AFib is a tricky condition. You feel like your heart is on fire, you go to the doctor, and when you’re testing it, everything looks normal. Then you go back home thinking everything is fine, later your heart starts acting up again.
Luckily, a new technology arose to tackle such scenarios- which is a heart rate monitor watch. It also has other features such as tracking distance traveled, calories burned, and sleep quality that makes this product perfect for any person looking to stay active and healthy!
So, if you want to buy the best heart rate monitor watch for AFib to keep tabs on your irregular heart rhythms and daily activities, this review article will help you find one. So, keep reading…
Table of Contents
What is AFib?
AFib is an abbreviation that stands for Atrial Fibrillation, a type of irregular heart rhythm. Irregular heart rhythms are also called arrhythmias. In such cases, the rate of the patient’s pulse can vary from slow to fast, and this causes them to suffer from many other symptoms, such as chest pain, dizziness, or even death
9 Best heart rate monitor watch: A review in 2021
A heart rate monitor watch is an easy way to track your fitness and health goals. They are a great way to keep track of your heart rate on the go. Many people use these while they run, work out, or even sleep. These monitors help you stay in shape and also make it easier for doctors to diagnose your health by analyzing the data from your watch.
There are many different types of heart rate monitor watches that meet everyone’s needs. You can get a basic one with just an average heart rate function or one that is loaded with features.
To help you get what you want, here are my favorite picks:
1. New Apple Watch Series 6
Heart rate monitoring using a wristwatch has been taken to new heights with zero error; special thanks to the most anticipated watch of all time, The New Apple watch 6!
This fantastic Apple product has been engineered with a sophisticated sensor suite that can measure your blood oxygen levels and heart rate meticulously. It also includes an optical heart sensor to help determine the accuracy of this data for monitoring health conditions, such as atrial fibrillation.
With the latest and greatest in technology, the watch includes GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS; as well a 64-bit dual-core processor for quick data processing! Additionally, the device is equipped with an even larger and better display(1000 nits) than previous models at 1.5 inches and an impressive rechargeable battery that can last up to 18 hours.
With groundbreaking features like light sensor, Bluetooth 5.0, heavy-duty X-ion glass, U1 Ultra Wideband Chip, Barometric altimeter, 32GB capacity, plus much more – this gadget is one that won’t disappoint you.
Apart from these outstanding features, this most advanced model arrives with a sleek and elegant appearance that will make you the envy of all your friends. That’s right; you will look fabulous on any occasion, from work or school to an evening in the town socializing!
Overall, the Apple Watch 6 boasts a long list of impressive features that’ll make the most avid tech geeks drool, and it’s been crafted with ease of use in mind. And, you can monitor your heart’s performance anytime or anywhere through this tiny touchscreen device on your wrist!
Pros:
- Consistent and precise heart monitoring
- Equipped with Blood oxygen app and ECG App
- Battery charge lasts up to 18 hours after recharge
Cons:
- It pretty expensive
2. Fitbit Sense with Tools for Heart Health
The Fitbit team has offered us some of the best pedometers for seniors and young people. They also played a big role in assisting Afib patients in monitoring their heart rate precisely with this Fitbit sense.
To keep you up-to-date about what’s happening inside your body, Fitbit adorned this health watch is adorned with several health conditions measuring sensors. These sensors include skin temperature, sleep tracking, heart rate monitor, oxygen saturation(SpO2) monitoring, and stress-tracking sensor.
You can use these sensor-driven outputs to shape your daily habits and activities, plus you can have the pdf version of the reports so that you can consult with your doctor showing these useful data. You will also get notifications from this Fitbit guy whenever your heart rate drops or rises compared to the average heart rate.
It also includes the new infinity band, which is a versatile piece that allows you to wear the watch to the gym, at work, and out on the town. Making it the perfect accessory for your active lifestyle!
What’s even better, this smartwatch comes with a fast-charging battery system that takes 12 minutes to fully charge, and the charge lasts up to 6 days between if you keep the screen off when not in use.
