Are You Wearing Your Smartwatch Correctly?

It’s natural to wear your smartwatch the same way you would wear any other watch. However, if you’re not wearing it the right way, it can interfere with the accuracy of the health sensors.

Why You Shouldn’t Wear a Smartwatch Like a Traditional Wristwatch

The smartwatch sensors need to make perfect contact with your skin to accurately read your heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and so on. Even a tiny gap can significantly reduce its efficiency and produce inaccurate data. You see, when you wear your smartwatch like a traditional watch—close to the wrist bone—it experiences considerable bone movement. Albeit subtle, this movement can disrupt the sensor’s ability to get consistent readings of blood flow beneath your skin. Furthermore, this area generally has poorer blood supply to begin with, making it even harder for the sensors to take accurate measurements.

Modern smartwatches use sensors that shine a strong light on your skin and measure how much of that light is absorbed or reflected by your blood vessels. It’s similar to shining a flashlight through your finger to see your pulse. However, the accuracy suffers significantly if there’s any movement, gap, or skin irregularity that breaks the contact between the sensors and your skin.

Now, it’s worth noting that these sensors can be as accurate as medical-grade equipment—when worn correctly. In my own experiment with my Galaxy Watch, I found the readings to be similar to my Pulse Oximeter. As such, if you’re using a quality smartwatch but noticing inaccurate data, the solution might be as simple as adjusting how you wear it.

So, What’s the Right Way to Wear a Smartwatch?

Everyone’s wrists, comfort needs, and styles are different, but there are a few best practices that you can follow to maximize the accuracy of your smartwatch.

For Day-to-Day Use

For everyday wear—whether walking around, working at a desk, or running errands—position the watch about two fingers’ width above your wrist bone. You should tighten the strap just enough so that the watch doesn’t slide up or down when you shake your arm, but not so tight that it leaves marks on your skin or cuts off circulation. By positioning the watch away from the wrist bone and closer to the forearm, you ensure the sensors detect better blood supply to function accurately. Also, as long as the strap is sufficiently tight, the sensors will maintain skin contact—no need to worry about movement-induced interference disrupting your readings.

During Exercise

When exercising—whether running, lifting weights, or doing high-intensity interval training—there will naturally be more movement and sweat. This combination can cause the watch to slip and slide on your arm, affecting the overall tracking accuracy. Thankfully, you can easily prevent this by simply tightening the strap one notch tighter than your normal setting. It should feel secure but not uncomfortable.

While Sleeping

Sleep tracking is another major benefit of smartwatches. However, wearing the watch too tightly can cause discomfort and make it harder to fall asleep. Meanwhile, wearing it too loosely can lead to inaccurate readings. Now, I’d first suggest that you try sleep tracking at the normal day-to-day tightness setting. You can loosen it by one notch if it feels uncomfortable. If you don’t move your hands too much during sleep, the readings should remain accurate.

However, if your sleep data seems inaccurate, and you think it’s because of the loose strap, consider getting something like a Milanese mesh strap, a loop-style band, or a Velcro band. These adjustable bands allow you to fine-tune the tightness so the watch doesn’t slip around, and you can sleep comfortably without feeling like someone is holding onto your wrist.

Signs You Are Wearing It Wrong

Okay, so you know that you shouldn’t wear your smartwatch on your wrist, but rather slightly above, towards the forearm. And you should also keep the wearable tight but not too tight. Now, it can be a bit of trial and error for the first couple of days until you find the right configuration. However, here are some telltale signs that say you’re probably doing it wrong:

1. If the watch slides on your wrist when you move your arm up and down, even by a centimeter, it’s too loose and needs to be tightened.
2. If you experience tightness or tingling in your palms or fingers, the watch is likely too tight and restricting your blood flow. In this case, you need to loosen it until the tingling sensation stops.
3. If there’s only one notch of difference between tight and loose—where tightening by one notch causes tingling but loosening by one notch makes it slide up and down—you should replace your strap with a more adjustable band with more tightness levels.
4. If you develop skin irritation or rashes, it may be an allergic reaction to the band material. Consider replacing it with a more breathable and hypoallergenic option.
5. If you notice a rash specifically where the watch dial sits, it’s likely due to sweat buildup or soap residue from handwashing. The best solution is to clean both the watch and your wrist regularly, especially after exercise.

Smartwatches are impressively accurate at tracking heart rate and other vital signs, but you need to wear them correctly. The key lies in ensuring you give the sensors the best possible environment to do their job. Wearing your smartwatch two fingers above your wristbone, tightening it slightly during exercise, and switching to a more adjustable and breathable band for sleep tracking allows it to track your health data throughout the day accurately.