Smartwatches Hold New Promise to Detect Disease and Improve Health

February 09, 2026

Close up of hand touching smartwatch with health app on the screen

Today’s smartwatches, rings and other wearable fitness trackers do much more than count steps and miles. They also track sleep patterns, heart rate, calories and blood oxygen levels.

Wearable technology is advancing quickly and shows great promise for improving health, fitness and wellness. There are now smart earrings that resemble fine jewelry, but monitor blood flow to the head and measure sleep, temperature and menstrual cycles. In recent years, wearables are being used to track conditions like AFib (atrial fibrillation), an irregular heart rhythm that can lead to stroke. Other wearables can track high and low blood pressure.

Looking for smart glasses that can display your heart rate and other health information? They have those, too. There’s also smart clothing that tracks heart and breathing rates for fitness and medical uses.

The Rising Popularity of Wearable Tech

“It’s increasingly common for patients to come into our office with a smartwatch or smart ring and ask questions about their device’s findings,” says Chad Raymond, DO, preventive cardiologist and Director of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program at University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute.

Dr. Raymond says the basic features of these devices — such as tracking activity, heart rate, calories burned and sleep — are helpful for many people. For example, wearables can help increase the intensity of a workout, maximize target heart rates and stay on track with fitness goals.

For better quality sleep, data on sleep stages, heart rate changes and blood oxygen levels can help you understand your sleep patterns and make improvements.

“For someone who has occasional but concerning heart symptoms, like heart palpitations or drops in blood pressure that cause fainting, wearable devices can be very helpful,” Dr. Raymond says. This is especially true when traditional heart monitors have not captured these symptoms. He adds that some wearables can be as helpful as Holter monitors and other traditional heart-monitoring devices for certain needs.

Wearable Tech and Anxiety

Dr. Raymond warns that wearable devices can sometimes cause information overload. This can lead to anxiety. Wearables can also cause alert fatigue, which may lead to ignoring important warnings.

“Extra anxiety, alert fatigue and mistrust can reduce how helpful these devices are,” he says. “I often suggest patients stop or limit use if their device is causing more stress than benefit.”

Not a Replacement for Doctors

While research is ongoing, there is still a large gap between collecting health data and knowing what to do with it.

“Wearables can collect a lot of information,” says Dr. Raymond. “But without medical training, it can be hard to understand what it means.” He explains that a medical professional is needed to interpret the data. Vital signs like heart rate, oxygen levels and sleep patterns depend on a person’s health history, medical conditions and environment.

What Does the Future Hold for Wearable Tech?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing the potential for wearable devices. For example, a 2022 study found an AI-powered Apple Watch app may help detect left-ventricular dysfunction, a type of heart failure. Wearables that track blood sugar levels for people with diabetes are also on the horizon.

Other improvements in wearable continuous blood pressure monitoring could help reduce heart attacks and strokes. About 11 million Americans have high blood pressure and don’t know it, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Researchers are also studying wearables to detect early signs of infection. Changes in heart rate and skin temperature can increase when the body is fighting illness. Some early evidence suggests wearable devices may one day detect early warning signs of diseases like cancer.

“There are many exciting advances ahead in wearable technology,” says Dr. Raymond. “These include more advanced rings and wristbands, wearable pins, smart glasses and smart clothing.”