It also incorporates built-in Gps, mic, Bluetooth, and speaker to provide your further convenient user experience, and the gadget is compatible with google assistant and Amazon Alexa. So, you can easily imagine how cool the thing is!
Pros:
- Innovative stress and sleep management features
- Quick charging system and well-crafted
- 50m water resistant
Cons:
- Â The App does not function properly, and it may freeze repeatedly
3. SAMSUNG Galaxy Watch 3, 45mm, LTE
Thankfully, the wristwatch allows you to monitor several things of daily activity from your wrist, including your heart condition. Yes, it reads your heart rate, and you can share your ECG reports(PDF) with health experts using the Samsung health monitor app. It also measures your oxygen level, sleep, and stress level using high-quality sensors.
This gorgeous new device is also LTE enabled, meaning that it lets you make phone calls or text hands-free without carrying around another device! You’ll never need to worry about charging this wizard frequently, as the Galaxy Watch 3 will last more than one day on just a single charge.
However, if your battery life starts running low, don’t worry–you always have the option of charging up with Wireless Power Share from any compatible Galaxy phone! So, this stunning feature makes taking care of business easier than ever before!
Apart from that, the Integrated Bixby voice functionality makes on-the-go tasks, like reading your texts and making a call to mom or dad, easier than ever. Also, the Samsung Pay feature leaves the need for cash at home. And with a multilayered defense-grade security platform, you can rest assured that all of your data is safe from prying eyes.
Additionally, this gadget is built to withstand the harshest environments that you can put it through. Also, this military-grade smartwatch can withstand drops from up to 4.9 feet, sudden shocks or vibrations, low and high pressures, temperatures. Plus, it is water-resistant up to 50 meters!
Pros:
- Top-notch build quality
- Very efficient and user-friendly watch
- Lightweight and attractive structure
Cons:
- You may face difficulties using it with iPhone
4. MorePro Heart Rate Monitor and Fitness tracker
While it may not be as fancy or advanced as some of the other products on this list, the Morepro smartwatch does offer a heart monitoring feature that is both reliable and accurate. If you are looking for a durable and inexpensive way to keep tabs on your health, then I would recommend giving their product line a try first!
With this efficient smartwatch, you will get professional HR analysis in a blink of an eye. Simply place your fingers on the sensors for 30 seconds, and view the results instantly from anywhere via their mobile app that seamlessly connects with iPhone and Android! Thankfully, you don’t need to use any sort of wire or gel to measure your HR analysis on the go.
Moreover, you can track your rhythm to know what’s going on inside your heart at any time—whether it be stressful or tranquil moments. That’s right, its innovative design makes checking up on yourself easy as pie! The bright plus adjustable HD screen also lets you see these data smoothly.
Like most professional-grade watches, this Morepro gadget is waterproof too. Apart from monitoring your heart conditions, this device measures your blood oxygen level, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and cardiac load.
Another attractive feature of this wristwatch is its hassle-free USB charging system. So, you don’t need to carry any specific charger with you if you go on long tours. Fortunately, its battery charge can last up to 5 days.
Pros:
- Supports both Android and IOS operating system
- Sturdy structure, compact design, and powerful battery
- Sensors read data pretty accurately
Cons:
- It includes a poorly written instruction manual
5. SIKADEER Heart Rate Monitor and Fitness Tracker
Yes, this highly functional tool comes with all sorts of interesting features designed specifically for people who want an easy-to-use smartwatch in their daily lives. With 24/7 heart rate and HRV monitoring with ultra-modern infrared chips, it becomes 50% more accurate in measuring these health data. That’s why this thing is considered one of the best heart rate monitor watch for AFib patients.
Beside reading and analyzing heart conditions, this product also measures spO2, blood oxygen, and blood pressure without any error. So, you can put your trust in this reliable device to stay up-to-date about your health.
Moreover, it tracks your sleep and daily activity and gives you related reports so that you can build good habits. This waterproof gadget is well-crafted and compatible with iPhone and Android smartphones. It is also equipped with a high-quality polymer lithium battery that lasts up to 4 days between charges.
