How to use a GARMIN watch for good health

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Here are 7 great ways to use a Garmin watch to help with overall body and mind fitness:

HEART RATE MONITORING + HRV

The analysis of heart rate data provides a lot of personal health and activity insights, including:

• All-day stress tracking - Helps you manage stress. Relax reminders will even prompt you to do a short breathing activity when the watch detects stress.
• Body Battery™ energy monitoring - Guides you when to exercise and when to rest.
• Respiration rate - Learn to control your stress with mindful breathing.
• Sleep tracking - Understand how your body is recovering and  learn detailed insights for improved sleep quality.
• Calories burnt - Helps with weight management issues.
• Cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2 Max) - 
• Resting Heart Rate (RHR) - Adult normal range 60-100. Typically, a lower RHR reflects good cardiorespiratory fitness levels (VO2 max), adequate sleep, low stress and abstention from stimulants such as alcohol and tobacco.
• Maximum Heart Rate (HRmax) - Your HRmax is the fastest your heart can beat. Unlike RHR, your HRmax doesn’t change from one day to the next. It is also almost entirely unaffected by your fitness level, so getting into great shape won’t increase your HRmax.

• Heart Rate Zones - Offers insight into the current intensity of your performance. Easily track your weekly intensity minutes (150 min/week for moderate aerobic activity and 75 min/week for vigorous aerobic activity).

• Zone 1 (Warmup): 50–60% of Max HR - Training in zone 1 feels like a relaxed, easy pace with rhythmic breathing. It improves your heart’s abilities to pump blood and your muscles’ ability to use oxygen. Brisk walking is a typical zone 1 exercise.

• Zone 2 (Easy): 60–70% of Max HR - Training in zone 2 is at a comfortable pace, where you’re breathing more deeply but can still hold a conversation. It’s good for recovery and basic cardiovascular training. Light jogging typically falls into zone 2.

• Zone 3 (Aerobic): 70–80% of Max HR - Zone 3 training is done at a moderate pace, where it’s more difficult to hold a conversation. This strengthens your lungs and heart for more endurance. Easy running is done in zone 3.

• Zone 4 (Threshold): 80–90% of Max HR - In zone 4, you are moving at a fast, almost uncomfortable pace with forceful breathing. It improves anaerobic capacity and lactate threshold. Fast runs fall into zone 4.

• Zone 5 (Maximum): 90–100% of Max HR - When you reach zone 5, you typically are at a sprint pace that is difficult to sustain for long. Breathing is labored. Zone 5 training builds power as well as anaerobic and muscular endurance.

HYDRATION TRACKING & REMINDERS

Made up of approximately 60% of your weight, your body needs water to function. The benefits of staying hydrated cannot be overstated. They include the following:

• Temperature regulation
• Joint protection
• Waste removal
• Sensitive tissue defense
• Weight loss promotion
• Defense against chronic diseases

BREATWORK EXERCISES

Whether you want to increase awareness, reduce stress, improve mental sharpness, boost work performance or prepare for sleep, breathwork — or mindful breathing — can help. Try these different techniques from Garmin:

• Tranquility - This is a 10-minute activity that aims to help get you in a ready state for sleep. It slowly builds up until you can inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds and exhale for 8 seconds.
• Coherence - This 15-minute activity should help you feel balanced and calm, rather than excited or overly relaxed. You will gradually slow down your breathing until you can achieve an even 6-second inhale and 6-second exhale.
• Relax and focus - This is another 15-minute activity meant to put you in state of focus and concentration, free from stress. Sometimes referred to as “box breathing” or “fourfold breath,” this technique helps you work toward a “4:4:4:4” breathing pattern, meaning a 4-second inhale, 4-second hold, 4-second exhale and 4-second hold.

SPORT APPS & WORKOUTS

Use the built-in sport apps and preloaded workouts to track your activities. Let your watch do the planning and tracking so you can focus on reaching goals.

YOUR PERSONAL VIRTUAL COACH

Get a personal running coach on your wrist, for free, to help you train. With Garmin Coach, your personal trainer is always on hand. Choose from 3 credible coaches to guide you on your journey: Olympian and best-selling author Jeff Galloway, physiologist and online running Coach Greg McMillan, or physical therapist and running expert Amy Parkerson-Mitchell.

CREATE A WEIGHT GOAL IN GARMIN CONNECT

1. Open the Garmin Connect app
2. Open the Menu

• Android: Select icon (top left)
• iOS: Select More (bottom right)

1. Select Health Stats or Health & Performance
2. Select Weight
3. Select icon in the top right
4. Select Edit Weight Goal
5. Enter your desired weight goal
6. Select Save

CREATE A STEPS GOAL

Set a daily steps goal and let the watch keep track of your steps. Movement helps overall fitness and daily walks are a good destresser.