The best watches for health monitoring, according to a doctor
If you’re interested in the inner workings of your body, what are the best watches for health monitoring? Today’s smartwatches can do it all; ordering a pizza? Sure. Connecting with a satellite orbiting Earth? No problem. Whether you’re crushing Hyrox races or just trying to not suddenly die on your way to work, the latest generation of wearables makes it easier than ever to keep tabs on the metrics that matter most.
“Most doctor visits are just a snapshot — your vitals are taken, checked, and recorded in one place, one time,” says Parth Bhavsar, MD, board-certified family medicine physician. “But a health watch tracks data over weeks, months, or longer. That’s where the value is. Changes in resting heart rate, fitness, sleep, or movement typically happen gradually, and changes usually occur long before you become sick or need to visit a doctor.”
Here are the best watches for health monitoring, from tracking your sleep, heart health to stress levels and more.
Apple Watch Series 11
“Among the wearables in the market, the clinical data on the health features of Apple Watch are the strongest,” says Dr. Bhavsar. “This is particularly true in the case of the single-lead electrocardiogram for the detection of irregular heart rhythm.” And with the latest update, Apple Watch is now able to detect hypertension, or high blood pressure — a leading cause of heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease that affects over 1.3 billion adults worldwide. £369. At apple.com
Google Pixel Watch 4
Fans of the Android ecosystem need not stress. No, seriously — following Google’s acquisition of Fitbit, Pixel Watches now come with Fitbit’s body response feature that detects signs of stress in real time to help you keep your levels in check. Like the Pixel Watch 3, you’ll also be able to keep tabs on a range of core health metrics, including heart rate and sleep tracking — just with better battery life and more seamless Gemini integration. £349. At store.google.com
Garmin Venu 4
According to experts, V02 max is one of the most important measures of not only your fitness but your overall health — and Garmin offers one of the best ways to gauge it outside of a lab, Dr. Bhavsar says. “The estimates for VO2 max, training load, and recoveries provided by Garmin are based upon Firstbeat algorithms, which have been shown to correlate with VO2 max values obtained in the lab with cardiopulmonary exercise stress tests.” £469.99. At garmin.com
Fitbit Charge 6
Looking for a way to track your sleep without putting your budget to bed? Fitbit’s no-fuss wearable delivers on price without compromising on its usefulness. “The strongest evidence base for Fitbit exists with regard to the monitoring of sleep and activity,” says Dr. Bhavsar, who notes that validation studies have found Fitbit’s sleep-tracking tech to measure total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and detection of sleep and wake periods with comparable accuracy to medical-grade sleep studies. £139.99. At store.google.com
Withings ScanWatch 2
If you prefer a more analog experience (for instance, one that might pair with a suit), Withings stands apart with its traditional movement and subtle approach to health tracking. “While other smartwatches offer many features, Withings is more focused on the quiet observation of heart rate, rhythm problems, and sleep patterns,” says Dr. Bhavsar. “The long battery life of the ScanWatch will also help with adherence — an oft-overlooked contributor to the success of wearable devices.” £319.95. At withings.com
Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic
If you like the traditional look of the ScanWatch 2, but you want a more robust offering of health insights, the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic is the obvious choice. The rotating bezel and classic watch faces conceal an enormous suite of cutting-edge health tech — including body composition reports, antioxidant level readings, and even moderate to severe sleep apnea detection. Better yet, the integrated AI works proactively to not just track but also influence your behaviours. £499. At samsung.com
Whoop MG
With the notable absence of a screen, Whoop is, of course, not technically a watch. That said, no comprehensive roundup of the best wearable health trackers would be complete without one of the category’s most prolific products. This lightweight, distraction-free alternative to traditional health monitors offers best-in-class tracking of heart-rate variability — a telling measurement of physical and mental strain — and the latest model introduces clinically accurate ECG readings and even cuff-free daily blood pressure monitoring. £344.99. At healf.com
Oura Ring 4
Similarly, not a watch. But how can we resist the allure of a health tracker that frees up our wrists so we can continue to fund our favourite watch brands? But, really, what’s the point of a wearable if you don’t wear it every day? “The final key is wearability, not features,” says Dr. Bhavsar. Fortunately, with scientifically validated sleep tracking, heart insights, and stress monitoring, Oura Ring 4 delivers the best of both worlds. £499. At healf.com
Amazfit Helio Strap
Don't be thrown by the considerably lower price – these do the trick if training hard and recovering well are your vibe. A new partner with Hyrox only adds to Amazfit's creds. It's one to wear 24/7 to capture your heart rate every second of the day; that's how you get the deep health insights you're looking for. £99.90. At amazfit.com
