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An observational study links smartwatch readiness scores to autonomic physiology and subjective fatigue, indicating physiological tracking without improved wellness prediction.
Consumer smartwatch readiness scores summarise physiological and sleep data, but their relationships with independently measured physiology and self-reported wellness remain uncertain. This exploratory 14-day repeated-measures observational study examined Google Pixel Watch 3 Daily Readiness in 38 participants (410 participant-days; 220 with recorded readiness scores). Morning heart rate variability was measured independently using Polar H10 and Kubios, and daily questionnaires assessed fatigue, stress, body soreness, and sleep quality. Mixed-effects models separated within-person and episode-mean associations; participant-grouped cross-validation tested incremental wellness prediction. Within participants, each 10-point increase in readiness relative to the episode mean was associated with 6.2% higher root mean square of successive differences (95% CI 2.7–11.7%), a 0.15-unit higher parasympathetic index (0.08–0.23), a 0.12-unit lower sympathetic index (−0.25 to −0.05), and 0.99 beats/min lower heart rate (−1.91 to −0.42). Respiratory rate was not associated. Higher readiness was associated with more favourable fatigue (odds ratio 1.19, 95% CI 1.03–1.38) and stress (1.26, 1.08–1.47) ratings, but not body soreness or sleep quality after multiplicity correction. No episode-mean association survived correction, although estimates were imprecise. Daily Readiness did not improve out-of-sample prediction. These findings show convergence with one physiological input domain but do not validate the composite or assess its use alongside load metrics.
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Doherty et al. (2026) studied this question.
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