Technology seems to move so fast and it can help us in so many ways. In recent years, wearable devices – such as watches and rings – have become incredibly helpful in terms of tracking your heart rate, sending you notifications for better sleep or getting in steps, and even helping with sleep tracking.

But not all wearable devices are created equal. Continue reading to learn about the differences between different types of wearable technology and how they might impact your health. 

What Is A Smart Ring Fitness Tracker? These Wearable Devices Act As A Fitness Tracker Right On Your Finger

It makes sense that if you’ve got a smartphone, a smart home, and a smart car, that smart jewelry was just around the corner. Smart rings are the newest and most cutting-edge devices in wearable tech.

Whether you’re looking to track the patterns of your heart rate or find an app that features a step counter, smart rings are helpful, sleek, and discreet. Wireless charging makes smart rings convenient and easy to use as well.

You can usually link your ring device to your smartphone, computer, or other health apps and even the cloud. Customizing your notifications can actually be like tying a bit of string around your finger to remember important events and information. 

But smart rings can do so much more than simply send you notifications as reminders. They can help you track your sleep and other health habits too.

Sleep Tracking With Your Smart Ring Fitness Technology

Many people seem to believe that sleep is a passive experience. But the truth is, sleep is an extremely important aspect of good health. Your brain uses the focused time without distractions to tend to a number of biophysical activities. These sleep tasks are not only beneficial to your health, they’re necessary for survival.¹ 

Think about the nights you lay awake or toss and turn. Don’t you feel a little hazy the next day? That’s because how well you sleep really impacts the way your brain functions. A healthy night of sleep can support “brain plasticity.” This is your brain’s ability to take in stimuli and communicate to your body how to adapt to it. If you don’t get the right amount of sleep, you’ll have trouble processing what you learned during the day’s waking hours. ²

There is also research out there that points to your brain cells using deep sleep as a time to rid themselves of waste products. They don’t do as good a job when your brain is active. ³There are a few other risks when it comes to not getting enough sleep. You need to sleep well in order to fend off low moods, high blood pressure, and even headaches. When people don’t get enough sleep, their health risks rise. Plus, lack of sleep is sometimes linked to compromised immunity or a slowed metabolic rate. ⁴

So, your brain is helping to take care of all of the above when you sleep by sending messages to your body. A smart ring can help read the signs of a functioning brain and body. These signs can be anything from your temperature to your heart rate. Smart rings can relay this information to you when you get up in the morning. This way, you know how you did and if you need to adjust any of your behaviors to compensate for a lack of sleep.

Fitness Tracking Through Your Smart Ring

Beyond tracking your sleep, fitness-minded smart rings help chart out other health data. Again, your heart rate is readable. Smart rings might be able to help you recognize a health issue before it occurs. 

Furthermore, there are several studies that show how effective certain behavior change strategies can be. Those studies point to the success of those who tend to stick to a healthy regimen of physical activity by setting goals and sticking to them. ⁵

Many fitness trackers allow you to connect to social media and share your achievements. Studies support the idea that people learn from watching others achieve their goals. Feeling connected to a community of like-minded fitness enthusiasts (at any level of fitness) can help hold you accountable so you maintain your regimen and achieve your fitness goals. Perhaps surprisingly, this kind of support can be especially useful to older adults trying to up their fitness efforts. ⁶

How Do Smart Ring Fitness Trackers Work?

Well, it’s really similar to your smart car or a wireless speaker — smart rings use Bluetooth technology. This means they can essentially “communicate” with other smart devices within a certain range (usually around 300 feet).

One thing some of your other smart devices have that many smart rings don’t have is a screen. But rings use Bluetooth within their immediate environment to send notifications or help you accomplish a certain exercise or fitness task.

As with any product, not all smart rings are created equal, so you definitely want to do your due diligence when it comes to wearable technology brands. Some smart ring tracker devices will have buttons, others operate based on hand gestures.

What Are Some Of The Major Pros And Cons Of Fitness Tracker Smart Rings? 

As with any new product, there are positives and negatives. Let’s start with the positive (since it’s more fun). Most smart rings have been carefully and thoughtfully designed to be waterproof and weatherproof. So you don’t have to worry about going for a swim with tech on your finger.

Setting up the fitness apps and getting your ring to start tracking your health is pretty easy. Like wireless speakers, you should be able to connect it to your nearest Bluetooth devices and the ring will take care of a lot of its own set-up. Of course, you can customize them by loading your favorite health and fitness apps and customizing notifications and tasks. 

Sizing is generally flexible. Some rings are adjustable. Others are sold per size. Again, just do your research. 

As far as cons go, there aren’t many. You will have to regularly clean your ring. And some brands are only compatible with certain other brands. For example, some rings will only work with your apple watch or other apple devices. Others are more universal. 

Just make sure to check compatibility before you purchase your new piece of wearable technology. 

Tips And Tricks For Using Your Smart Ring: Using A Smartphone Or Tablet, Wireless Charging, And More

When it comes to pairing your smart ring tracker with apps, your smart ring will usually be loaded with a few brand-specific apps. Make sure to add the fitness apps you want if they’re not already downloaded on your ring. Of course, you’ll need to pair the phone with your other smart devices to make the most of your purchase.

And you can usually link your ring to your social media accounts or other apps to get notifications. So, you can be alerted to your friends’ latest fitness posts and get notified when you reach a special fitness goal. 

Wrapping It All Up: Smart Rings For Fitness

When purchasing any piece of wearable technology, it’s important to decide which features will work best for you and do your research. There’s nothing worse than forking over your hard-earned cash, only to discover your purchase doesn’t have the features you were most looking forward to. 

There are lots of different styles of smart ring tracker devices, too. Some are quite discreet and look like a regular ring. Others clearly look like technology. So decide what suits your lifestyle before you spend.

Just remember, fun devices like smart rings are supposed to make your life easier. So, if you pick something too complicated or something that doesn’t have a long enough battery life, you may end up frustrated — or worse, you might not wear it at all. 

On the other hand, if you research your desired device, you could end up being the first in your circle of friends to show off something that will likely become commonplace. Enjoy being the first to bring this wearable tech home.

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Sources:
1. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-science-of-sleep-understanding-what-happens-when-you-sleep
2. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-science-of-sleep-understanding-what-happens-when-you-sleep
3. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-science-of-sleep-understanding-what-happens-when-you-sleep
4. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-science-of-sleep-understanding-what-happens-when-you-sleep
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5225122/
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5225122/