How to Get Healthy With Your Apple Watch

Apple has often promoted the health-related abilities of the Apple Watch. It's offered video testimonials from people who say the smartwatch saved or improved their lives, and each new version of the Apple Watch introduces apps and options designed with health in mind.

The Apple Watch Series 4, 5, and 6, for example, come with an ECG app that can take an electrocardiogram of your heart rhythm. They're also equipped with a fall-detection app that can contact emergency services if you're unresponsive after a fall. All versions of Apple Watch include a heart rate monitor and Health app that can display your health profile and Medical ID.

With watchOS 6, Apple added a Noise app to monitor the surrounding noise level and a Cycle Tracking app to help monitor menstrual cycles. Apple unveiled its own sleep tracking app and a handwashing timer with watchOS 7. Now the Apple Watch Series 6 has an oximeter to check your blood oxygen level. Here’s how you can get healthy with an Apple Watch.

View Your Health Information

Through the Health app on your iPhone, you can enter health information about yourself and view it on your watch. To set this up, open the Health app on your iPhone and tap the profile picture in the upper-right corner.

Tap the link for Health Profile to add your gender, blood type, and other data. Go back and tap the link for Medical ID to enter information about your medical history, conditions, and medications.

To view this information on your watch, Go to Settings > Health. Here, you can tap the entries for Health Profile and Medical ID to see the information you provided.

Monitor Your Heart Rate

With the built-in Heart Rate app, you can monitor your heart rate at any time. Open the app, and it will measure and display your current heart rate. As long as your watch's display is active, measurements are then taken and displayed periodically to record your rate. Tap the arrow in the upper left and the app displays your current rate, your resting rate, your average rate, and specific rates based on your activities.

You'll also discover third-party apps that monitor your heart rate with more features than you'll find in the built-in app.

Take an ECG

If you have an Apple Watch Series 4 or higher, you can take an electrocardiogram (ECG) to check your heart rhythm. It can then alert you if it finds any irregularities, such as atrial fibrillation. If you are experiencing any chest pains or other symptoms, call emergency services, but if you do have a known condition, you can use the app to track your heart rhythm.

Open the Health app on your iPhone and tap Health Data > Heart > Electrocardiogram then go through the setup process. To take an ECG with your Apple Watch, open the ECG app and make sure the watch is on the same wrist on which you set up the feature.

Hold your finger on the Digital Crown. The app will count down as it takes the ECG. After 30 seconds, the results display your sinus rhythm and heart rate. If all is well, tap Done. If not, you can add any symptoms you're experiencing, or contact your doctor or emergency services if you're concerned about something serious.

Protect Your Hearing

Consistent loud noises can damage your ears and even lead to hearing loss. The purpose of the Noise app is to monitor surrounding noise and warn you if sounds are above a safe level.

First set up the decibel threshold via your iPhone or watch and turn on the Environmental Sound Measurements option to begin monitoring noise levels.

From there you can set a decibel level at which you want to be warned if the sound around you gets too loud. Your watch will then notify you if the sound reaches or exceeds the level you set. You can also manually open the Noise app on your watch to check the current decibel level around you.

Track Your Menstrual Cycles

The Cycle Tracking app allows you to track your menstrual cycle. To set this up on your iPhone, open the Health app and tap Browse > Cycle Tracking > Get Started. You will then need to enter the date of your last period, indicate how many days your period usually lasts, and choose the typical length of each cycle.

You can then control features for Period Prediction, Period Notifications, Fertile Window Prediction, Log Fertility, and Log Sexual Activity, all of which can be helpful if you're trying to get (or avoid being) pregnant.

To record and monitor your period, open the Cycle Tracking app on your watch. You can then log your cycle and assign each stage a different color while also noting all the accompanying symptoms. You can even view the predicted length of each cycle.

Detect a Fall

The Apple Watch Series 4 or higher comes with a useful safety feature called Fall Detection. If you take a hard fall that renders you unconscious or unable to move, your watch can automatically call emergency services.

To set this up on your iPhone, open the Watch app, tap the My Watch tab, swipe down, and tap the entry for Emergency SOS. Look for the option for Fall Detection and turn on the switch. If you fall, the watch will alert you. If you fail to respond, the watch will tap your wrist, sound an alarm, and then notify emergency services.

Track Your Sleep

With watchOS 7, Apple finally unveiled its own sleep tracker. The app can help you prepare for sleep, tell you how much actual sleep you got during the night, and reveal your sleeping pattern over a period of time. To set this up, open the Health app on your iPhone. Swipe down the Summary screen and tap the Get Started button for Set Up Sleep. Follow the screens to set your various goals and schedules.

Wear your watch to bed. You can then turn on sleep tracking directly from your iPhone or from the Sleep app on your watch. The next morning, check the sleep data on your iPhone to see how much sleep you got.

Wash Your Hands for 20 Seconds

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, experts recommend washing your hands for 20 seconds to stop germs from spreading. Apple added a handwashing timer in watchOS 7, which detects when your hands are under running water and gives you a timer. If you make it all the way to 20 seconds, you’re rewarded with a thumbs up. Enable the handwashing reminder directly on your watch by going to Settings > Handwashing and turning on the switch for Handwashing Timer.

Measure Your Blood Oxygen Level

A consistently low blood oxygen level could be a sign of respiratory or pulmonary issues. With an Apple Watch Series 6 and watchOS 7 or later, you can measure your level using a built-in app and oximeter, which tells you if you’re getting enough oxygen to your brain.

To set up this sensor, open the Watch app on your iPhone and tap the setting for Blood Oxygen. Make sure the switch for Blood Oxygen Measurements is turned on. You can also control when the sensor takes background readings by enabling or disabling In Sleep Mode and In Theater Mode.

Open the Blood Oxygen app on your watch to take a reading. Make sure your watch is not too low on your wrist and that the band is snug but comfortable. Keep your hand and wrist still during the reading. Tap the Start button to begin the scan. The sensor kicks off with a 15-second countdown and then displays the percentage of your blood oxygen level, which normally should be between 95% and 100%.

Track Workouts and Activities on Apple Watch

Apple Watch can help you stay in shape and track workouts. WatchOS 7 brings four new activity tracking options to the Workout app: dancing, core training, cooldown, and functional strength training. And later this year, Apple expects to launch its at-home fitness service, Fitness+

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