From heart rate to sleep score, monitoring health through smart tech has become routine. While useful for some, it can become more anxiety-inducing than motivating for others, which itself can have counterproductive physical consequences. By focusing on what's wrong, these tools can also prevent you from recognising when things are going well.
Dr Donald Grant, GP and senior clinical advisor at The Independent Pharmacy, notes there is no single 'pass or fail test for how healthy you are,' and regular medical checkups are important for everyone. That said, certain indicators can provide a reassuring reminder you're on the right track, provided you're able-bodied and don't have underlying conditions affecting mobility or bodily functions.
Balance and mobility markers
Being able to put your socks on while standing up without holding anything is one such marker. Single leg balance is one of the strongest predictors of longevity. A 2022 study found people who couldn't do this had double the risk of dying within 10 years. Dr Grant calls this 'a genuinely useful marker rather than just a party trick,' adding that balance relies on muscle strength, joint stability, and the nervous system working together.
Kelly Fisher, health and wellbeing nurse at Benenden Health, notes that not being able to do this doesn't mean you are unhealthy. 'There could be lots of reasons stopping you such as muscle tightness or joint stiffness,' she says, advising gentle stretching exercises like yoga and practicing single leg balances for 30 seconds on each leg while brushing your teeth.
Getting up from the floor without using your hands is another strong indicator. It requires strength, balance, mobility, coordination, and power all at once. Kelly explains this movement can be a great indicator of aerobic fitness, muscle and core strength, stability, flexibility and balance, which are key for ageing healthily and reducing fall injury risk. However, Dr Grant cautions that finding this harder than before is common with reduced activity and isn't a cause for alarm on its own.
Strength and metabolic signs
Grip strength is 'one of the more reliable indicators' on the list, according to Dr Grant. It reflects overall muscle strength and neurological function, and research has linked weaker grip strength to higher risk of frailty and cognitive decline in later life. Kelly stresses it shouldn't be used as a standalone value, and individual circumstances should be considered.
Getting hungry at regular times can reflect settled blood sugar and eating patterns. Kelly caveats that hunger can sometimes appear when bored or stressed, or become suppressed with high caffeine intake. Holding a deep, flat-footed squat indicates good hip and ankle mobility, though Dr Grant notes it's shaped by habit and lifestyle as much as underlying health.
Respiratory and sleep quality
Breathing through your nose at rest suggests your respiratory health is in a good place, as mouth breathing at rest is linked to poor sleep and higher stress responses. Passing gas up to 25 times a day is completely normal and a sign your gut microbiome is active and digestion is doing its job.
Being able to climb a few flights of stairs without becoming breathless can prove useful in measuring health. The four-flight stair climb test is recommended by the European Society of Cardiology to help determine overall heart health. Those who could climb four flights (about 60 steps) briskly with minimal breathlessness in less than 90 seconds were deemed at lower risk.
Waking up feeling rested is a better indicator than waking before your alarm, says Kelly, as feeling groggy can signal poor quality sleep. Numerous studies have linked long-term lack of quality rest to issues from heart disease and type 2 diabetes to cognitive decline and mental health disorders.
These aren't hard and fast rules, but are designed to help take a broader, more positive look at your health. Even if you tick all these boxes, you should still be mindful of other potential symptoms. 'It can be easy to ignore those niggling signals, but these are messages our body is using to tell us something is wrong,' adds Kelly. 'Make sure during those busier times you spend a few minutes each day checking in with yourself so the messages don't go unanswered.'
