The new year is always a time for a new resolution, and if you’re buying for someone keen to go on a health kick, consider these ideas focused on just that.
Buying gifts for an end of year holiday can often be a little like a forecast. While folks who get an entertainment gift are forecasted to go and play with that thing, giving a health-related gadget typically means that person will go out and do something positive for their health.
For many of us, that push is helpful, because the beginning of a new year can start a health kick that we’ve all been interested in starting anyway. It can be the start of a New Year’s resolution, or even just something you planned to do all year, and needed a reason and time to pull the trigger.
If you know someone in need of exactly that, gadgets for kickstarting positive health habits can be handy for that. They might have even mentioned it to you already.
With that in mind, here are a few gadgets for the 2023 holiday season that can help kickstart a health kick, and might make 2024 just that much more healthful overall.
Fitbit Inspire 3
Price: $179
Monitoring your health, sleep, and how often you’re getting up and moving is just one of the ways technology can assist, and fortunately, the tech needed to do that doesn’t have to be expensive.
One of the more price friendly ways comes from Fitbit in the Inspire 3, a lightweight health tracker you can easily strap to your wrist that talks to any phone, iPhone or Android, that’s water resistant and offers up to 10 days of battery life.
Apple Watch SE
Price: from $399
If the person you’re buying a health gadget for has an iPhone but doesn’t have an Apple Watch on their wrist, you might want to consider the Apple Watch SE.
Less exy than this year’s Watch Series 9, the SE was one of our favourite models last year simply because it represents solid value for the range. Apple didn’t update the Watch SE this year and left the hardware the same, but the concept remains: a highly capable and great looking smartwatch that won’t break the bank.
Suunto 9 Peak Pro
Price: $560
Alternatively, if you’re after a wearable for someone who relies more on running or cycling, and is in need of a GPS that won’t quit, you might want to look at Suunto’s gear, particularly the 9 Peak Pro.
This model of smartwatch lacks quite the dynamic colour screen display of the Apple Watch, and instead focuses on health metrics, time keeping, military spec’d durability rating, built-in GPS, and a battery that means it can keep going for up to three weeks of life. It won’t last quite that long with the GPS on, but depending on the settings, it boasts up to 12 days with the GPS switched on.
Therabody Smart Goggles
Price: $299
Not every health gadget is about tracking health, or even encouraging weight loss. Sometimes, it’s about relaxation.
That is what the curious Therabody Smart Goggles are made for, a head massager that looks like a sleeping mask, but instead packs moving parts that when turned on vibrates and massages your head.
Just don’t wear this out and about on the train. You might be relaxed, but you’ll definitely have folks look at you bizarrely.
Withings Body Comp smart scale
Price: $359
One last thing: if you’re going to help someone start a health kick in the right ways, keeping tabs on how they’re doing is really, really important.
That’s where the Withings Body Comp smart scale comes in, an idea that takes the bathroom scale and throws in some added technology to help you learn more about yourself. Using bioimpedance technology, Withings can check fat weight, organ weight, bone density, heart rate, whether the nerves in your feet are showing signs of anything bad, and basically how well your heart is functioning, plus that ever important actual weight, complete with trends for how you go over time.
A note, however: as much as we love this scale, it is not made for people who have a pacemaker, as the bioimpedance tech may not play nicely with that specific device. Just something to be aware of.
