Stress today threatens a person both at work and during rest. By monitoring your breathing, you can effectively and easily control stress. Rapid and shallow breathing reduces heart rate variability and signals stress. There are other ways to monitor stress levels. It is not always possible to recognize the physiological signs of stress, since at the current moment there may be a coloring of current emotions and experiences. Stress is accompanied by poor health, dehydration, fatigue, bad mood, depression, negative emotions.
Few people devote time to monitoring their physiological state, although measuring stress levels is available to everyone today. Stress levels can be monitored using a separate device in the form of a fitness bracelet or smart watch, as well as using an application for a regular smartphone or tablet. For example, at https://antiage.click/en/welltory-en there is an opportunity to download the free Welltory application in the application store.
Traditional methods of measuring stress
Among the traditional methods of measuring stress the most famous are the Lemur-Tessier-Fillion PSM-25 psychological stress questionnaire, the Thomas Holmes and Richard Ray method, the T. A. Nemchin questionnaire for assessing neuropsychic tension, the T. A. Nemchin and Taylor questionnaire for the development of stress, the definition of the dominant state by L. V. Kulikov, the stress diagnostics by A. O. Prokhorov, the “Forecast” and “Forecast-2” methods, the stress resistance questionnaire by S. Cohen and G. Villianson, the frustration diagnostics by Rosenzweig and V. V. Boyko’s questionnaire.
Gadgets for monitoring stress levels
For those who already track the quality of their night’s sleep, the number of steps taken during the day and calories burned, a separate gadget will be more familiar. Many fitness bracelets and smart watches have the ability to track heart rate, number of steps, calories burned, sleep quality and stress levels. Stress level measurement is present in fitness bracelets and smart watches from Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei, Honor, Fitbit, Skagen, Fossil, Emvio, Whoop, AliveCor, Suunto and other manufacturers. For example, stress is measured by Xiaomi Mi Band, starting with version 5, Apple Watch 5, Samsung Galaxy Watch and Fit, Huawei Watch GT. Stress Test is built into Garmin smartwatches: Fenix, Fenix 5, Fenix 5 Plus, Forerunner, Vivoactive 3 and Vivoactive HR, Vivosmart and Vivosport fitness bracelets.
Although there are no stress sensors installed on fitness trackers, many devices cope with the task of monitoring stress levels successfully. What do fitness bracelets and smartwatches measure to show the current stress level? Under the influence of stress factors, certain physiological changes occur in the body, which can be measured and interpreted. Which of the manifestations of stress is the most informative, because the body reacts in a variety of ways:
- the peripheral autonomic nervous system is excited,
- stress hormones – adrenaline and cortisol – are synthesized more intensively,
- the pain threshold rises,
- breathing and heart rate increase,
- heart rate variability changes,
- blood pressure rises,
- attention and concentration increase,
- sweating increases,
- hair stands on end,
- intestinal peristalsis stops,
- enzyme secretion is suppressed,
- secretion of some hormones decreases,
- the immune system activity is suppressed,
- the secretion of saliva and tears is reduced,<
- the body may try to empty the bladder and intestines.
Heart rate variability
Of all the body’s reactions, it is the change in heart rate variability that leading manufacturers of fitness bracelets and smart watches have chosen as a stress marker.
The time difference between heartbeats clearly demonstrates how activated the sympathetic autonomic nervous system is, or the parasympathetic. The activity of the calming parasympathetic autonomic nervous system increases the time difference between heartbeats up to one second. The work of the activating sympathetic system minimizes the difference in intervals between heartbeats, and pulse variability is almost absent. When the body is under stress, the heart beats as rhythmically and clearly as possible.
When you inhale, the heart rate variability decreases, when you exhale, it increases. A more accurate calculation of the stress level is possible taking into account such additional parameters as pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate, oxygen consumption (VO2max and EPOC). These data fitness bracelets and smart watches are obtained using a built-in optical heart rate monitor. A correctly interpreted pulse contains all the necessary information.
Controlling stress levels using an app
There are several apps that measure stress levels using a flash and camera integrated into a smartphone or tablet. Anyone can download the Welltory app for free using direct links from https://antiage.click/en/welltory-en at the bottom of the page.
To get started, you need to download Welltory for free, launch the app and activate the diagnostic mode. The Welltory app suggests placing your finger on the back of your smartphone or tablet, covering the flash and camera. The heartbeat stimulates blood flow to the vessels, including the fingers. Using the photoplethysmography method, which records color when capillary filling with blood changes, Welltory records and analyzes all heart rate parameters, including its variability. In a few minutes of measuring heart rate variability, Welltory draws a conclusion about current stress and other indicators of the body’s condition.