Can a watch know how stressed you are??

In today’s world, stress is a very common scenario. Our body and mind will have to pay high pre due to this. Stress is the body’s way of responding to any kind of demands or threats. Some of the health problems caused by stress include depression, pain of any kind, insomnia, reproductive issues, weight issues, thinking and memory problems and so on.  There are stress hormones like cortisol in our bodies that simulate stress.  Nowadays it is very important to keep track of our mental as well as our physical health, for which we have to do regular check-ups and keep a track about our health conditions. 

We all know what a smart watch is. Many of us own one as well! A small smartphone-like device worn on the wrist. Many smartwatches are connected to a mobile phone that notifies the user about emails, incoming calls, messages and so on. It also helps us to monitor sleep, heart rates, blood oxygen levels, blood pressure, and much more. The new development in this area is that smart watches  can now measure the stress level. 

A team of UCLA researchers have developed a smart-watch that can detect stress by measuring the cortisol levels. Scientists claim that it is a breakthrough in health.  The watch specifically measures cortisol and it will warn its users and diagnose stress related diseases. Normally cortisol is measured in professional laboratories by examining blood. They only provide a limited view of cortisol levels in time. UCLA’s research team says that their device is a breakthrough in this aspect. It is non-invasive and suitable to track stress over time. Stress can be a chronic disease like asthma, diabetics and so on, which needs constant monitoring and controlling. This would ensure proper and efficient professional treatment.

The hormone is present in sweat in similar proportions to blood levels. The team uses a unique adhesive strip film that collects tiny volumes of sweat.  A sensor detects cortisol using engineered strands of DNA, called aptamers. The team hopes that the industry will understand the importance of this technology and will implement the same.