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When the Apple Watch was originally released in 2015, it was pitched as a great watch, an intimate way to communicate, and a comprehensive fitness device. While the original Apple Watch (later renamed Series 0) lacked GPS and was generally a slow device, it has shown dramatic improvements year over year particularly for Apple’s health initiatives.

When Apple released the Series 1 and Series 2 Apple Watches, it added heart rate monitoring for Apple Health. When you enable heart rate monitoring, you  can also turn on heart rate notifications, so you know if your heart rate remains above or below a chosen beats per minute (BPM), or to occasionally check for an irregular heart rhythm. Irregular rhythm notifications are available only with watchOS 5.1.2 or later in certain countries.

With Apple Watch Series 4, Apple added a electrocardiogram monitoring (also known as ECG and EKG). The ECG app on Apple Watch (Series 4 or newer) can record your heartbeat and rhythm using the electrical heart sensor and then check the reading for atrial fibrillation (AFib). It then records that information into the Apple Health app.

Since the release of Apple Watch, there have been countless stories of people’s lives being saved by the health advancements in Apple Watch and Apple’s Health initiatives.

Apple Watch ECG

If you have an Apple Watch Series 4 or newer, here’s a how to guide on how to take an ECG.

Apple also includes a Health app on the iPhone where it easy to learn about your health and start reaching your goals. It consolidates data from iPhone, Apple Watch, and third-party apps in one place.

Top Stories on Apple Health

More than seven hours of daily screen time is harmful; costs US $73B a year

Too much screen time is harmful | People using laptops and smartphones on shared table

A new study says that more than seven hours a day of daily screen time is harmful to our health, and the cost of this to the US economy adds up to $73B a year.

Eye-strain, muscle fatigue, neck pain, sleep interference, and even damage to our musculoskeletal system can result from spending too much time in front of a screen, says the report …

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Here’s how and why you should set up cardio fitness on Apple Watch and iPhone

How to set up Cardio Fitness on Apple Watch and iPhone

One of the valuable, and lesser-known health features of Apple Watch is cardio fitness. The measurement is based on your VO2 max which Apple Watch can estimate when recording three specific workouts. Follow along for a look at how to use cardio fitness on Apple Watch and iPhone including why it’s important, how to set it up, and how to measure/view cardio fitness levels.

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Here’s why HRV is important and how can you track it with Apple Watch and iPhone

Use HRV with Apple Watch iPhone

HRV is a valuable health metric that’s measured by Apple Watch, however, there’s no native integration in watchOS or iOS to better understand and make use of the data – leaving that to third-party apps. Below we’ll cover what HRV is, why it’s important, and how to record and use HRV with Apple Watch and iPhone.

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Expand your Apple Health data with these smart blood pressure monitors

Over the years, Apple has vastly expanded the Health app on iPhone with ways to track weight, fitness, and much more. Earlier this year, we broke down the best smart scales for syncing weight with an iPhone. And with iPadOS 17, the Health app is also now on iPad.

Another measurement that can integrate with Apple’s Health app is blood pressure. Here are some of the current options on the market for syncing blood pressure with the Health app on your iPhone.

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How my Apple Watch helped me stop stressing about insomnia

Stop stressing about insomnia | Pre-sunrise in London

A chance decision made early next year turned out to pay dividends some 18 months later: An Apple Watch worn overnight proved incredibly helpful when dealing with a bout of insomnia.

Specifically, it helped me through a common vicious circle with insomnia: You can’t sleep, you get stressed about the fact that you’re not sleeping, which makes it harder to fall asleep …

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Mental health summit at Apple Park hears from Tim Cook, Jill Biden, singer Rosé [Video]

APEC mental health summit | Tim Cook and Jill Biden in the Steve Jobs Theater

Apple CEO Tim Cook hosted a mental health summit in the Steve Jobs Theater on Friday, introducing keynote speakers first lady Dr Jill Biden, Korean singer Rosé, and US surgeon general Dr Vivek Murthy. Dr Biden referenced the vision of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs in her speech.

Cook’s introduction was interrupted by the failure of his teleprompter, leading him to briefly ad-lib, and seemingly cut short his speech …

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Withings launches Body Pro 2 cellular scale with early diabetes complication detection

Withings Body Pro 2

Smart health – and Apple Health – device leader Withings launched its new high-end consumer smart scale Body Scan in September. Now, the company is back with its next innovation in the commercial smart scale market. Coming with cellular connectivity and a modular design, the Body Pro 2 allows healthcare providers to help patients “manage chronic conditions,” with the first one being early detection for diabetes complications.

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Oklahoma woman credits Apple Watch for saving her life after leading to diabetes diagnosis

Apple Watch Heart Rate app watchOS 10

Apple Watch is equipped with a heart rate monitor and the ability to detect Afib, and sometimes those can lead to lifesaving discoveries. Ahead of World Diabetes Day on November 14, Judith Luebke of Oklahoma, who credits the Apple Watch with saving her life, has shared her story of how the watch helped lead to her diabetes diagnosis two years ago.

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The first Apple Watch was supposed to launch with blood sugar monitoring; the health battle within Apple

Apple Watch blood sugar monitoring app

A new report based on interviews with insiders says the very first Apple Watch was originally supposed to launch with non-invasive blood sugar monitoring. Indeed, it says, this was intended to be the device’s headline feature.

The piece also reveals battles within the company over how far the company’s health ambitions should go, with some criticising it for targeting the “worried well” rather than those who most need health tech …

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Early Apple Journal hands-on says it doesn’t challenge third-party apps

Apple Journal hands-on | Screengrab and sunrise

Apple’s new Journal app is now available in the developer beta of iOS 17.2, ahead of a public beta coming soon, and official launch later this year. But an early Apple Journal hands-on says that the mental health feature is unlikely to pose any threat to existing third-party journaling apps – at least, in its current form.

A longtime Day One user found that Apple’s app is extremely basic – so much so that he at first wondered whether he was missing something …

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