by Mac Chaney

Wearables have become omnipresent in our daily lives—from fitness trackers counting our steps and smartwatches keeping us connected, to sleep monitors analyzing our nightly rhythms—seamlessly integrating technology into our pursuit of physical well-being. But what if these devices could go deeper, moving beyond the physical to offer insights into our mental health? That’s where wearable mood trackers come in. This emerging technology has the potential to transform how we understand, monitor and manage mental well-being, though it also raises both exciting promises and important concerns.

What are Wearable Mood Trackers?
Wearable mood trackers are devices that automatically monitor physiological data, such as heart rate and sleep patterns, and integrate with companion apps for manual user input of mood and context. Together, these data points create a holistic picture of the user’s emotional state over time, helping to identify triggers and patterns. These physiological signals include:

  • Heart Rate Variability (HRV): Fluctuations in the time intervals between successive heartbeats can indicate stress levels and emotional arousal.
  • Skin Conductance (Electrodermal Activity – EDA): Changes in sweat gland activity on the skin, often linked to emotional responses and sympathetic nervous system activation.
  • Sleep Patterns: Disruptions in sleep, such as insomnia or restless sleep, are often correlated with changes in mood and mental well-being.

Many companies are trying to get ahead of the game, like Fitbit’s stress-tracking and Apple’s mood-check-in features.

Wearable mood trackers distinguish themselves from traditional wearables by shifting their primary focus from physical health to mental well-being. While conventional devices track metrics like steps and heart rate for fitness, mood trackers dive into physiological indicators tied to stress and emotion, integrating subjective user input to understand emotional states and triggers. This allows them to offer insights into emotional patterns and stress responses, providing highly personalized data that helps users gain self-awareness about their mental state. However, this also introduces higher privacy concerns due to the sensitive nature of the data, as well as more complex ethical implications regarding data interpretation and the potential for over-reliance on technology for mental health support. Ultimately, while traditional wearables focus on general health awareness and fitness tracking, mood trackers are designed to support stress management, enable early detection of mood changes and serve as supplementary tools for mental health professionals—though their role should be approached with caution.

The Science Behind Mood Tracking
Wearable mood trackers utilize various physiological biomarkers to infer emotional states. Key indicators include Heart Rate Variability (HRV), where higher variability suggests calm and lower variability indicates stress or anxiety. Skin Conductance (Electrodermal Activity – EDA) increases with arousal, signaling stress or anxiety, while lower EDA aligns with calmness. Respiration Rate changes, such as rapid breathing, are linked to anxiety, whereas slower, deeper breaths correlate with relaxation. Body temperature fluctuations can also be subtly connected to stress responses. While direct cortisol measurement isn’t typical for wearables, some research explores indirect assessment. Continuous monitoring of these biomarkers, combined with user input, helps identify patterns and potential triggers for stress and anxiety.

Potential Benefits
With the advanced technology built into mood monitors, it’s likely they will detect signs of stress, burnout or depression before they fully develop. These devices also provide valuable personal insights, helping users recognize patterns in mood triggers and fluctuations. Their self-management features are especially impactful, offering tools like breathing reminders, guided exercises, calming notifications and goal trackers. Beyond personal benefits, continuous data collected by wearable mood trackers could be invaluable to therapists and psychiatrists, providing objective, real-time physiological and behavioral data to complement self-reported information. This richer dataset could lead to more accurate diagnoses, personalized treatment plans, and a clearer understanding of patient progress and triggers outside of clinical sessions.

Concerns and Challenges
However, there are risks to consider, such as accuracy issues or trackers misinterpreting signals—for example, reading a high heart rate as anxiety rather than exercise. Privacy is another concern, with sensitive emotional data being stored and monitored. Additionally, some users may become overly reliant on their devices and neglect seeking professional help.

Conclusion
Wearable mood trackers present a promising tool for supporting mental well-being, offering greater self-awareness and early detection of changes. While they can empower individuals and assist professionals, concerns about accuracy, privacy and over-reliance must be addressed. A balanced approach is essential to harness their potential as a complement to professional care, ensuring they are integrated responsibly into mental health management.