The Best IoT Devices for Better Health and Well-Being

Ongoing medical advancements mean people have more opportunities to live healthier and for longer than they did in the relatively recent past. Even so, many of the tips people first heard decades ago for staying healthy still apply today. It’s generally best to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, exercise regularly, get annual checkups and keep stress levels to a minimum. Many of the best Internet of Things (IoT) devices on the market can help people do those things and more. 

Here are some device categories to consider, plus reasons why they could fit into an overall wellness strategy. 

Fitness Trackers

Fitness trackers are among the most widely available IoT products for better health. The Fitbit brand is among the most popular, but there are numerous other possibilities to check out too. 

Besides tracking how much and what people do to stay fit, these products have many other features. 

Some let people listen to music or respond to text messages while working out. Others allow paying for items while out and about. From the wellness side of things, many of these streamlined trackers monitor when people become too stressed. They also make it easier for people to track periods or how many hours they get of sleep per night.

The recently released Whoop Strap 4.0 even has a Health Tracker feature. It tells people whether several indicators are within normal ranges. If not, the gadget provides wearers with several reasons for the abnormalities. That means, individuals can try to take corrective measures first, then talk to their doctors if things don’t improve. 

Fitness trackers are like most other devices in that they have both pros and cons. Studies show that they can encourage people to be more active, for example. However, there’s also evidence that the trackers aren’t always accurate. Even the best IoT devices aren’t perfect. People who want to buy fitness trackers should choose some relevant goals beforehand for the best results. 

Beds and Mattresses

Most people immediately feel the effects of poor-quality sleep. They may have trouble staying focused or notice they become short-tempered. Fortunately, people are not likely to have long-lasting health problems from short periods of sleep difficulties. On the other hand, people are at a higher risk of issues like heart disease and diabetes if insomnia persists.

Smart beds and mattresses include lots of features to help people get and stay comfortable. The ReST Essential Smart Bed offers 64,000 different firmness combinations to give people the precise support and pressure relief they need while slumbering. Smart mattresses typically go on standard bed frames. However, if a person opts to buy a smart bed, it may allow them to use an app to raise or lower parts of their bodies for a customized sleeping position. 

Options also exist that let people control the temperature on each side of the bed. Some models even enable tweaking settings so the warmth or coolness changes on a schedule. Better health comes into play because most of the best IoT devices for better sleep monitor things like heart rate, breathing and how often a person wakes during the night. 

It’s then easier to figure out which factors might cause someone to get improved slumber or worsened sleep quality. It’s easier than people might expect to disrupt sleep. Doing something as seemingly minor as eating at a different time or exercising too late in the day can impact a person’s rest later. 

Stress Relievers

Stress can be a good thing in moderation. It often helps people focus on tasks, feel inspired and see short-term performance boosts. However, when stress levels are too high for too long, they can put individuals at risk for chronic health problems that affect both mental and physical well-being.

Even the best IoT devices can’t turn a perpetually frazzled person continually calm overnight. However, many products can help people go beyond recognizing their stress. They can give them strategies for controlling it. The Muse 2 is a smart headband to promote better meditation. It tracks wearers’ brainwaves, heart, breath and posture during practices. 

Cove is another solution made to use daily for short periods. People use this smart wearable around the neck twice per day for 20 minutes each session. It vibrates to activate a brain pathway linked to calmness. The manufacturers claim people will feel better within about two weeks. Besides the decreased stress, they can look forward to better sleep and mental performance. 

Many of the best IoT products remain vulnerable to cyberattacks after purchase. Keeping connected devices safe from hackers is not as complicated as some people think. It starts with keeping software updated and setting strong passwords. Practicing good cyber-hygiene is an excellent way to stop an IoT stress-relieving device from backfiring and causing a catastrophe. 

Water Bottles

Many people like the idea of using connected devices for better health, and they’d like it if those products helped them develop better habits. Water bottles are among the best IoT devices in those cases. 

These products typically contain sensors that track how much a user drinks throughout the day. Plus, a person can set goals that get them ever-closer to the optimal amount of water they should consume.

Most models glow or vibrate to remind someone when it’s time to drink. Then, at the end of the day, a person can launch an accompanying app to monitor their hydration trends. 

Some smart water bottles also have self-cleaning features. The idea is that if a person’s water tastes great, they’ll be more likely to want to drink it. The built-in purification could also be handy when people are traveling or otherwise in situations that make it harder to clean their water bottles regularly. 

People should also be aware of the need to change their drinking goals depending on their circumstances. For example, people need more water during hot weather or workouts.

Toothbrushes

Experts agree that maintaining good oral health is crucial for keeping the whole body healthy. Certain types of oral bacteria can elevate heart and pregnancy risks, for example. However, people with the best intentions for keeping their teeth and gums free from problems can still run into issues. 

Some individuals don’t brush for long enough, while others press down too hard or forget to brush their tongues. The best IoT devices for better oral health may not fix all brushing errors, but they could help people make meaningful improvements. 

Smart toothbrushes are similar to smart water bottles in that they nudge people towards better habits. However, some are significantly more advanced than others. The more basic brushes might merely connect to an app and tell someone how long they’ve brushed. However, people could get the same results without purchasing the best IoT devices if they simply set stopwatches on their phones while standing over the sink to clean their teeth. 

However, it’s also possible to find smart toothbrushes with sensors that can track angles and convert that information into where inside the mouth someone has brushed. That’s a significant advantage. Unlike dental hygienists who look directly inside a patient’s mouth while they work, even the most dedicated people can’t have that perspective from their bathrooms. 

Consumer Questions for Buying the Best IoT Devices

People are most likely to feel satisfied with the best IoT devices if they clarify their needs and what they hope to get out of those products. Here are some questions worth asking. 

• What’s my budget?
• What goals do I want to achieve with this device?
• Is this product compatible with my phone?
• Who will use this product in my family?
• What responsibilities must I take to get the most from this product?
• Will I use friends’ recommendations to guide my purchasing decisions?
• Does this product have a warranty or guarantee?
• How long has this product been on the market?
• How long should it take to get the results I want?

Those questions will provide good starting points that help people feel informed about what they plan to purchase. Answering them enables people to avoid impulse buys they may later regret. 

How Could the Best IoT Devices Support Your Health?

Becoming familiar with these product categories will help you have a better understanding of what the best IoT devices can and can’t do to help you have better health. None of these gadgets are substitutes for professional health care. Relatedly, they can’t force you to make the choices necessary to become healthier. However, these products often work well for showing where shortcomings exist and urging you to take corrective action.