GoKawiilIf you regularly wear an Apple Watch, you've probably discovered the apps most useful to your daily life, like responding to emails and texts, checking the weather and using Apple Pay for contactless payments. But there are host of health apps and features that might not currently be on your radar, and they have the potential to be life-saving.
I spoke with Dr. Lauren Cheung, a doctor at Apple, who reviewed the hidden health features on the Apple Watch and why they were created.
1. The Vitals app for sleep and more
Using overnight health metrics, the Vitals app can reveal much about your health and how it changes day to day. From heart rate and wrist temperature (available on Apple Watch Series 8 or later and any Apple Watch Ultra model) to respiratory rate and sleep duration, you can get a thorough picture of your health from just one glance at your watch.
"When two or more of your metrics are out of range, we will notify you with information about why that might be," Cheung explained. "How it works is just after you wake up, you might see a notification from the Vitals app. For example, maybe your heart rate and wrist temperature were high -- this could be due to illness or alcohol consumption."
With the health information from the Vitals app, you can make informed decisions about your health. If specific metrics are outside your normal range, you can choose to get extra rest that day or visit your doctor if you have particular symptoms.
How to set up the Vitals app
To set up your typical range, you must wear your Apple Watch for at least seven days. Ensure your watch is not loose on your wrist; otherwise, it might not capture accurate readings.
To set up notifications, go to Settings on your Apple Watch, tap Vitals and turn on notifications.
For sleep specifically, make sure Track Sleep with Apple Watch is set up and Sleep Focus is enabled. To do so, open your iPhone's Health app, tap Get Started under Set Up Sleep, tap Next and then follow the on-screen prompts. You can also use your Apple Watch's Sleep app and follow the on-screen instructions.
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