There was a time, a simpler one when analogue watches were the common wrap around our wrists. Fast forward a few years, fitness bands now engulf us–tracking steps, sleep, and heart rates. A few weeks ago at brunch, a friend found her smartwatch turning into a relentless coach, whispering stats and scores that made her feel guilty for skipping a workout or having a restless night.
Wearable wellness technology, from fitness trackers to smartwatches, is a booming industry to optimise health through data. In the last decade, wearables have gone from basic pedometers to advanced health monitors– tracking everything from blood oxygen levels to heart rate variability and pushing the limits of what we can measure. Enter the rise of the biohacking movement—people optimising their bodies like machines, fine-tuning sleep, diet, and exercise using cold, hard numbers. But in our quest for self-improvement, are we crossing into obsession?
Tracking turns toxic
Let’s be honest—there’s something addictive about checking your stats. It feels like a game, a daily scoreboard that rewards ‘good’ behaviour and subtly punishes anything less than optimal.
“Clients are so fixated on achieving the ‘perfect’ sleep scores or measures of recovery that it stresses them out and ironically affects their sleep and recovery. They are double-edged. When used correctly, they make progress through instant feedback and accountability. However, overreliance on these numbers often hinders progress with compulsive tracking or discouragement when the figures do not measure up to expectations. I always remind clients to focus on overall well-being rather than being hung up on numbers,” says Kushal Pal Singh, fitness and performance expert at Anytime Fitness, an India-based gym chain.
Fitness coaches and mental health professionals say that while wearables provide useful insights, they lack context. “The most common issues with health tracking devices include incorrect readings that create unnecessary fear, heightened health anxiety over minor fluctuations, and guilt when failing to meet fitness goals,” Dr Rahul Chandhok, Head of Psychiatry of Artemis Lite NFC, New Delhi brings to focus. “A fixation on numbers creates pressure to meet unrealistic goals, often at the cost of mental well-being. Over-reliance on these devices may cause people to ignore their body’s natural signals, prioritising data over intuition.”
For some, this level of control is empowering. If you’re managing diabetes, knowing your blood sugar in real-time can be life-changing. If you’re an athlete, precise recovery stats can give you an edge. But for others, the pressure to always be improving can be mentally exhausting. This is often the classic case of too much information turning into too much worry.
Is it all bad?
For all the concerns about over-tracking, it’s important to acknowledge the good these devices do. Fitness content creator Shwetambari Shetty shares how her husband uses it to maximize rest for a fresher start the next day, “My husband takes his sleep data seriously, he won’t work if his recovery is poor, and that’s non-negotiable.” Sleep trackers can also reveal unhealthy patterns that might otherwise go unnoticed.
For Nagpur-based Naina, fitness trackers helped her understand her issue with iron deficiency. Struggling with burnout, she felt tired all the time, but she assumed it was just work stress. When she got a smartwatch, she started noticing a pattern: her resting heart rate was constantly elevated. That little insight nudged her to get a medical checkup—turns out, she had an iron deficiency. A few dietary tweaks later, her energy levels and her heart rate improved.
“Exercise and movement shouldn’t be stressful; they’re meant to improve both physical and mental well-being. This data simply provides an indication, a direction—and that’s how it should be viewed as good enough,” Shetty adds. Even for the average person, small nudges—like a reminder to move after sitting for hours—can encourage better habits. However, the shift from self-improvement to self-surveillance varies from person to person.
Finding balance
Coaches, trainers, and therapists all agree—that wearables provide insights, not instructions. “One of the biggest myths is that fitness trackers provide absolutely precise information. Another myth is believing more is always better—burning more calories, taking more steps, or having a higher heart rate—when in reality balance and proper programming are what is important,” Kushal guides. “I educate clients on using these metrics as guidelines, not absolutes–emphasising performance, consistency, and overall health. I encourage focusing on non-data-based success indicators like energy levels, strength gains, and general well-being. Regular ‘tech detoxes’ or adjusting tracking settings to view trends rather than daily fluctuations can also help reduce stress.”
For all their benefits, these wearables are going to stay. However, it is on us how we read these devices and adapt information. “Rather than just presenting raw numbers, these devices should explain changes in heart rate or sleep patterns and offer adaptive recommendations based on lifestyle. A more holistic approach that integrates mental health, diet, and real-world factors would make them more supportive and less intimidating,” he suggests.
At its best, wearable tech helps us build healthier habits. At its worst, it turns wellness into a performance. The key isn’t to ditch wearables altogether—it’s to use them on our terms, not let them use us.
Dr. Rahul Chandhok’s Tips for Using Wearables Mindfully:
Focus on long-term progress rather than daily fluctuations. Set realistic, personalised goals instead of competing with others.
Take breaks from tracking to avoid over-dependence on data. Prioritise body signals over numbers for a more intuitive approach.
Disable unnecessary alerts to reduce anxiety and maintain a balanced mindset