Pros:
- Well-built and clear display
- Long-lasting battery performance
- Comfy and lightweight design
Cons:
- The charging system isn’t convenient
6. SUUNTO 9 Peak Sports Watch
The SUUNTO 9 Peak is one of the popular variations of the industry-leading SUUNTO 9 smartwatch series. It looks charming, has a stylish design, and is lightweight; in fact, it’s the smallest watch ever made by SUUNTO. While it might be thin, it certainly isn’t flimsy or weak, as it’s made out of grade 5 Titanium.
With this on your hand, you can monitor your heart rhythms at any given time. But the shop doesn’t close there. It can also track your blood oxygen level which sets it apart from other SUUNTO models.
It also acts as a pedometer, counting your steps and the amount of distance you’ve covered, the sapphire glass HD display conveys all of it in crystal clear clarity. There are over 80 sports modes that make the tracking work more accurately at reading your activities.
1 full charge lasts more than 25 hours, there are multiple modes, including a tour mode that extends the battery life to 170 hours while keeping the 24/7 tracking on. And, with the fast charging USB, it can reach more than 80% charge in 1 hour.
Pros:
- Blood oxygen level monitoring
- Lightweight but rock-solid Titanium body
- Snap to route GPS navigation and heat maps
- Automatic backlight sensors
Cons:
- Occasionally misplaces points
7. Suunto 9 Baro Sports Watch
SUUNTO originally made it for the pro athletes who want the best of the bests. With a mouth-watering 80 sports mode to track your activity better and durability to handle the roughest of conditions, I’d say they did a pretty good job of it.
By wearing it on your wrist, you can check your heartbeats in real-time. You also get to track your sleep activities as the watch displays a pattern of your sleep duration, average bedtime, light sleep, and deep sleep patterns.
Plus, it’ll record your average and minimum heart rates as you sleep, it’s a very handy feature for monitoring AFib.
The touchscreen display is also made of exquisite sapphire glass, it’s not gonna break easily, making it an auto choice for extreme activities.
There’s also a built-in GPS, but this one features layered maps, which makes it an awesome assistant for cycling enthusiasts, they’ll love the turn-by-turn navigation. Battery life is what makes this special, a tester ran for 30 hours at UTMB, it displayed perfect accuracy and yet had some charge to spare, unbelievable!
Pros:
- Precise readings 100m underwater
- One charge cycle can last 150 hours
- Passed US military 810H test
- Multiple battery modes
- Has built-in barometer
Cons:
- Small notifications are hard to read
8. Fossil Men’s Gen 5 Garrett Stainless Steel Touchscreen Smartwatch
Using google fit’s modern algorithms, it’ll keep track of your heart rate, giving you accurate data to the minute. It’s an easy way to keep note of your daily heart rhythms and check for AFib.
But that’s not the only great thing about it. It’s also spectacular at GPS tracing. To make it efficient, there’s also a built-in pedometer showing you how many steps you’ve taken.
Since it’s waterproof, you can do swimming exercises without having to remove it, or you can also check your pulse during that time because old people often have elevated heartbeats during physical exertion. This device also monitors your sleep cycles, separating your light and restful sleep hours.
It’s updated with all the new best features, including Google assistant or syncing with your phone. There’s a Bluetooth calling feature that lets you talk to anyone hands-free, you don’t need to bring your phone outside.
You’ll not miss a single call, text, or even any notification from your social media, as long as it’s connected to Wi-Fi.
Although the brand claims the battery will last more than 24 hours, I’ve seen customers saying the opposite. But that’s hard to pinpoint without knowing their usage.
Pros:
- Rust free, stainless steel build
- USB charge 80% in an hour
- 8 GB free space
- Support google pay feature
Cons:
- Only 30mm screen display
9. HalfSun Fitness Watch with Heart Rate Monitor
I’m gonna end today’s list with an affordable and stylish watch from HalfSun. With this, you can check your heart rate in real-time throughout the day at any time of your choosing with the PPG sensors, but that’s just the beginning. It’s also great for checking your blood pressure too!
