Using the Apple Watch for Stress Management

In this fast-paced modern age we live in, it can be a challenge to find a moment of calm. With the intrusive nature of social media and bustling daily life, everyone can do with a few more moments of serenity. Fear not, as your trusty Apple Watch is more than just a simple timepiece, the countless apps and features included on your device allow it to become your own personal stress management tool. Whether you're a new owner of an Apple Watch, or you've been using one for a while now, this blog will help you to better understand how to manage your stress using the Apple Watch.

Breathe App

The mindfulness app, Breathe, comes already available for free on the Apple Watch and encourages users to set aside a few minutes a day in order to focus on one's breathing and re-centre themselves. It's super simple to use and only take s a minute or two out of your busy day - 

Open the Mindfulness app  on your Apple Watch, then do one of the following:

• Reflect: Tap Reflect, read the theme, focus your attention, then tap Begin.

• Breathe: Tap Breathe, inhale slowly as the animation grows, then exhale as it shrinks.

To end a session before it completes, swipe right, then tap End.

Activity Tracking for wellness

Staying active is one of the main components of stress management. Having a routine and stuff to do can be a great way of organising yourself and your mental health. Apple Watch's daily activity tracking is a simple but incredibly effective concept that focuses on closing three activity rings daily: Move, Exercise and Stand. The three rings are visible on the Apple Watch display, and as the user moves around, exercises and stands up for more than a minute, the rings will close.

Activity Rings

• The red Move ring shows how many active calories you’ve burned.

• The green Exercise ring shows how many minutes of brisk activity you’ve done.

• The blue Stand ring shows how many times in the day you’ve stood and moved for at least one minute per hour.

The goal is to close each of the three rings daily, which helps to contribute to a more active lifestyle and routine. By closing the rings daily, the user achieves a more structured active routine without having to haul themselves to a gym or go out running (although that helps too!) This is a great feature for Apple Watch users who are looking for a simple daily routine that contributes towards a more active lifestyle. Users can adjust the settings of the rings so that higher or lower numbers are required to close the rings, in order to best fit their fitness level, and to challenge themselves.

Managing Notifications

Make sure that, amongst all the work and personal plans, that you have a few moments of serenity to yourself, uninterrupted by notifications and reminders. Manage the notifications on your Apple Watch to allow yourself some time away from the bustling daily routine.

Go to the Settings on your Apple Watch, and then to Notifications. Here you'll find a list of the different apps on your Apple Watch, you can tailor and manage the notifications for each app - less important notifications can be silenced completely whilst keeping more important apps like messages, and calendar. You can also alter the way in which your Apple Watch notifies you, adjusting the sound volume or opting for haptic feedback which uses subtle vibrations on your wrist to notify you without any audible tones or sounds.

You can also turn on Do Not Disturb mode on your Apple Watch, which will temporarily silence all notifications to allow you to better focus on the present moment. This can be turned off at any point.

Mindfulness and Meditation

There are a plethora of mindfulness and meditation apps for both the Apple Watch and iPhone (some are cross-compatible) which can help you take a few moments out of your day to focus on your own mental wellbeing. From simple breathing exercises, to guided meditation sessions and ambient white-noise generation, relaxation is a tap away!

• Headspace - Headspace is a renowned mindfulness and meditation app that has received countless endorsements over the years. With Apple Watch integration, you have access to on-the-go sessions that can help you re-centre yourself during a hectic day.
• Calm - Another brilliant choice for relaxation, it not only provides meditation guides, but also ambient sounds to help aid relaxation. Sync with your Apple Watch to take it with you anywhere you go
• Breathe App - Apple's Breathe app comes pre-installed on the watch itself, ready to go! Breathe focuses on short breathing exercises to practice throughout the day, promoting mindfulness and relaxation. You can also set it up to receive notifications throughout the day, reminding you to take a moment to focus on your breathing. It also features relaxing visual patterns paired with each exercise to provide visual cues.

Stylish Customisation

Of course, making your Apple Watch feel more personal to you can feel great! Especially matching it to your outfit and mood. Having the right Apple Watch strap can not only complement your fashion sense but also enhance your overall comfort. If you're looking for a stylish new strap to compliment your outfit and mood then why not check out Buckle and Band's wide range of stylish and luxury Apple Watch straps. Our dedication to style and quality has lead us to become the top rated seller of Apple Watch straps on TrustPilot with a rating of 4.9!

Our straps are made from the highest quality 100% full-grain leather (with Vegan leather options available too!) They come in a number of colour and style options so there's bound to be one for you. Check out Buckle and Band's full range of luxury Apple Watch straps HERE!