The alarm goes off. You get dressed, grab your coffee, and head to work. But by lunchtime, you start to feel disorganized. You reread emails because you lack focus and mental clarity.
There’s nothing worse than brain fog. In addition to stress and lack of sleep, it can be caused by the immune system creating an inflammatory response in the brain. This can lead to symptoms like poor concentration and memory, or difficulty making decisions.
As a neuroscientist, I study the causes of brain fog and forgetfulness. To avoid them, here are four things I never do:
1. I never let my body get tense for too long.
Even if you think you’re relaxed, your body may be physically tense (e.g., stiff neck, back or shoulder pain). This can be a result of stress from things like unfinished tasks or looming deadlines.
So when I notice that my body is tense, I immediately do an exercise called “box breathing”:
Inhale through your nose as you slowly count to four seconds.
Hold your breath for a count of four seconds.
Exhale through your nose, releasing all the air from your lungs, as you slowly count to four seconds.
Hold your breath for a count of four seconds.
Repeat for at least four rounds.
Box breathing is a simple way to help calm your brain. Studies also show that it can reduce levels of cortisol, which is the chemical produced when the body is under stress.
2. I never use screens one hour before bedtime.
As tempting as it might be to scroll through Instagram or watch TV before bedtime, these activities can be too stimulating for the brain.
Instead, I try to read a book before turning out the lights. If that doesn’t help me sleep, I do a “relaxation body scan,” squeezing and releasing muscles — starting at my toes and all the way up to my head.
Ideally, we need about eight hours of sleep a night. More than that can lead to a depressed mood, and less than that doesn’t give the brain enough time to rest and reset.
3. I never load up on glucose.
If your gut isn’t healthy, your brainpower can falter, too. I strengthen my gut-brain axis by maintaining a diet rich in hydrating foods, healthy fats and digestible protein.
Most important of all, I try to avoid sugar. Your brain uses glucose (sugar) as fuel, but refined carbohydrates like high fructose corn syrup found in sodas are not good sources of fuel. Your brain gets a burst of too much glucose, then too little.
This can lead to irritability, tiredness, mental confusion, and impaired judgment.
I also eat foods rich in magnesium — whole grains, leafy greens, dried beans and legumes — to help regulate my mood and sleep cycle. And I make sure to have my last caffeinated drink of the day before 10:00 a.m.
4. I never go a day without meditating.
I meditate for at least 12 minutes a day.
Doing this at nighttime can help mitigate brain fog the next day:
Remove all distractions from your room.
Sit or lie down in a comfortable position.
Take deep breaths.
Quietly observe your thoughts.
Whatever thoughts come, simply acknowledge them return your focus to your breathing.
If you don’t like to meditate, you can do a mindful activity such as cooking or taking a quiet walk.
I also recommend coming up with a mantra that you can say in the morning, like: “Brain fog is a state of mind. I will go to bed early tonight and be fine tomorrow.”
By articulating your goals to yourself out loud, you can start to be more intentional about changing your habits. And through that repetition, your brain and body will start to follow suit.
Dr. Tara Swart Bieber is a neuroscientist, medical doctor and senior lecturer at MIT Sloan. She is the author of “The Source: The Secrets of the Universe, the Science of the Brain,” and hosts the podcast Reinvent Yourself with Dr. Tara. She works with leaders to help them achieve mental resilience and peak brain performance, improving their ability to manage stress, regulate emotions and retain information. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
Britney Spears was reportedly left “annoyed” that a cop was forced to perform a wellness check on her after worried fans dialed 911.
The “Toxic” singer sparked concern Wednesday after she deactivated her Instagram account without warning — prompting diehard fans to call the police.
Sources told TMZ that the singer was vexed at the unexpected visit, dubbing it an “inconvenience.”
“I can confirm that we did get calls into our dispatch, and essentially, I can confirm that we don’t believe that Britney Spears is in any kind of harm or any kind of danger,” a spokesperson for the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to Page Six on Wednesday.
