Wearable technology and the rise of health data dependency

The increasing reliance on wearable technology, such as smartwatches, fitness trackers, and smart rings, is changing how individuals perceive their own physical well-being. Rather than listening to bodily instincts, many people now consult digital reports to determine their health status, such as sleep quality or daily activity levels.

This shift has led to a phenomenon known as ‘orthosomnia’, a form of insomnia driven by an obsession with achieving perfect sleep data. The dependency on these devices can create a reversal where the device informs the body's perceived state, rather than the body informing the device, potentially leading to anxiety when data does not align with how a person actually feels.