Blood Pressure Apple Watch

The major update of BreathNow blood pressure app is out!

What is Blood Pressure Apple Watch?

The title of this post is one of the most popular search topics on the internet related to health and Apple technology. No wonder. Apple Watch Series 7 is packed with health features and many happy owners are still trying to learn how to use them. This post unpacks key blood pressure Apple Watch features related to heart health and an easy way to use them to reduce heart health risks.

The new version of BreathNow blood pressure app for iPhone is designed with the latest Apple Watch Series 7 heart health features in mind. Using the latest technology to reduce heart health risks can be tricky and the new version of iPhone blood pressure app BreathNow makes it easy for everyone.

We preserved the original functionality of BreathNow blood pressure app which is loved by tens of thousands of users:

- Track and lower blood pressure with slow breathing and meditation

- Measure heart rate and stress with iPhone’s camera and reduce them with exercises

How exactly does the release of the BreathNow app benefit my health?

Blood pressure app for Apple Watch BreathNow identifies potential heart health risks, i.e. elevated resting heart rate, elevated blood pressure or irregular heart rhythm from user data stored securely in Apple Health, alerts a user and suggests potential actions. From reducing blood pressure or heart rate with slow breathing, meditation or other relaxation activities, to advising to get in touch with your medical provider if the user's Apple Watch Series 7 identifies irregular heart rhythm (atrial fibrillation, or Afib) or low blood oxygen.

Blood pressure Apple Watch app BreathNow also alerts you if you miss your daily step target. If you use a wearable which tracks your sleep, i.e. Apple Watch Series 7, BreathNow will also alert you if you miss your target sleep hours. And, as a bonus, you can check a daily compilation of easily digestible heart health research news on one screen!

iPhone blood pressure app BreathNow includes a broad set of video guides for healthy heart living, slow breathing guides, meditations, calming music and more. Many of these video guides will help you to feel better just after a few minutes. BreathNow also helps users to lower anxiety and stress and fall asleep faster. Without medications. Insights graph shows which activities provide the most positive impact.

Who may benefit from using the new version of BreathNow?

Everyone who cares about their heart being healthy will benefit from using BreathNow. Blood pressure Apple Watch app BreathNow will be especially useful for those experiencing anxiety and/or elevated blood pressure.

In many situations these conditions may be alleviated with the help of calming activities: slow breathing, meditations, calming music, stretching etc. One can measure heart rate and stress changes with the iPhone's camera right in the app before and after an activity.

We encourage users to discuss with their medical providers how to integrate BreathNow better into their overall treatment plans. Users can also share their progress from the app with their doctors remotely in a very easy way.

How is BreathNow different from other heart health apps?

Most heart health apps provide just tracking functionality for heart rate, blood pressure, steps etc. There are other apps which provide general guidance for breathing, meditation, etc. And then there are apps which focus on exercise workouts. BreathNow is different because it complements heart health tracking functionality with specific tools to lower anxiety, heart rate and blood pressure right in the app.

Does BreathNow replace my medical provider?

Absolutely not! BreathNow blood pressure app for Apple Watch is not a medical tool. It does not provide medical advice or suggests a medical treatment. BreathNow can complement a treatment process as directed by a medical professional and we strongly recommend BreathNow users to discuss with their doctors how to use BreathNow in a better way for their specific situations. How to check your blood pressure properly? It is explained on our YouTube channel dedicated to blood pressure Apple Watch app BreathNow.

How did you choose heart health risks in BreathNow?

We chose resting heart rate, elevated systolic blood pressure, daily steps, sleep hours and irregular heart rhythm as heart health risk factors in BreathNow blood pressure app for iPhone because these factors are highlighted by most heart health research organizations AND because they can be measured with the help of Apple technology.

For example, the American Heart Association provides specific guidelines for healthy blood pressure readings [1]. The absolute resting heart rate of a healthy adult may vary between 60-100 beats per minute [2]. However variation from your usual resting heart rate may mean an illness so it is important to learn your normal heart rate and monitor its variations.

Same applies to your daily steps and sleep hours. Hence you can set different alert levels for heart health risk areas within iPhone blood pressure app BreathNow. Please talk to your doctor about heart health factors specific for your situation and discuss how BreathNow could help you to address them better.

What is the science behind BreathNow breathing to lower blood pressure?

Breathing exercises and meditations have an ancient history and are closely connected to yoga practice. Modern science has provided an explanation how these exercises help to control our autonomous nervous system. Generally speaking, slower deeper breathing with longer exhales stimulates our parasympathetic nervous system, responsible for ‘rest and digest’ behavior. These exercises calm us. Same applies to meditations.

Faster and shallower breathing with shorter exhales stimulate a sympathetic nervous system, responsible for ‘fight or flight” behavior. These exercises make us more alert. To learn more about the science behind breathing exercises watch this expert interview [3] or read our blog at www.dmitrikonash.com/blog .