It’s not known how many calls officers received relating to the singer, 41.
Britney Spears was reportedly left “annoyed” that a cop performed a wellness check on her.Britney Spears / Instagram
The spokesperson added that officers “don’t believe that Britney Spears is in any kind of harm or danger at this point.”
Some worried fans rushed to TikTok this week to share their concerns over the singer’s well-being, with one fan going as far as live streaming his call to the police.
The singer has deleted her Instagram several times before.britneyspears/Instagram
“I was calling because I am worried about the physical safety of a resident in your area,” one of the callers, who identified herself as “Christina,” can be heard saying in the now-deleted video.
When asked for a reason behind the request, the fan can be heard telling the officer that “there’s been suspicious activity online and now her account has been deleted.”
Diehard fans dialed 911 and asked police to visit the singer to make sure she was well.@ashlynn.slayer/TiktokFans became concerned over the singer’s well-being after she deleted her Instagram account.@ashlynn.slayer/Tiktok
It’s far from the first time Spears has deleted her Instagram in recent years.
A source previously told Page Six exclusively that the mom of two likes to take breaks from social media platforms every so often.
Just days before deleting her Instagram account this week, the “Gimme More” hitmaker shared a lengthy post highlighting some unpleasant challenges.
After some fans speculated that her recent quarrel with husband Sam Asghari was the reason behind her recent posts, he was quick to shut down the speculation.samasghari/Instagram
“Sucks to be me,” she wrote, in part, before adding, “Giving someone I love my everything only gives me the dagger in my heart !!!”
While the reason for the cryptic caption remains unclear, some fans speculated that it could be about her recent quarrel with her husband Sam Asghari after he walked out on the “Piece of Me” singer during a meal as fans were invading their privacy.
However, Asghari was quick to put an end to the rumbles, Writing on his Instagram Story, “Don’t believe what you read online people.”
Page Six has reached out to Spears’ reps for comment.
Britney Spears is not in any kind of danger, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to Page Six on Wednesday after concerned fans asked the department for a wellness check.
“I can confirm that we did get calls into our dispatch, and essentially, I can confirm that we don’t believe that Britney Spears is in any kind of harm or any kind of danger,” a police spokesperson said.
The officer did not disclose just how many calls they received and said they would not reveal whether they made direct contact with Spears, 41, or how they knew she was fine.
The police spokesperson explained their reason for providing minimal details was due to the fact that any more transparency was a “public trust issue.”
“It’s just a privacy thing for the residents in our county,” the officer said. “It’s a public trust issue. We just don’t disclose those kinds of things [such as wellness checks]. It’s not a crime.”
Police would not confirm how they knew Spears was doing OK.samasghari/Instagram
“We don’t really talk about any kind of mental health issues or anything like that,” he added before reiterating, “I can’t confirm or deny that deputies went to her house, but we don’t believe that Britney Spears is in any kind of harm or danger at this point.”
Some of the worried fans who made the calls to police took to TikTok Tuesday to livestream the wellness check requests.
“I was calling because I am worried about the physical safety of a resident in your area,” one of the callers, who identified herself as “Christina,” can be heard saying in the clip.
When the officer asked why the fan wanted a wellness check, “Christina” responded, “There’s been suspicious activity online and now her account has been deleted.”
Fans said they were concerned about Spears due to “suspicious activity online.” @ashlynn.slayer/Tiktok
Fans said they were concerned about Spears due to “suspicious activity online.” @ashlynn.slayer/Tiktok
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Fans said they were concerned about Spears due to “suspicious activity online.” @ashlynn.slayer/Tiktok
Fans said they were concerned about Spears due to “suspicious activity online.” @ashlynn.slayer/Tiktok
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Spears has deleted her Instagram multiple times in recent years, and although the reason for her latest hiatus is unclear, a source previously told Page Six exclusively that the “Stronger” singer just likes to take social media breaks every now and then.
“She’s happy and in a great place,” the source said in September 2021, adding, “and silence can be a powerful thing and a powerful message.”
