Are Wearables Like Oura, Whoop, Apple Watch, and Garmin Accurate?
In recent years, wearable technology has revolutionized the way we track our health and fitness. Devices like the Oura ring, Whoop strap, Apple Watch, and Garmin watches promise to provide insights into calorie expenditure, heart rate variability (HRV), resting heart rate (RHR), sleep duration, and even sleep stages. But how accurate are these wearables? Let’s delve into what research studies have to say about the reliability of these popular devices.
1. Calorie Expenditure
Accuracy: Studies have shown mixed results regarding the accuracy of calorie expenditure data from wearables. A 2017 study published in the Journal of Personalized Medicine found that while devices like the Apple Watch and Garmin provided reasonable estimates, they could still be off by as much as 27-93% depending on the activity.
Best Use: Wearables tend to perform better at tracking relative changes in activity levels rather than providing precise calorie counts. They are more reliable for identifying trends over time rather than exact calorie numbers.
Conclusion: Wearables can give a rough estimate of calorie expenditure, but they should not be relied upon for precise measurements.
2. Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
Accuracy: HRV measurement is crucial for understanding stress and recovery. A 2020 study in Sensors found that wearables like the Whoop and Oura ring provide HRV measurements that correlate reasonably well with gold-standard electrocardiogram (ECG) readings.
Variability: Factors like device placement, user movement, and measurement algorithms can introduce variability in the data.
Conclusion: Wearables offer a convenient and generally accurate way to monitor HRV trends, although they may not match the precision of a chest strap heart monitor with HRV monitoring capabilities.
3. Resting Heart Rate (RHR)
Accuracy: Resting heart rate is one of the metrics where wearables excel. A study published in PLOS ONE in 2017 showed that devices like the Apple Watch and Garmin provided RHR readings closely aligned with those measured by clinical instruments.
Consistency: Wearables typically measure RHR during sleep or periods of inactivity, which helps in capturing accurate and consistent readings.
Conclusion: Wearables are quite reliable for tracking resting heart rate.
4. Sleep Duration
Accuracy: Wearables are generally good at detecting sleep duration. A 2019 study in Nature and Science of Sleep found that devices like the Oura ring and Apple Watch accurately identified sleep and wake periods when compared to polysomnography (PSG), the gold standard for sleep studies.
Use Case: These devices are useful for identifying general sleep patterns and trends over time, though there may be minor discrepancies in total sleep time.
Conclusion: Wearables are generally effective for tracking sleep duration and providing insights into sleep patterns, though slight variations can occur.
5. Sleep Stages
Accuracy: The accuracy of wearables in tracking sleep stages (light, deep, and REM sleep) is less reliable. A 2017 study in Sleep found that while wearables like the Oura ring and Whoop can provide a general idea of sleep architecture, they are often not accurate in correctly identifying sleep stages.
Challenges: Differentiating between sleep stages requires precise measurement of brain activity, which wearables cannot capture.
Conclusion: Wearables can give a rough estimate of sleep stages, but their accuracy is very limited compared to sleep studies.
Overall Verdict
Wearables like the Oura ring, Whoop strap, Apple Watch, and Garmin provide valuable health and fitness insights. While they excel in certain areas such as tracking resting heart rate and sleep duration, they are much less reliable for precise measurements of calorie expenditure and sleep stages. Heart rate variability readings are reasonably accurate but can vary based on several factors.
Practical Use: These devices are excellent for monitoring trends and making relative comparisons over time. They are useful tools for gaining a better understanding of your overall health and adjusting your lifestyle accordingly. However, for precise medical diagnostics or interventions, clinical-grade devices and professional consultations are indispensable.
The Need for Better Sleep Data: Inaccurate sleep staging is a huge drawback of these devices, because they may give you a false sense of security that your sleep quality is good when it is actually quite poor! The importance of getting two hours of deep sleep and two hours of REM sleep per night can not be overstated. For people who have low energy, poor mental focus, metabolic issues, or who are at increased risk for Alzheimer’s Disease, I recommend that we perform a home sleep study that can correctly identify your sleep stages while you are using your wearable and: 1) determine if you are getting the right kind of sleep with healthy sleep stages, and 2) compare your sleep study results to your wearable results on the same night to ascertain whether your wearable monitor is accurate enough for you to use to track your sleep stages or not.
Final Thoughts: Embrace the convenience and insights that wearables offer, but be aware of their limitations. If you are looking to track your health, and improve it so that you feel better now and live a longer, healthier life, please get in touch with me. I would love to work with you to achieve your goals!