How does BreathNow measure stress?

We use the so-called Heart Rate Variation (HRV) method to measure changes in stress level between two consecutive heart rate measurements. HRV depends on many factors: current health state, recovery after physical exercise, psychological stress, time of day etc. Therefore we do not provide an absolute stress number. Rather we show a change in HRV stress since the previous heart rate measurement and tell whether you have become more calm or alert.

For example, your goal is to get calmer. After you have performed one of the calming breathing exercises, you do not see a change in heart rate or stress level. In this case you may want to increase the time of the exercise or choose another one. Then measure heart rate and stress change again. This process helps to understand what activity works best for you.

Why do you recommend using Reminders in BreathNow?

Like any lifestyle changing activity, calming activities in BreathNow produce positive effects if repeated regularly. We recommend performing most of the activities several times per day and make them a habit. Reminders are one of the most efficient ways to make it happen. Judging by the feedback of our users, they highly value this feature of the app.

Why have you introduced breathing exercises on Apple Watch?

Sometimes you would like to relax, reduce stress and anxiety or lower your blood pressure with slow breathing without attracting too much attention. For example during an important meeting or a heated family discussion. That is where breathing exercises from BreathNow on Apple Watch help. BreathNow on Apple Watch will guide your breathing with a gentle vibration so you do not even need to look at the watch screen.

How can BreathNow help me with better sleep?

Deep Sleep breathing exercise is available for iPhone and Apple Watch. It helps you to fall asleep faster. No need to look at the iPhone screen while performing it. Your iPhone will guide your breathing with a pleasant sound or gentle vibration. The Apple Watch also guides your breathing with gentle vibration. No need to switch off the watch after you fall asleep. Your Apple Watch will go to sleep after you do.

What is the BreathNow cardio fitness test?

This test involves a user stepping up one step and then stepping down, repeated for 5 minutes. As the test progresses the guiding voice accelerates step up and step down instructions. A user measures his or her heart rate at the beginning and at the end of the test with the phone's camera and BreathNow calculates an approximate value of the user's so-called VO2Max. VO2Max has been shown [4] to be the single best predictor of all-cause mortality. This test was developed by the scientists from the University of Cambridge. You can learn more about this test here [5].

How does BreathNow alert me to an Irregular Heart Rhythm (Afib)?

Atrial fibrillation (Afib) occurs when the heart beats in an irregular pattern. If untreated, Afib can cause blood to clot in the heart. This can lead to stroke, heart failure or other complications.

Your Apple Watch Series 7 can notify you if it sees your heart beating with an irregular rhythm that may be atrial fibrillation. This means that this alert works only if you wear an Apple Watch and this function is enabled in the Apple Watch settings on your iPhone. If you get an alert about Irregular Heart Rhythm please let your medical provider know about this as soon as possible.

Can BreathNow take my blood pressure readings?

Many users ask this blood pressure monitor app question. Currently (May 2023) NONE of the mobile apps available on the market, BreathNow included, allow to take blood pressure readings without an external blood pressure monitor. The Apple Watch Series 7 doesn’t take blood pressure readings either. You need to use either a Bluetooth enabled blood pressure monitor to download your readings into Apple Health automatically, or enter readings into the BreathNow app manually.

Is BreathNow a Free Blood Pressure App for iPhone?

Many of the features of BreathNow are free, i.e. measuring heart rate, tracking blood pressure, some of the activities, heart health alerts, cardio fitness test. Please subscribe to our Pro version to enjoy the full functionality of the app and all activities. You can also sign-up for a free limited time Trial subscription and explore premium features at no cost. If you are not happy with the premium version of the app, you can unsubscribe at any time.

How is my data used?

Your health data are stored securely in your Apple Health account. We will not share this data with anyone without asking explicitly for your permission. If you are taking the cardio fitness test, you may choose to share your data anonymously with the University of Cambridge to contribute to heart health research.

Summary

New version of BreathNow blood pressure app for Apple Watch expands the capability of the app beyond blood pressure/stress tracking and reduction and makes it a convenient tool to lower heart health risks

If you own Apple Watch the new version of BreathNow makes very easy to benefit from the extensive heart health features of this beautiful piece of technology.

Update May 2023: We added stress monitor to the BreathNow blood pressure app for Apple Watch. Now you can quickly check your stress changes over the last 30 days on your Apple Watch and also see how your stress has changed between the two consequent measurements.

References:

1. Understanding Blood Pressure Readings, American Heart Association

2. Heart rate. What is Normal, Mayo Clinic

3. Breathe to lower blood pressure, Expert Interview

4. Maximal Oxygen Consumption for Health and Performance, VO2Master.com

5. Home Step Test Instructions, University of Cambridge