit: Michael Hicks / Android Central)Since Ultrahuman gave me concrete evidence of a possible problem, I went into competitive "fix this" mode. Since low HRVs are associated with poor physical health and excess alcohol, I spent 2024 losing weight, cutting back on drinking, and running and rucking a healthy amount every month.

Get the Android app