The rise of wearable health trackers has brought with it a new set of challenges for many users. While these devices are designed to improve our well-being, they can sometimes have the opposite effect, leading to increased anxiety and stress. In this article, I will explore the reasons behind this phenomenon and offer some insights into how we can better manage our relationship with these devices.
The Power of Prediction and the Brain's Role
Our brains are incredibly efficient at processing information, and one of the ways they do this is through prediction. We constantly generate and update a mental model of our environment, comparing our predictions to the sensory information we receive. This process is known as prediction error, and it helps us interpret noisy sensory information quickly and accurately.
For example, when we feel our phone vibrate, we expect an important message, and our brains predict what the message might be. Similarly, our brains predict what our bodily states should be, such as our pulse, temperature, and breathing. When sensory information arrives that doesn't match our expectations, our brains generate a prediction error, alerting us to the mismatch.
Wearable Health Trackers and the Mismatch of Expectations
Wearable health trackers can be useful for monitoring activity levels, sleep quality, and heart rate. However, for some users, these devices can lead to increased anxiety and stress. This is because the readings from these devices can sometimes go against our expectations, leading to a prediction error.
For instance, the man who felt great after a long hike but then experienced instant panic when he glanced at his smartwatch with a heart rate of 130 beats per minute is not alone. Some users have found that their wearable health tracker increased their anxiety so much that they had to stop wearing it.
The Role of Anxiety and Hypervigilance
My research suggests that people prone to anxiety may be particularly at risk of experiencing increased anxiety and stress from wearable health trackers. This is because people with anxiety tend to pay close attention to their internal bodily signals, and wearable devices can amplify this hypervigilance.
In a study on people with atrial fibrillation, heart rate trackers were linked to more frequent symptom-checking and higher anxiety. A larger study involving a random sample of about 500 smartwatch users found a similar pattern, with people reporting feeling anxious when their physiological data looked abnormal.
The Bi-Directional Link Between Anxiety and Attention to Bodily States
The relationship between anxiety and attention to bodily states is bi-directional. Paying more attention to bodily states can increase anxiety, and anxiety can increase attention to bodily states, creating a negative loop. This loop can be amplified by wearable devices, leading to a cycle of worry and seeking reassurance.
Moderation is Key
As with many things in life, moderation is key. If you find yourself worrying about your data more than your well-being, try an experiment: leave the watch off for a day or hide the data so you're not receiving constant feedback about your body. Notice how your body feels without the tracking, and you might discover that sometimes trusting what you feel is better.
In conclusion, while wearable health trackers can be useful, they can also lead to increased anxiety and stress for some users. By understanding the role of prediction and the brain's role in processing information, we can better manage our relationship with these devices and find moderation in our use of them.
