World Mental Health Day serves as a crucial reminder to prioritize mental health and well-being, with 1 in 8 people globally living with a mental disorder, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Mental health conditions often go unnoticed, particularly amidst our busy lives. However, as mental health awareness grows worldwide, the demand for better understanding and convenient monitoring of mental well-being is increasing.
To address this need, Samsung is collaborating with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), affiliated with Harvard Medical School, to advance wearable mental health data capabilities. Samsung’s wearable devices, such as the Galaxy Watch, are seen as valuable tools to enhance mental health awareness. These devices accompany users throughout their day, collecting various physical data measurements that can be analyzed to provide insights into mental health status.
Samsung and MGH’s psychiatry department are conducting a study using the Galaxy Watch to explore the relationships between sleep, physical activity, heart rate, heart rate variability, daily routines, and mental health status. The study aims to understand how smartwatches can serve as efficient and convenient tools for monitoring mental health.
Hon Pak, Vice President and Head of the Digital Health Team at Samsung Electronics, emphasized the company’s commitment to offering users a better understanding of their mental well-being, complementing their holistic health knowledge, including both body and mind.
Samsung’s advanced sensors, including the groundbreaking Samsung BioActive Sensor, are driving digital health monitoring into the next era. By collaborating with Massachusetts General Hospital, Samsung aims to expand mental health insight functions and pioneer wellness monitoring possibilities.
Amanda Baker, PhD, Director of the Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders at Massachusetts General Hospital, expressed hope that the collaboration would provide individuals with a deeper perspective on their mental well-being on a daily basis, particularly for those living with stress.