I think I have your undivided attention now, but lucky for you the train doesn’t stop here. You also can check your deep and light sleep cycles with this little wonder, giving you a rundown of your sleep quality.
This also doubles down as a magnificent step counter that also shows you how many calories you’ve burned, and how much distance you’ve covered with a colorful infographic.
One of the reasons that made me like this device was its screen. The 1.3″ screen is vibrant, colorful, and crystal clear about its readings, thanks to the HD IPS display. The wide gamut is the reason behind the attractive display which also makes it easy to look at the screen.
There’s also a GPS option and a dedicated sports mode that tracks your activities better. You also have call, SMS, and social media notification support. That’s not all, you can take photos with it too!
So you get the total fitness smartwatch package, but spend a meager amount for it.
Pros:
- Will alert when it detects abnormal heart rhythm
- Gives you sedentary reminders to relieve yourself
- Â Keeps tabs on menstruation cycles for females
- IP67 grade Waterproof
Cons:
- Hot water can harm it
- Doesn’t work accurately below a 3-meter depth
Things to consider while buying the best heart rate monitor watch for AFib
If you’re in the market for a new heart rate monitoring watch, it can be difficult to know which one is best. There are so many features and options! Luckily, we’ve compiled a buying guide for you so that you won’t face issues while buying one. Let’s see the main considerations.
Pattern
The most basic of all heart rate monitoring watches consists of a digital display with the ability to monitor your pulse. More advanced ones have an LED screen that flashes different patterns and colors depending on what data it is measuring. These are great for training outdoors; you won’t need to keep stopping to check your watch!
Water Resistance
The more expensive heart rate monitoring watches are super water-resistant. This means that you can take them in the shower and while swimming, without fear of damage. However, cheap smartwatches have waterproofing features, but they are not reliable.
Comfort
Your heart rate monitoring watch needs to be comfortable. You should be able to wear it for extended periods of time with no problems! If possible, try it on before buying it to find out if it’s a good fit for you.
Direct Contact
Some heart rate monitoring watches use the electrical field around your body to measure heartbeats and show accurate data. This means that they have to be touching direct skin. The more expensive ones work even if there is clothing between them and your skin. The best way to find out which one works best for you is to try them on before doing anything else.
Activity and Sleep Tracking
Some heart rate monitoring watches have the ability to track your activity and sleep levels. This can be helpful if you’re trying to burn a certain amount of calories every day or build a good sleeping habit. Some even track very detailed information about sleep and activity to provide you better reports.
Battery life
How long the battery will last is an important consideration when you’re buying a heart rate monitoring watch. If it only lasts a day, then it might not be worth your time! Battery levels are different for each watch, but they usually run about 5-10 hours with constant use and up to 5 or more days.
Battery Type
Modern heart rate monitoring watches use either disposable or rechargeable batteries. Disposable ones are cheaper, but they must be replaced regularly. Rechargeable ones are more expensive but last longer.
Accuracy
The more expensive heart rate monitoring watches are usually much more accurate than the cheaper ones. It’s best to look for a watch that is FDA-approved and has a low margin of error; this will ensure that it provides you with accurate data each time you use it.
GPS
Not all heart rate monitoring watches have built-in GPS. The ones that do make tracking your runs much easier, as you’ll be able to track mile and kilometer times, in addition to distance traveled.
Bonus Features
There are many heart rate monitoring watches that have bonus features, such as a stopwatch or a timer. These are great if you want an all-in-one device! So, spend a few extra bucks if you love to get these features with your Heart rate monitoring watch.
Why is the heart monitor watch necessary for AFib?
A heart rate monitor does monitor the heart rate, how fast it beats, shows us if the pulse is steady or unstable, etc. Usually, when we doubt that we have a heart condition, we go and get an ECG test.
The problem with that approach is a resting ECG often doesn’t tell you much. Especially in the case of AFib, because arrhythmia has abnormal timings. So it could happen that you’re at a lab to test your heartbeats, at that time the pulse is ok but later that day you’re facing irregular heart rhythms.
