Find Your Fit! These Expert-Approved Wearables Support Sleep, Hormones and Heart Health After 50
The best wearables for women over 50, according to a doctor who knows
When it comes to wearables, it’s hard to know which one is the best fit for you. The countless options, metrics and price points make choosing one feel daunting, but the decision is easier than you think!
Bob Arnot, MD, best-selling author and former chief medical correspondent for NBC News, says that wearables are revolutionizing personal health tracking. “As a physician overseeing clinical studies involving nutrition, wearables and exercise physiology, I see firsthand how these devices facilitate real-time, data-driven decisions that improve outcomes in metabolic health, sleep, recovery and symptom management,” Dr. Arnot says.
He says they are especially beneficial for women 50 and older, “offering mid-life women dynamic tools to navigate complex physiological shifts, from regular menstrual cycling to perimenopause and postmenopausal states.”
Woman's World Answers
These health gadgets can monitor and improve our health, but it’s important to think about your goals, symptoms and needs before implementing one into your health journey.
Why wearables help women as they age
Wearables empower women to take control of their health by offering medical insight and behavioral awareness, which is especially important as women enter menopause. “Wearables create a personalized hormonal map, guiding mid-life women through decisions rooted in both data and embodied experience,” Dr. Arnot says.
Waning estrogen and progesterone levels during menopause impact everything from our sleep cycles to heart health. Dr. Arnot says wearables can monitor these changes and mitigate challenges by
- Tracking sleep, heart rate variability and stress
- Detecting menopausal symptoms
- Support cardiovascular health
- Optimize metabolic health
- Shifts in body composition
Finding the right wearable for you
Wearables track and help address countless menopause-related health challenges. With all of the options, it’s hard to decide which wearable is right for your specific goals. Here are the wearables Dr. Arnot recommends based on your needs:
Sleep and hormonal health
Top Pick: Oura Ring Gen 3 ($199)
Looking to improve your sleep and hormonal health? The Oura Ring Gen 3 is the right fit for you. This wearable provides unparalleled insight into how mid-life hormonal shifts impact sleep by monitoring basal body temperature to pinpoint hot flashes. It also tracks the depth of your sleep, which often wanes during menopause. The Oura Ring Gen 3 monitors your heart rate, too, signaling nervous system shifts that can be improved through relaxation techniques like meditation and exercise.
Cardiovascular health
Top Pick: Apple Watch Series 9 ($319)
If cardiovascular health is your main priority, the Apple Watch Series 9 is the best option. “Women post-menopause have a 2–3x increase in cardiovascular disease risk,” Dr. Arnot says. “Real-time wearable tracking enables earlier prevention and faster intervention.” The watch’s heart rhythm alerts detect arrhythmias that are common post-menopause. It’s also easy to share medical data with loved ones or healthcare professionals, thanks to the seamless integration with the Apple Health app on iPhones.
Menopause-specific tracking
Top Picks: Oura Ring Gen 3 ($199) and Garmin Venu 3S ($449.99)
Menopause-specific symptoms can be hard to monitor, but the Oura Ring Gen 3 and Garmin Venu 3S make it easy. The Oura Ring detects temperature spikes during hot flashes and tracks sleep disruptions. The Garmin can help during menopause by offering educational tips and cycle phase predictions, even as cycles become irregular. The two wearables have female-specific tracking capabilities, like stress, energy and sleep cycle, making it easier to monitor and regulate menopausal symptoms.
Blood sugar monitoring
Top Pick: Freestyle Libre 3 ($104.95)
Blood sugar monitoring becomes especially crucial during menopause because dropping estrogen levels increase insulin resistance. The Freestyle Libre 3’s continuous glucose monitor capabilities detect nocturnal hypoglycemia or post-meal hyperglycemia. When paired with an Oura or Apple Watch, it creates an interlinked map of how sleep, stress, and food impact glucose levels.
Weight management
Top Picks: Fitbit Sense 2 ($249.95) and Garmin Venu 3S ($449.99)
If you’re looking to manage or lose weight, the Fitbit Sense 2 and Garmin Venu 3S are your best bet. They track how many calories you burn, linking it with heart rate variability and sleep for smarter calorie deficits. They can also help integrate food logging through the Fitbit app or Garmin Connect, making it easier to count and manage your caloric intake.
How the data changes lives
The data offered by wearables can drive long-term change. It helps women identify sleep disruptors (meals, alcohol, screen time, etc.), adjust stress strategies, support perimenopausal symptoms and spot abnormal heart rhythms. Pinpointing health problems and hormonal changes makes it easier to address these challenges or bring them up to a healthcare provider.
“Wearables act as an external nervous system, enabling women in mid-life to manage complexity with clarity,” Dr. Arnot says. “These devices offer precision insights that traditional checkups may miss.”
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