Confused by your smartwatch? Focus on these 5 key health & longevity metrics
Smartwatches track a million different metrics—but do they all matter?
Over the years, using smartwatches to track health has become more popular and complicated. Every year, new updates, better accuracy, and new features. But with all these options, many people become overwhelmed instead of informed.
At BridgeFit Personal Training, our goal is to simplify things, especially when someone is just starting to track things. This is why we don’t recommend focusing on every metric tracked. Instead, we focus on a few key metrics.
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You can always add more later. Start with the big rocks that make the most significant difference in your goals and longevity.
Below are the five key metrics we recommend all our members track for health, recovery, and goals.
1. Sleep Duration
Sleep impacts everything— brain function, muscle recovery, body composition, and energy levels. No matter your goal, better sleep improves it.
Research shows:
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Getting less than 7 hours of sleep can raise the risk of premature death, dementia, heart disease, risk of dementia, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and obesity.
Goal: 7 – 9 hours per night
2. REM Sleep
It’s not just about how much you sleep—it’s about how well you sleep. REM sleep is a key indicator of sleep quality.
Research shows:
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If you get less than 15% REM sleep, it increases your risk of early death by 17%.
Goal: REM sleep should be 20-25% of your total sleep (1.5 – 2.0 hours per night).
3. Daily Step Count
Yes, 10,000 steps is a made-up number—but step count matters for longevity, mental health, and body composition.
Research shows:
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If you’re under 65, walking 7,000-9,000 steps per day cuts the risk of early death in half.
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If you’re 65 or older, walking 6,000-8,000 steps per day has the same life-extending benefits.
Goal: 7,000 – 10,000 steps per day
4. Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
HRV measures the time between heartbeats, indicating how well you recovered for the day and cardiovascular fitness
Research shows:
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A low HRV is linked to:
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Higher mortality risk
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Poor cardiovascular health
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Overtraining or inadequate recovery
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Goal: We don’t look for a specific number. Instead, we look at HRV to track recovery. If your HRV lowers drastically, it may mean you are under-recovered. If your HRV is higher than your average, your gym performance may improve.
5. VO2 Max
VO2 Max is one of the most important fitness metrics for longevity.
Research shows:
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Improving your VO2 Max can reduce all-cause mortality by 50% or more—making it a critical indicator of health and aging well.
Goal: VO2 Max varies by age and gender, but a general target is 40-60 ml/kg/min.
What if you’re outside these ranges?
Don’t panic. These numbers are just starting points. Instead of stressing over perfect scores, use them as feedback—a guide to help you improve what matters most for your goals.
If you want a personalized plan to improve these key metrics, hit your goals, and age strong without beating up your body, click here for 2 FREE WEEKS of personal training at BridgeFit Personal Training (3 Spots Available)!
