9 Apple Watch Health Features That Fly Under the Radar, According to a Doctor at Apple

If you regularly wear an Apple Watch, you've probably discovered the apps most useful to your daily life, like responding to emails and texts, checking the weather and using Apple Pay for contactless payments. But there are host of health apps and features that might not currently be on your radar, and they have the potential to be life-saving. I spoke with Dr. Lauren Cheung, a doctor at Apple, who reviewed the hidden health features on the Apple Watch and why they were created.Apple Watch Series 11 $285 at Amazon 1. The Vitals app for sleep and moreUsing overnight health metrics, the Vitals app can reveal much about your health and how it changes day to day. From heart rate and wrist temperature (available on Apple Watch Series 8 or later and any Apple Watch Ultra model) to respiratory rate and sleep duration, you can get a thorough picture of your health from just one glance at your watch. "When two or more of your metrics are out of range, we will notify you with information about why that might be," Cheung explained. "How it works is just after you wake up, you might see a notification from the Vitals app. For example, maybe your heart rate and wrist temperature were high -- this could be due to illness or alcohol consumption."With the health information from the Vitals app, you can make informed decisions about your health. If specific metrics are outside your normal range, you can choose to get extra rest that day or visit your doctor if you have particular symptoms. Best Apple Watch See at CNET How to set up the Vitals appTo set up your typical range, you must wear your Apple Watch for at least seven days. Ensure your watch is not loose on your wrist; otherwise, it might not capture accurate readings. To set up notifications, go to Settings on your Apple Watch, tap Vitals and turn on notifications. For sleep specifically, make sure Track Sleep with Apple Watch is set up and Sleep Focus is enabled. To do so, open your iPhone's Health app, tap Get Started under Set Up Sleep, tap Next and then follow the on-screen prompts. You can also use your Apple Watch's Sleep app and follow the on-screen instructions. 2. Noise notifications Your Apple Watch can measure the noise around you and let you know if it's too loud. AppleYou can use the Noise app on your Apple Watch to measure the sound levels in your environment. You can also enable noise notifications, so your watch can tell you when you're exposed to dangerously loud sounds. When asked why noise notifications were added to the Apple Watch, Cheung said, "The world can be loud, and we believe it's important for you to be educated and empowered about how your environment, and the noise around you, can impact your hearing health over time. That way, you can take action; whether that's moving to a quieter space or popping in AirPods Pro 2 with Hearing Protection."With the AirPods Pro 2 or 3, Apple also offers a Hearing Test that can give you a baseline for your hearing health and help you adjust accordingly. Or you can even use your AirPods Pro 2 as a hearing aid. Apple AirPods Pro 3 $180 at Amazon How to set up Noise notificationsSimply go to the Watch app on your iPhone, tap My Watch, tap Noise, tap Noise Threshold and then pick a decibel level. Different limits are listed based on World Health Organization recommendations. 3. Ovulation estimates "The technology is pretty remarkable," Cheung said. "We created new temperature-sensing capabilities on Apple Watch that help you understand…

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