Samsung's Galaxy S5 S Health Update Let's You Know How Stressed You Are

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Are you stressed? Most folks probably know the answer to that question without needing to take specific measurements but now, a recent update to the S Health app for the Galaxy S5 will tell you exactly what your stress levels are.  The GS5 does this by measuring the variability of the user’s heart rate with the phone’s built-in heart rate sensor.  Believe it or not, the technology employed here is reasonably reliable and accurate too.  Although, I will be quick to caution you not to rely on its measurement for anything life-threatening, but you knew that. The basic premise, however, is used to measure a wide variety of medical conditions related to anxiety and physical or emotional stress.

Galaxy S5 Heart Rate Sensor In Action

Heart Rate Variability or (HRV as its medically known) can be used to measure levels of stress on the body, though it obviously can’t tell you specifically what that stress is caused by.  It has multiple applications from cardiac health, to mental health and stress management as well as athletic training.  Regardless, if you’re not physically exerting yourself but your heart rate varies wildly throughout a specific period, you can begin to correlate whether or you’re managing your personal stress levels well or if you should try to take it down a notch.
What’s notable about this new app update for the Galaxy S5 is that it actually offers a bit more legitimate utility for the phone’s heart rate monitor, which has been occasionally scoffed at by critics as gimmick and novelty, rather than anything innovative and worth adding cost to the device.  The app will also graph your measured stress levels over certain periods of time: hourly, daily or monthly even.
There’s little question, however, in the forthcoming age of wearable computing, that biometric sensors will continue to evolve and become more integral to products for key functionality.  Samsung was leading the curve a bit perhaps with S Health but I can almost hear a, dare I say, “Siri-like” voice calling my name now… “Dave, you seem stressed.  Might I suggest some easy-listening music to relax by?”