Did you know that 12% of people who experience a heart attack succumb to it [1]? Even more alarmingly, those under high stress are 2.5 times more likely to have a heart attack [2]. But fear not, affordable technology exists to help mitigate this risk. Enter the Apple Watch and its suite of heart health-related apps.
Before we dive into the nitty-gritty, let's clarify a couple of crucial points.
What's an Electrocardiogram, Anyway?
An electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) is a test that records the timing and strength of the electrical signals that make your heart beat. By examining an ECG, doctors can gain insights into your heart rhythm and look for irregularities.
ECG is the primary tool for doctors to determine if a patient is having a heart attack. They use a 12-lead ECG device, which, despite its name, uses only 10 electrodes. The electrode placement is standardized, with leads on arms, legs, and chest.
Can Your Apple Watch Detect a Heart Attack?
The Apple Watch features an ECG app, but it's based on a single-lead design and isn't suitable for detecting heart attacks.
As Apple puts it: "The ECG app cannot detect a heart attack. If you ever experience chest pain, pressure, tightness, or what you think is a heart attack, call emergency services immediately."
However, the ECG app is still invaluable for detecting atrial fibrillation (AFib), the most common form of serious arrhythmia.
Can Your Apple Watch Detect Stress Levels?
You're probably aware that the Apple Watch measures heart rate. But did you know it can also measure Heart Rate Variability (HRV) [3]? This metric can be used to estimate stress levels.
HRV refers to the fluctuations in time between your heartbeats. These variations are minuscule, adding or subtracting a fraction of a second between beats. They're undetectable except with specialized devices, like your trusty Apple Watch.
When you're stressed or anxious, your sympathetic nervous system kicks in, triggering the fight-or-flight response. Once the stressor subsides, your parasympathetic nervous system takes over, telling your body to relax.
Your Apple Watch can detect through HRV changes whether you're operating under the influence of the sympathetic (stressed) or parasympathetic (relaxed) nervous systems.
Enter BreathNow: Your Pocket Stress Manager
Our app, BreathNow, can make your Apple Watch monitor your HRV (stress level) continuously and notify you when your stress is elevated.
When you receive a 'high stress notification,' BreathNow doesn't just leave you hanging. It immediately offers to launch a relaxation breathing exercise right on your Apple Watch. The app includes several exercises—try them out and find the one that works best for you.
Why do a breathing exercise on your Apple Watch?
For one, it's discreet. You can do it without anyone noticing, perfect for those crowded subway rides or tense board meetings. You can even do the exercises with your hands in your pockets, as gentle vibrations of different frequencies indicate the inhale and exhale cycles.
Don't just take our word for it—check out this 30-second video on YouTube to see how it works. Or better yet, download the BreathNow app and give it a whirl. The stress monitor feature, along with many other features, is free.
While we have your attention, we've just added a free Body Mass Index (BMI) calculator to our website. Give it a try and let us know what you think. We're also open to suggestions for other health calculators you'd like to see on our site.
Stay healthy! Your heart will thank you.
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