I'm not the first person to say this, but getting old sucks. You have to start worrying about things like your blood pressure and stress levels, among other things, and for a mild hypochondriac like myself, monitoring vital signs can quickly become an all-consuming focus.
As I approach my 43rd birthday this month, I'm reminded of the need for increased vigilance regarding my health. The days of carelessly drifting into an uncertain future are over — I must now take an active role in prioritising and managing my well-being.
I've been easing myself into this mindset with the Samsung Galaxy Ring since late last year, and while I've found the wearable has had one clear health benefit, it isn't the smartwatch replacement I'd hoped for.
With the arrival of Samsung's Galaxy Watch 8 series, particularly the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, I've decided to revisit the category in an effort to get a more complete picture of my wellness — especially the stuff that matters to me the most.
Having not worn a smartwatch since Galaxy Watch 4, the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic has rekindled my interest in health tracking. I'm now more committed than ever to monitoring my vital signs, if the last week of use is anything to go by. Here are the top five ways the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is helping me stay on top of my health.
Blood pressure measuring
Around my 40th birthday, I became aware of my propensity for high blood pressure. Given my family's history of hypertension and my age, I'd begun to notice several instances where my own blood pressure would spike to higher than normal levels.
Since making a few lifestyle changes and consulting my doctor, my blood pressure is now under control, though it will require lifelong monitoring. An upper arm blood pressure monitor is ideal for home use, but impractical for when I'm out and about — this is where the Galaxy Watch 8 comes in handy.
The Galaxy Watch 8 offers a dedicated mode for monitoring my blood pressure, potentially providing an early warning about shifts in my blood pressure trends. While not medically precise, it serves as a useful monitoring tool, provided I calibrate it every 28 days using the aforementioned upper arm cuff.
Real-time heart rate
Everything changed after pandemic — after a couple of years of working exclusively from home, I returned to the office and began to notice my heart rate spiking in public. Whether it be due my high blood pressure or just a more generalised (and possibly Covid-induced) anxiety, this was a definite concern.
For my peace of mind, a smartwatch with real-time heart rate monitoring, such as the Galaxy Watch 8, has become an indispensable part of my 'Everyday Carry'. With the real-time heart rate 'Complication' applied to my watch face, I can easily monitor my BPM at a glance.
Stress management
Stress is hard to avoid these days, but thankfully, I'm able to monitor my stress level and take steps to manage it on the Galaxy Watch 8.
Taking advantage of the device's real-time heart rate monitoring, the Watch 8 Classic's stress-tracking feature is able to rate my stress level from very low to very high, measuring on a coloured line that goes from blue to orange.
And to help me manage that stress, the device has a 'Mindfulness' section that let's me check in with my current mood, starting at 'Awesome' and working backwards to 'Terrible', and then letting me get more specific, with a list of emotions ranging from 'Calm' to 'Depressed'.
The Galaxy Watch 8 also offers various breathing exercises, each guiding you through five minutes of timed breathing with different patterns tailored to specific goals. For example, the 4-4-4-4 sequence (4-second inhale, 4-second hold, 4-second exhale, 4-second hold) is designed for relaxation, and has helped me bring my stress level and heart rate down on a few occasions. The watch also suggests breathing patterns to aid sleep and improve focus.
Electrocardiogram (ECG)
Because of the aforementioned worries about blood pressure and heart rate, I decided to get a full heart check-up a couple of years back, especially with all the Covid uncertainty. Thankfully, nothing serious was detected.
Still, I think it's a good idea to keep an eye on my heart rhythms, which is easily done via the Galaxy Watch 8's electrocardiogram (ECG) feature. Although not intended for medical diagnosis or heart attack detection, the device can identify unusual heart rhythm changes, such as palpitations and atrial fibrillation, which can then be reported to a medical professional.
Sleep monitoring
Having gotten used to monitoring my sleep quality with the Galaxy Ring, I'm now taking things a step further with the Watch 8 Classic, which is able to provide far more in-depth sleep data.
For starters, a sleep apnea risk-detection feature can now be enabled within the Samsung Health Monitor app on the Watch 8. Once enabled, the feature will monitor your sleep over a 10-day period, checking your blood oxygen (SpO2) level while also listening for any breathing disruptions.
Of course, the feature is designed for risk detection, and will not provide a medical diagnosis — it will simply alert you if it detects any signs of obstructive sleep apnea in your data, which you can then follow up with your doctor. Thankfully, no such signs have been detected in my case.
Additionally, I'm able to enable snore detection from within the Samsung Health app on my Galaxy S25 Ultra, which can be an early indicator of a sleep abnormality.
A healthier outlook
Having spent my first week with the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, I already feel a greater sense of ease concerning my health. I'm actively monitoring my heart rate, blood pressure, and stress levels, and I'm also benefiting from its guidance on mindfulness and relaxation techniques through breathing exercises. I'm optimistic that if I continue this routine, I will soon experience positive changes in my overall well-being. Right now, I'm quite confident that I will be able to keep this up.
More from Tom's Guide
- Galaxy Watch 8 is the first Android smartwatch with Gemini AI built in
- The ‘Classic’ model is the real star of the Galaxy Watch 8 lineup
- Apple Watch Series 11 set to launch next week
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
