Fitbits Detect Lasting Changes After Covid-19

When COVID-19 first hit, no one could have imagined the damage it would do. The impact of this pandemic continues to linger, and Fitbit wearables, known for their reliability, have been able to detect the lasting changes. This provides a sense of reassurance in our health monitoring and is also a testament to how far wearable app development has come in recent years. 

Fitbit’s name is a pioneer in personal health monitoring. Their devices can track several metrics, including heart rate, sleep patterns, and steps. The Fitbit companion application, designed for simplicity, displays all this data in an easy-to-read format. 

In this article, we delve into how Fitbit wearables can detect these changes and give us insights into how the effects of COVID-19 continue to linger. 

Fitbit’s Role in Health Monitoring 

Fitbit wearables were associated with step counting and heart rate monitoring for a long time. Granted, this is what they started with; things are much different now. Modern Fitbit wearables are miniaturized health monitors that sit snugly on your wrist. 

Fitbit Tech

The Fitbit hardware includes: 

• An accelerometer that tracks movement, steps, and other activity levels.
• A heart rate sensor that tracks both heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV). Your HRV is tracked to check on how well your heart is.
• A sleep tracker that monitors sleep duration, sleep stages (REM, light, deep), and also sleep quality.

These metrics are tracked as long as the Fitbit is on your wrist. This continuous stream of health data lets users and healthcare providers learn more about the lasting effects of COVID-19. The result of one Stanford University study even reiterates the ability of using wearable technology to detect symptoms early on. 

Fitbit Functionality

With Fitbit’s continuous monitoring, users can analyze their health over long periods. In the context of post-COVID-19 recovery, here is how that helps:

• Using pre-covid data, healthcare professionals can establish a personal health baseline. Potential issues can be identified if user health deviates from this baseline.
• With sleep detection, your Fitbit can track subtle changes in sleep patterns and activity levels. If these changes occur under other regular circumstances, they could cause concern.
• Heart rate, activity levels, and sleep patterns can be used to track the body’s recovery process. When these metrics return to baseline levels, recovery is progressing.

Detecting Physiological Changes Post COVID-19

Fitbit and HRV

We mentioned earlier that Fitbit wearables can track heart rate variability (HRV), which is the variation in time intervals between each heartbeat. Your HRV works with your sympathetic (fight-or-flight) and parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous systems.

A Fitbit wearable tracks HRV by measuring the time intervals between the user’s heartbeats. Research has shown that COVID-19 survivors registered a decrease in HRV that could indicate lingering autonomic dysfunction. By monitoring HRV over a long time, your Fitbit can identify whether your HRV is at optimal levels. 

One study found an association between COVID-19 and reduced HRV levels. This shows that HRV levels in COVID patients are not the same as what they used to be. 

Fitbit and RHR

Resting heart rate, or RHR, is how many times your heart beats per minute. It can vary depending on activity levels, but a sustained rise in RHR could cause concern. Such a rise can indicate ongoing inflammation or an overactive sympathetic nervous system.

Similarly to HRV tracking, Fitbits track your resting heart rate as long as they’re on your wrist. If there are deviations from the baseline, Fitbit will detect them. If there is a consistent increase in your RHR, it could be a complication of COVID-19. Finding out early on lets you inform a healthcare professional and find the best course of treatment. 

Physical Activity and Exercise Trends Post COVID-19

One of the main COVID-19 complications was loss of breath and decreased physical energy. Many infection survivors have not returned to their pre-COVID fitness levels, which can be detected using the Fitbit on their wrist. 

Pre- and Post-Covid Activity Levels

A particularly interesting trend emerges when using Fitbit step tracking before and after COVID. Using pre-COVID Fitbit data allows you to set a baseline for what was normal then. During COVID, these numbers dropped due to lockdowns and virus infection. 

After vaccines were administered and people began recovering, there was a gradual return to normal levels, which was a clear indication of a healthy recovery process. However, there were some cases where patients never returned to pre-COVID fitness levels, which resulted in a change in energy, endurance, and exertion.

Exercise After COVID

The Fitbit shines when it comes to exercise tracking. Post-COVID-19, many individuals noticed significant changes in their exercising habits, including:

• Shifting from high-intensity exercise to low-intensity exercise. This was to gradually recover back to pre-COVID fitness levels.
• Decreasing workout time to cope with heightened fatigue and endurance limitations.
• More frequent rest data is needed to properly recover between exercises.

Changes in physical activity are in line with COVID-19 symptoms. Using a Fitbit allows you to track these changes over time. Furthermore, a Fitbit can be helpful, to a certain degree, for monitoring psychological and emotional health. 

Psychological and Emotional Health Monitoring

The impact of COVID-19 extends far beyond diminished physical health. It has also affected many people’s mental and emotional well-being. Fitbit wearables are geared toward tracking physical metrics, but the same functions can also be used to monitor mental ailments. 

Using Fitbits to track stress levels

We talked about heart rate variability (HRV) earlier. When a person’s HRV drops, this indicates heightened stress levels. A Fitbit can be used to track HRV over time, and the results could show whether a person is more stressed post-COVID despite not having significant life changes. 

With Fitbit sleep tracking, users can find out the quality of their sleep. Stress is one of the most common reasons for poor sleep quality, and monitoring it regularly proves this. 

Can Fitbits Detect Depression and Anxiety?

While a Fitbit is not a mental health diagnostic tool, tracking the previously mentioned metrics does help make sense of whether a person is suffering from depression or anxiety. 

When HRV and sleep tracking are combined with self-reported symptoms such as a lack of concentration or low mood, a Fitbit helps determine if you have these ailments. The data from your Fitbit can act as potential physical proof to show to a mental health professional when discussing your problems with them. 

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic might have been in the past, but it has left a severe mark on those infected. While some were able to get back to pre-COVID mental and physical levels, others have been unable to do so. 

However, since we have the most advanced medicinal technology, these ailments can be treated. Using one of Fitbit’s many wearables lets users get an idea of their health, both past and present. The information gathered from it paints a detailed picture of the impact of COVID-19 on people.