Apple Watch Health Coach

Heart rate notifications

Watch alerts you if your heart rate is unusually high or low while you\'re resting.

1. iPhone: open the Watch app → "Heart" → "High Heart Rate".
2. Set the threshold (default 120 BPM is fine).
3. Same for "Low Heart Rate" (default 40 BPM).
4. "Irregular Rhythm Notifications" — turn ON. Detects possible AFib.

There are documented cases of the watch catching AFib that no one knew about. Worth setting up even if your heart "feels fine".

EKG (Series 4 and newer)

Take a 30-second medical-grade EKG anytime — useful when you feel "off".

1. iPhone Watch app → "Heart" → "ECG App" → set up (asks your age).
2. Open the ECG app on the watch face.
3. Hold a finger on the digital crown (the round button) for 30 seconds.
4. Result: "Sinus Rhythm" (good), "AFib", or "Inconclusive".
5. Save the PDF to share with your doctor.

Fall detection (Series 4 and newer)

1. iPhone Watch app → "Emergency SOS" → "Fall Detection" → "Always On".
2. If the watch detects a hard fall and you don\'t move for 1 minute, it auto-calls 911 AND your emergency contacts.
3. If you fall but you\'re fine — watch shows a button to cancel. Tap it.

For older adults living alone, this feature alone makes the watch worthwhile.

Medication reminders

The watch can remind you to take meds AND track that you actually did.

1. On iPhone: open the Health app.
2. Tap "Browse" → "Medications".
3. Tap "Add Medication" → type the name. App auto-finds it in the database.
4. Set time(s) of day and frequency.
5. The watch buzzes at the right time. Tap "Logged" or "Skipped".
6. Over time, you see how consistently you\'re taking each med.

Sleep & breathing tracking

• Sleep stages — watch tracks REM, deep, light sleep nightly.
• Resting heart rate — long-term trend is meaningful. A rising RHR can be an early sign of illness or stress.
• Sleep apnea detection (Series 9+) — Watch + iPhone now detects breathing disturbances during sleep that suggest sleep apnea. Worth checking out if you snore loudly.
• Walking steadiness — tracks balance trends over time. Decline can be an early warning of fall risk.

Sharing with your doctor

1. Health app → tap your photo → "Sharing" → "Share with Your Doctor".
2. If your doctor uses MyChart and Apple Health integration, you can share heart rate, blood pressure, and EKG directly.
3. Or export as a PDF — Health app → tap a metric → tap "..." → Export.