We’re a couple days into a new year. Our resolutions have been made, and quite possibly broken already, but coming off a year where healthcare was not only at the forefront, but was flipped on its head, chances are you have some sort of health-related goal in mind for 2021 and wearable technology and IoT can help you achieve your goals and communicate with your doctor more efficiently.

Wearable technology is far from a new-to-market concept, but the value of wearables is at an all-time high as we continue to take precautions against COVID-19 and other serious illnesses. Wearables are devices that are able to track, send and receive data. They are typically a watch, bracelet, ring, embedded in clothing, or even implanted in your body.

Possessing the ability to save lives, wearables have become a vital sector of IoT and one that continues to evolve and change the way we’re able to communicate and connect with healthcare professionals.

In the last year the way in which we interact with friends, family, doctors, and colleagues has been revolutionized – let’s be real, chances are you had never used Zoom a year ago and now it’s tough to go a day without it – and our knowledge and understanding of healthcare is at an all-time high.

Telehealth has become routine and is actually a convenient way to connect with your doctor about a simple sinus infection or sore throat, but the average person does not have all the equipment necessary to provide their doctor with the full picture of what’s going on. Most people don’t have a blood pressure monitor or pulse oximeter in their home, both of which go a long way in a diagnosis or disease prevention, but thanks to wearable technology and IoT, we have a way to do that.

Wearables have the ability to monitor heartbeat, take your blood pressure, and even have ECG capabilities, among others, providing real time data to healthcare workers that can prove vital to your health.

While some wearables can be cumbersome or stand out a little too much, 2020 introduced us to a wearable ring packed with the same capabilities as the smartwatch you’re likely wearing right now. Named TechCrunch’s personal health tracking device to beat in 2020, the Oura Ring added a new option to the game. While you’re sleeping the ring measures your resting heart rate, respiratory rate, quality of sleep, and more. During the day you can track calories, activity, steps and even inactivity and it does it all while being virtually unnoticeable.

2020 changed the way the world operates. It also may have shifted our priorities and the things we value. The ability to provide real-time data to our doctors in a virtual world is more important than ever and in order to protect ourselves and our loved ones, innovation in wearable technology and its integration with IoT has become paramount.