Fitbits have taken the fitness industry by storm. Providing a plethora of health-tracking features, all in the format of a digital watch. Leading many to ask the question can it track blood pressure?
Despite all its brilliance, Fitbit is not equipped with a blood pressure monitor. Although Fitbit can measure heart rate and rhythm, the technology used to measure blood pressure is vastly different and has not been added to any of the Fitbit watch lineups.
But what exactly is blood pressure, and how can you track it without a Fitbit? Let’s dive in.
What Is Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure refers to the measurement of the force that your heart uses to pump blood around your body.
Blood pressure is measured in mmHg (millimeters of mercury). There are often two figures that you need to know when tracking blood pressure:
Systolic pressure – The pressure when your heart contracts and pushes blood.
Diastolic pressure – The pressure of your heart resting between beats.
Ideal blood pressure is 120/80mmHg which means 120 systolic pressure and a diastolic pressure of 80mmHg.
How Does Fitbit Measures Blood Pressure?
Fitbit has stated that they are on the verge of launching a blood pressure monitoring technology on their upcoming smartwatches and fitness trackers.
They trialed this unique technology for 3 weeks, which was a major success. To ensure the validity and accuracy of their findings, they are running another trial on a broader demographic.
Their technology is unique as instead of the traditional blood pressure cuff, Fitbit calculates blood pressure using the pulse arrival time from the heart to the watch.
If this technology launches, it can completely revolutionize people suffering from high/low blood pressure and those that are vulnerable. High/low blood pressure should be detected at the earliest to aid in controlling/preventing symptoms.
Can Smartwatches Track Blood Pressure?
Fitbit is well on its way to having the capabilities to track blood pressure, but some rivaling watches on the market already do.
These watches use a pulse wave analysis function to determine blood pressure. These brands are not as established as Fitbit but still offer somewhat reliable service in measuring blood pressure that Fitbit simply doesn’t.
How Accurate Are Smartwatches To Track Blood Pressure?
To put it simply, they are not very accurate at all. They provide a ballpark idea of your blood pressure. The traditional blood pressure monitor is a much more accurate and cheaper option. However, it isn’t as convenient as the format of a watch.
How accurate is the upcoming Fitbit Blood Pressure technology?
As an owner of Fitbits watches and a lover of fitness, I can say that this new technology is looking extremely promising.
Fitbit already measures heart rate and sleeping patterns in an easy-to-read and very accessible way. Undoubtedly, this new blood pressure reading will be as easy to read/record results.
This technology is also more complex and advanced as opposed to existing watches—potentially solving the issue of watches not being accurate for blood pressure.
Is Fitbit Good For Tracking Health?
Besides Fibit’s inability to track blood pressure, their watches are still an excellent tool for the beginner or even advanced fitness advocate.
As the owner of one of their watches, I know the benefits all too well, so let’s dive in:
Features
Fitbit’s notorious for its excellent features with its superior technology in tracking essential information about you, to name a few things:
- Health monitoring
- Pulse/Pulse rhythms.
- Heart rate zones
- Steps
- Any form of exercise
- Food intake
- Weight
Simply being connected via Bluetooth, it’s incredibly user-friendly. Even to the point that Fitbit launched a kid’s watch that uses similar layouts to the ordinary models.
A model for every budget
Fitbit’s tracking watches range from $50 dollars all the way up to $200+. This is so they can accommodate everyone’s needs and requirements for their products.
If you want to keep track of your sleep and heart rate simply, then a cheaper end watch is for you. However, more expensive options exist if you want a stylish watch with many more features and better data analysis technology.
This also shows that Fitbit does not care about being a high-end brand and places its values on customer satisfaction and value for money.
Health app
We all know the watches themselves are great, but the excellent Fitbit app makes them so user-friendly and efficient.
The app allows you to interpret your health metrics. Providing continuous easy to interpret data on your cardio levels, sleep stages, activity levels, and even your stress levels. The Fitbit app also accommodates female health tracking, a nice added touch.
This data is especially useful for heart patients or people that suffer from cardiovascular/sleep health complications. Providing insights for the past 30 days on things like heart rate and sleep quality, with this knowledge, you can better control and improve your overall quality of life.
Final Thoughts
Undoubtedly Fitbit will not only be able to track blood pressure but also will be more accurate than any other watch on the market extremely soon.
Not to mention Fitbits excellent reputation for prioritizing customer experience and satisfaction. The future is bright for Fitbit, and if you already own one, you can expect an update with the ability to track blood pressure soon.
