Between January and June this year, 46% of Americans used at least one type of consumer health technology, while 35% wore a smartwatch regularly (Healthcare Dive, 2023). This heightened interest has paved the way for products like the VeRelief from US meditech company Hoolest. Designed to reduce stress, users press the small device against their neck or wrist when they feel nervous or anxious, and the wearable starts a vibrating motion that provides instant calming relief. The VeRelief functions by stimulating the vagus nerve, which some scientists say can be beneficial for relaxation. See Wearable Wellness in Mobile World Congress 2023 for more vagus nerve stimulation devices.
At its developers conference in June, Apple announced new health features focusing on mental wellbeing. A new app enables Apple Watch wearers to write in a digital journal and keep track of how their moods vary throughout the day. The collected data helps users gain a clearer picture of how their mental health is developing over time. Additionally, watches can now track how many hours of natural light the person is exposed to each day, which has a direct correlation to improved mood levels.
Meanwhile, the mood- and sleep-tracking Oura Ring has released a feature called Circles, which lets wearers share their sleep and activity scores with their friends. It taps into users’ social support groups and encourages shared discussions on mood-balancing methods, which research has shown to be an effective way of increasing stress resilience. See The Brief for more of Oura’s initiatives.
For further insights, read Alleviating the Mental Health Crisis and Advancing MedTech.
Health-Tech Wearables Tackle Mood & Stress Management
Published 03 July 2023
As we discuss in CES 2023: Personal Electronics and Feel-Good Tech, consumers are turning to health-tech wearables that measure and boost their moods, weaving these data-led devices into the fabric of their daily routines.
Between January and June this year, 46% of Americans used at least one type of consumer health technology, while 35% wore a smartwatch regularly (Healthcare Dive, 2023). This heightened interest has paved the way for products like the VeRelief from US meditech company Hoolest. Designed to reduce stress, users press the small device against their neck or wrist when they feel nervous or anxious, and the wearable starts a vibrating motion that provides instant calming relief. The VeRelief functions by stimulating the vagus nerve, which some scientists say can be beneficial for relaxation. See Wearable Wellness in Mobile World Congress 2023 for more vagus nerve stimulation devices.
At its developers conference in June, Apple announced new health features focusing on mental wellbeing. A new app enables Apple Watch wearers to write in a digital journal and keep track of how their moods vary throughout the day. The collected data helps users gain a clearer picture of how their mental health is developing over time. Additionally, watches can now track how many hours of natural light the person is exposed to each day, which has a direct correlation to improved mood levels.
Meanwhile, the mood- and sleep-tracking Oura Ring has released a feature called Circles, which lets wearers share their sleep and activity scores with their friends. It taps into users’ social support groups and encourages shared discussions on mood-balancing methods, which research has shown to be an effective way of increasing stress resilience. See The Brief for more of Oura’s initiatives.
For further insights, read Alleviating the Mental Health Crisis and Advancing MedTech.