Development of a Health Watch for Monitoring Daily Effects of Stress and Disease

Abstract

Heart rate variability (HRV), the changes in the beat-to-beat fluctuation in the heart rate, has been directly linked to levels of chronic stress in individuals. Monitoring HRV in individuals has been shown to reduce levels of stress and increase overall health. Chronic stress has a dire effect on human health, and it is linked to an increase in cardiovascular disease, as well as diabetes. However, it has been vastly overlooked by society as a problem pertaining to health, and there are currently no solutions to monitor the daily effects of stress. This thesis is aimed at solving this problem through the design and development of a real-time health watch to monitor an individual’s heart rate variability, heart rate and respiration rate. The intended use of the device is directed toward medical professionals who find it necessary to monitor a patient’s daily stress in hopes to mitigate current and future health problems.