The Basics: Wrist Temperature
Learn how to leverage temperature measurements as they gain recognition in the realm of health tracking.
What is wrist temperature?
Like most wearables, your Apple Watch measures skin temperature rather than body temperature. Skin temperature, or the temperature of the outermost layer of your skin offers valuable insights into your overall health. Monitoring skin temperature can provide critical information about your body's thermoregulation, stress levels, and overall health.
A normal temperature is largely dependent on your personal baseline, so Bevel uses the health monitors on the home screen to help you understand when this metric is out of range for you, specifically.
How your Apple Watch tracks wrist temperature
Your Apple Watch reads your wrist temperature every five seconds while you are asleep. This approach is designed to minimize interference from external factors, such as physical activity and changes in ambient temperature, which can affect skin temperature readings during the day.
The science behind wrist temperature
Temperature is regulated by a complex set of factors, including blood flow, thermoregulation, and autonomic nervous system activity. When your body is under stress or experiencing fluctuations in temperature, your skin's blood vessels constrict or dilate to maintain optimal temperature. Tracking these changes in temperature can give you a better understanding of how your body responds to different stimuli.
Practical applications
Now that you understand temperature tracking a bit more, let's explore how you can apply it to your fitness journey:
Stress Identification and Management: Temperature changes can be a reliable indicator of stress. If you notice a drop in your temperature day to day it may signal that you are under stress. You can use this information to identify stress triggers and take proactive steps to manage them.
Sleep Quality Enhancement: Monitoring temperature fluctuations from one night of sleep to another can provide insights into the quality of your rest. If you consistently experience abnormal temperature changes at night, it may indicate sleep disturbances. You can try adjusting your sleep environment and bedtime routine to achieve more restful sleep.
