Do Smartwatches Really Help You Move More, Lose Weight, and Improve Sleep?

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Smartwatches and fitness trackers have become common accessories. You’ll spot them on athletes’ wrists and on people who simply want to move more or fix their sleep patterns. Sports enthusiasts who frequent platforms like parimatch canada often wear smartwatches to track their activity throughout the day.

Can Smartwatches Increase Your Activity?

Research shows that activity trackers help people add about 40 minutes of movement daily and roughly 1,800 extra steps. This reduces risks of heart disease and diabetes. However, the motivation doesn’t always last.

Studies found that smartwatches increased daily steps and improved endurance, but the most noticeable results appeared within the first three months. After that, activity levels dropped. Nearly all models can remind you to move every 30 minutes, which helps if you sit a lot.

Weight Loss and Workout Benefits

People with excess weight might lose some pounds by increasing activity through smartwatch use. Several studies show positive results:

Wearing pedometers reduced body mass index by 0.38 kg/m².
People using smartwatches lost 1.97 kg after three months compared to 1.1 kg without devices.
Women benefited more than men in achieving lower BMI values.

Study participants might have pushed harder because they didn’t want to disappoint researchers though.

For workouts, smartwatches track heart rate, which helps you adjust exercise intensity. They also show whether you’re recovering properly by monitoring elevated heart rate at night.

Why Complete Reliance Is Risky

Smartwatches measure heart rate and steps well, but struggle with other metrics. Common problems include:

Activity time overestimated by 18-89 minutes.
Calorie expenditure errors of 14-21%.
Sleep duration inflated by about 10%.
Blood pressure measurements remain unreliable.

Research found that 65% of users increased activity after buying a smartwatch, but many chased app rewards or compared themselves to others instead of focusing on health. The most active users often mentioned guilt and shame as motivation, which damages long-term commitment.

To avoid disappointment, start with smaller targets like 2,200 steps daily instead of 7,000-10,000. Stay skeptical about data accuracy and trust your body. If comparing yourself to others causes stress, turn off that feature.