Wearables have come a long way since the first fitness trackers and smartwatches. Yes, they help you stay fit and give you health information in real time. But the latest wearables can also help you maintain healthy habits, too.
We’ve come up with this list of the best wearables to help you achieve your new year’s resolutions with some gentle—or not-so-gentle—prodding.
Hit Your Sleep Goals & Step Count With a Fitness Wearable
If you’ve considered a wearable to help you track sleep and get your steps in, you’ve probably looked into one of the many Fitbits on the market. And while Fitbit does produce wearables for a variety of goals and budgets, you aren’t limited to their designs.
The Veldt smartwatch looks like a classic luxury watch, but it also provides useful data for those who spend lots of time outdoors, like:
- UV exposure
- Temperature
- Ocean wave levels
- Moon phases
But the premium feel and notifications that come via different color lights make it perfect for anyone who wants a wearable that combines design and function.
Athletes may prefer Moov Now, which comes with multiple activity modes like:
- Running
- Cycling
- Swimming
This wearable even “coaches” you with helpful tips like shifting bike gears in order to conserve energy. It also analyzes your form to help you prevent injuries.
Break “Bad” Habits With a Bit of a Shock
Other wearable tech devices are designed to help you break unhealthy habits. If your new year’s resolution is to quit smoking or stop biting your nails, you might be in the market for a Pavlok. This may sound a bit extreme, but the Pavlok emits a gentle electric stimulus to prompt you to change your behavior.
Don’t worry: you can choose a vibration or sound trigger instead, if the electrical impulse is a little too intense for you. The Pavlok also comes with a sleep tracker and a silent alarm clock.
If you want to track your alcohol intake and get some info on how it may be affecting things like your sleep, you could consider the BACtrack Skyn. This is a wearable alcohol monitor that tracks your alcohol intake via sweat sensors.
While it’s currently only available for research, their mobile breathalyzer performs a similar function and connects to your smartphone to help you become more mindful of your drinking habits.
Improve Your Posture Using a Posture Corrector
Posture correctors have been around for a while, but until recently most of your options were fabric back braces. The Upright Go is a wearable device that you attach directly to your skin with an adhesive. It sits between your shoulder blades and encourages you to sit up straight by vibrating when you slouch.
You can connect it to your smartphone via Bluetooth to adjust the vibration pattern and set daily posture goals. Reviews of the Upright Go say that it’s subtle enough that people around you won’t notice when you’ve got it on, and you may even forget you’re wearing it yourself.
Practice Your Listening With Smart Earbuds
Learning a language is a popular new year’s resolution, and wearable tech devices can help with that, too. The Pilot Smart Earbuds are the most advanced “hearables,” and can translate up to 15 languages in real-time. They have different modes for conversation and listening/interpretation, with downloadable transcripts that you can study later.
Alternately, you can get smart earbuds like the Nuheara IQbuds² MAX, which allow you to customize your soundscape for a variety of content types and environments, helping you eliminate distractions and focus on what you’re listening to.
Monitor Your Meditation With New Tech
There are no shortage of meditation apps available these days, but the Muse 2 headset goes one step further. It monitors your:
- Heart rate
- Breath
- Brainwaves
All of this allows you to keep track of your progress and develop an ongoing meditation habit.
Its EEG sensors can tell whether you have a “calm” mind or “busy” mind, and can adjust what you’re hearing based on your brain state. You can choose from guided meditations and soundscapes, and view detailed graphs of each meditation.
Wearable tech devices are more than just a fashion accessory. Whether you want to be more active, more productive, or you just want to calm down and relax, wearable tech can help you achieve your new year’s resolutions—and stick to them year-round.
