Millions of Americans use smartwatches and smart rings to track their various health-related data points, including sleep, body temperature and heart rate. But the statistics from these devices can be hard to interpret. Wearable data can help healthcare providers see beyond how the patients present during an office visit, according to Dr. Sarah Benish, a neurologist with M Health Fairview in Minnesota. Wearables can also flag some serious conditions, like cardiac arrhythmia, which is an irregular heart rhythm that can increase the risk of a serious medical incident. But Dr. Lucy McBride, a physician in Washington, D.C., warns that arriving at an appointment with your healthcare provider armed with weeks of raw data and no context is not helpful. Here's how users can make the most of their wearable data:
⌚ Familiarize yourself with how your device works, especially when a new software update rolls out. Updates can change how your device tracks or displays data.
⌚ Ask your doctors about data you may have noticed but don't understand or want more information on. For instance, if your heart rate variability is trending lower, you can ask if that is normal.
⌚ Not everything that's important to your health can be measured by wearable technology. McBride emphasizes that the most important health data reside in your biography, personal story, stress levels and relationship with food and alcohol. | 
