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In the current landscape of health, the topic of longevity has been gaining significant prominence. In the previous week, we posted on our LinkedIn page two examples of series (one TV series and another in podcast format) that address this theme.
The growing concern of more developed societies with this topic leads the technological industry to develop increasingly more devices that allow each of us to assess some health markers in a more precise and continuous manner.
In a recent conversation with a medical colleague regarding this matter, she expressed her concern that people, due to an excess of self-monitoring, might lose the benefits that a higher degree of spontaneity can bring to our lives. I understand the existence of this kind of concern; however, I believe that, like everything in life, this matter should be viewed with some perspective. In my opinion, the possibility of having these wearables is quite positive and opens up a range of extremely interesting possibilities.
As a user and someone interested in the subject matter, I think it's great to be able to consult precise data regarding my sleep or my level of recovery, for example. This allows me to adapt my day to my physiological state; adjust routines; and, in terms of physical exercise, understand the type, intensity, and volume I can/should aim for.
So, one might ask me: isn't it possible to do this simply by paying attention to the signals our body gives us? In a way, yes. But I think that when we aim to achieve a certain level of individual performance, whether it's in our personal, professional, or sporting life, all these insights will contribute with precise information that will allow us to make small adjustments that can be extremely important in a much more immediate way. A classic example is the impact that even a small amount of alcohol can have on our sleep. We may think we tolerate alcohol well and that one or two glasses of wine during a meal with friends will not have significant consequences on our recovery during that night's sleep. By using a wearable with good precision in sleep and recovery assessment, we immediately see that this is not true at all. The negative impact is significant, and although we may often think we sleep deeply and wake up without feeling any negative consequences, we realize that this is far from true. Without this type of assessment, this impact is only felt later when it produces a cumulative deleterious effect. However, if we have this more precise awareness almost immediately, we can quickly reverse our behaviors. Of course, as with everything in life, excess is not healthy, and this field is no exception. We should not be obsessive about this monitoring and want to control everything all the time. It is essential to focus on some essential parameters and check them regularly but not constantly; to understand that life continues to happen, and we deal with many things that we do not control and that can easily affect some of the items we are evaluating without this constituting any long-term problem. As a healthcare professional, the availability of this type of device is also, in my view, a great advantage. It is common in our practice to use them as a complement to the assessment of our clients. This way, we can have a much more precise view of the impact that some factors in each person's life can have on their health, in order to act upon them. All of this, in parallel with the rest of the assessment we do through direct medical evaluation, complementary diagnostic means, among others. Even more specific wearables, such as continuous glucose monitors, allow for a very deep and precise knowledge of some important aspects - in this case, insulin response to glucose - and allow us to treat them with greater effectiveness. Here, too, everything should be done in a balanced way. People who can actually benefit from this type of monitoring should be selected, and it should only be done during the most appropriate period of time.
In essence, I believe we are facing a new world, within which the advantages, in my view, outweigh the disadvantages; and in which we should live in a straightforward manner in order to obtain as many benefits as possible for ourselves and, as healthcare professionals, for those who seek our help.
João Neto, MD
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