A Decade of Activity: More Than Just Closing Rings

For ten years, the Apple Watch has been more than just a timepiece; it’s been a personal fitness and health companion for millions. The familiar Activity rings—Move,Exercise,and stand—have provided a simple,yet effective,way for users to track their daily activity. But the impact goes far beyond colorful circles. The watch offers motivation, insights into workouts, and, crucially, data on vital health metrics like sleep, heart health, and even menstrual cycles.

On April 24th, users are challenged to close all three Activity rings to earn a special limited-edition award, complete with animated stickers for Messages. Think of it as a digital pat on the back for prioritizing your well-being.

“Apple Watch has changed the way people think about, monitor, and engage with their fitness and health. A decade ago, we introduced Activity rings — and since then, Apple Watch has grown to offer an extensive set of features designed to empower every user,”

Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer

Williams further emphasizes the personal impact: “People write to us almost every day sharing how Apple Watch has made a difference in their life, from motivating them to move more throughout the day, to changing the trajectory of their health.”

Get Involved: How to Participate in Global Close Your Rings day

Ready to join the movement? On April 24th, Apple is encouraging users to engage in activities they already love, push their limits, or try something wholly new. Share your accomplishments using the hashtag #CloseYourRings to connect with other participants around the globe.

Those who successfully close all three Activity rings will not only earn the digital badge of honor but also unlock 10 animated stickers and an animated badge for messages, perfect for bragging rights among your friends and family.

To further celebrate,apple Stores worldwide will be giving away special pins inspired by the award,starting April 24th,while supplies last. It’s a tangible reminder of your commitment to a healthier lifestyle.

Groundbreaking Research: The Science Behind the Rings

New research from the Apple Heart and Movement Study, conducted in collaboration with Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the American Heart Association, and Apple, provides compelling evidence of the benefits of consistently closing Activity rings. The study, involving over 200,000 participants across the United States, revealed important correlations between activity levels and health outcomes.

Specifically, the study found that individuals who frequently closed their Activity rings were:

• 48% less likely to experience poor sleep quality, defined as waking up frequently during the night.This is significant for americans, many of whom struggle with sleep issues related to stress and demanding work schedules.
• 73% less likely to experience elevated resting heart rate levels. A lower resting heart rate is a key indicator of fitness and cardiovascular health. for example, professional athletes often have very low resting heart rates.
• 57% less likely to report elevated stress, as measured by the Perceived Stress Scale-4 (PSS-4). Considering the high levels of stress reported by Americans in recent years, this is a especially noteworthy finding.

These insights underscore the importance of even small increases in daily activity for overall health and well-being.

Beyond the Rings: A complete Health Ecosystem

The activity rings are just the beginning.The Apple Watch offers a wide array of features designed to empower users with personalized health information. These include:

• Workout Tracking: The Workout app provides validated heart rate and calorie algorithms for a variety of activities, including running, cycling, swimming, and hiking. Advanced metrics such as training load, cardio fitness, and cardio recovery offer deeper insights into your performance.
• Motivation and Community: Activity challenges and sharing features allow you to connect with friends and family, fostering a supportive environment to achieve your fitness goals. Weekly summaries and trends provide a clear picture of your progress over time.
• Holistic Health Monitoring: beyond fitness, the Apple Watch tracks sleep patterns, monitors heart health (including irregular heart rythm notifications), tracks menstrual cycles, helps manage medications, and even monitors environmental noise levels.

Apple emphasizes the scientific foundation of its fitness and health features. A recently published validation summary details the rigorous standards for accuracy in heart rate measurement, calorie estimation, and data analysis.Machine learning models are developed using data from hundreds of thousands of hours of studies, involving thousands of participants from diverse populations.

Privacy First: Protecting Your Health Data

In an era of increasing data privacy concerns, Apple highlights its commitment to user privacy. All fitness and health data in the Health app, with the exception of Medical ID, is encrypted when your iPhone or iPad is locked. Data synced to iCloud is also encrypted both in transit and on Apple servers. Furthermore, with recent versions of watchOS, iOS, and iPadOS, health and activity data are stored in a way that Apple cannot read, provided you have enabled two-factor authentication and set a passcode.

This emphasis on data security is crucial for building trust with users and encouraging them to actively engage with the Apple Watch’s health and fitness features.