Mea Culpa

There were several posts in the Notes archive that mocked the Apple® Watch as a foolish gadget for hypochondriacs. Well, this is a mea culpa moment. Two days were required to set up the Watch Series 9 and properly synchronize it with the Health “app.” Unfortunately, the Activity and Workout “apps” must also be tethered, both of which will remain dormant for the time being. For now, fitness tracking is not of any importance.

The Watch Series 9 now provides heart rate, sleep tracking, blood-oxygen monitoring, EKG, and environmental noise data. Although the device functions adequately as a standalone, the integration with the Health “app” allows for archiving all the data and provides a better interface for viewing. The device is not a professional medical instrument, but it offers adequate information for personal use. It can also signal when medical assistance is needed.

There has been intuitive evidence that the heart palpitations, chronic anxiety, insomnia, and melancholia are interrelated. The root of the problem and, hence the target of cure, is anxiety. There are no over-the-counter solutions, short of cheap booze or illicit drugs. Anxiolytics are dispensed only with medical prescriptions. The cause of the fentanyl epidemic becomes quite clear, eh?

The Watch Series 9 comes with a small Mindfulness “app.” The iPhone has the new Journal “app.” Perhaps brushing off those options as too “New Age” was premature. The old “blog” was actually quite therapeutic. Since the inception of Notes in the sporadic third-party format, the anxiety has increased exponentially. Correlation?

All that to say the Watch Series 9 has become a valuable possession. The smaller size is quite “cute,” too. The device is not just a wristwatch. It’s a lifesaver.