So, even if a resting ECG says the heart rate is normal, in the case of AFib, you can still have a blood clot that one at the office couldn’t find out.
To tackle this, you need a monitor that constantly monitors your heartbeats, for that reason you need a heart rate monitor watch like the ones I’m enlisting here.
This way you can keep a diary and take note of your condition.
Having a heart rate monitor has other perks too-
- You can check if your pacemaker is working properly or not
- After a heart attack, heart rate checks are needed
- The outcome of AFib treatments often rely on continuous heart rate readings
- Most heart rate monitor watches also work as pedometers, so they can help you stay fit
You can read more about the importance of regular heart rate monitoring here.
How does an ECG smartwatch monitor AFib?
We’ve always had a mental image of ECG machines being those big ol’ devices inside a lab chamber. But that changed when in 2018 Apple launched their watch series 4, the first smartwatch to have an ECG monitor in it. And, then many others follow suit.
Humans are always wary of new stuff so I’m sure a lot of you have your doubts, so let me clear that by showing you how a smartwatch can monitor heartbeat:
When you place a smartwatch on your wrist that has ECG monitors built-in, it’ll make use of photoplethysmography which measures the light transmission. When blood flows through our arteries, it swells a bit during the flow and returns to its original shape once the blood passes.
Now, if we have a light source on our skin during that time, like the LED from the smartwatch will reflect the light back to the screen. The increased blood pressure will create a different reflection, showing us a signal on the screen. Sharper signals mean a stronger pulse.
Then, by looking at the pulse, we can determine whether or not the heartbeats are stable. That’s how a smartwatch can monitor AFib.
Now, this technique isn’t accurate by the millisecond but is an easily accessible one. Remember it is not a substitute for medical treatment, rather a convenience to get a better answer about your health conditions.
Which is the best heart rate monitor? Editor’s Choice:
Frankly speaking, I don’t know. It’s hard for me to pick one product here. Apple and Samsung are always reliable with their tech and accuracy, Fitbit is a renowned name that never disappoints, and I loved both of the SUUNTO 9 variants so much that I couldn’t choose one over the other, then HalfSun’s heart monitor watch that delivers so many features at such an affordable price.
From a feature perspective, all of them justify their price range and are good at what they do. So, I have to choose a winner based on the design and battery backup; from that angle, the SUUNTO 9 bar hits it home for me.
Having jam-packed features, military tested to be durable, and proven long battery life is something I’d want if I have to go premium for it, not a problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How accurate are smartwatch heart rate monitors?
As the heartbeat fluctuates, it is natural that smartwatches would miss as much as five whole beats! A study in 2018 showed Apple and Samsung were able to identify baseline heart rates with 100% accuracy while Fitbit only achieved 94%.
2. What is a good heart rate per minute?
For regular adults, 60 to 100 beats per minute show a healthy heart. Fun fact, athletes can have low bpm, sometimes as low as 40.
3. What if the pulse rate is more than 100?
That means you have Tachycardia. Tachycardia has been described as the medical term for anything above 100 beats per minute. Many things might cause this, including various forms of arrhythmia.
4. What if blood pressure is normal but the pulse is high?
You can have low blood pressure and high heart rate at the same time, it’s ok if it is temporary. But if it is long-term then you should go to the Doctor.
5. How can I quickly lower my heart rate?
Trying to be calm can actually help you when your heart rate is out of control. Deep breaths and drinking water work wonders for bringing the pace back down, but there are also other ways that may make it easier as well. Try sitting on a chair or lying in bed if possible.
Keep your heart in good condition
Yes, heart rate watches are amazing and one of the finest innovations of the modern day. But getting the best heart rate monitor watch for AFib doesn’t mean you got a replacement doctor. These gadgets rather assist them to find out what’s going on with your heart so that they can help you stay healthy.
Remember to take note of your heartbeats and show them to your doctor next time you visit.