The insider also affirmed at the time, “This was her decision.”
Spears wrote “sucks to be me” prior to her most recent social media break.samasghari/Instagram
Prior to Spears’ most recent Instagram shutdown, the “Hold Me Closer” singer posted a photo of a car and a lengthy caption, in which she spoke about a variety of things, but most notably wrote, “sucks to be me” and “Giving someone I love my everything only gives me the dagger in my heart !!!”
People speculated that perhaps this message was alluding to marital strife since a recent report claimed Spears’ husband, Sam Asghari, walked out on the “Piece of Me” singer while they were dining at a restaurant and fans were invading their privacy.
However, the “Family Business” actor quickly shut down those allegations, writing on his Instagram Stories, “Don’t believe what you read online people.”
Reps for Spears did not immediately return Page Six’s request for comment on the wellness checks.
This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
WWE legend Kevin Nash’s disturbing comments reflecting on the death of his son prompted a wellness check by Florida authorities Wednesday.
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to Fox News Digital on Thursday that deputies performed the wellness check. Nash told authorities he had no intention to act on the remarks he made.
TMZ Sports was the first to report the wellness check.
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Actor and professional wrestler Kevin “Big Sexy” Nash during an interview with host Jay Leno on May 14, 1999. (Unknown/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)
The WWE Hall of Famer’s 26-year-old son, Tristen, died after suffering a seizure and going into cardiac arrest in October. Nash has been open about how difficult it’s been for him to cope with the tragic loss. On Monday, Nash seemed to insinuate that he recently had suicidal thoughts.
“Time flies when you got a gun in your mouth. I mean, time flies when you’re having fun,” Nash said on his “Kliq This” podcast.
Nash’s co-host, Sean Oliver, quickly tried to get Nash off the topic.
“Don’t play like that. You have guns, so you can’t say those things,” Oliver said.
Nash replied, “I can do whatever the f— I want to do. Long as I leave a note.”
“Every morning when I wake up, the first thing that happens is I come to the realization that instead of there being three human beings in my home, there’s now two,” Nash continued. “And the third person isn’t on vacation or staying with friends or is out late. He is never coming back. And then I sit up in the bed and I have absolutely nothing I have to do, and it’s like, ‘So, why am I getting out of bed?'”
WWE LEGEND KURT ANGLE CREDITS DAUGHTER WITH SAVING HIM FROM DROWNING IN SCARY JET SKI INCIDENT
Actor and former professional wrestler Kevin Nash attends Unicon 2021 at the World Market Center on October 1, 2021, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images)
The father-and-son duo quit alcohol “cold turkey” days before Tristen’s passing, Nash revealed.
“Alcohol is the nastiest . . . it’s a nasty drug,” Nash said a week after his son died. “Anybody out there, if you haven’t drank, you’ve probably done yourself an incredible service. If you do drink, and you’re having problems and know it’s affecting your life, and you know it’s affecting your health, you can’t see the damage it’s doing.”
Oliver later explained to OutKick why the comments were left in the podcast.
“It was Kev’s choice to go through this in real–time [the podcast comments] with his audience, and extreme emotions are bound to surface with such a situation [dealing with Tristen’s passing],” he said.
Tristen died on what would have been Scott Hall’s 64th birthday. Hall and Nash were wrestling partners for years.
Tristen was the only child of Kevin and Tamara Nash.
Apr 10, 2021; Tampa, Florida, USA; 2020 WWE Hall of Fame inductees Scott Hall and Hollywood Hulk Hogan and Kevin Nash and Sean Waltman aka NWO greet fans during WrestleMania 37 at Raymond James Stadium. (Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)
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Nash was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015 and again in 2020 as a member of the New World Order.
Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.
Ryan Gaydos is the sports editor for Fox News Digital.
Want to maintain a healthy heart and brain? Keep a close eye on your cholesterol numbers.
LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol builds up in the arteries and forms plaque, which blocks blood flow to the brain. HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol picks up the LDL and takes it to the liver to be processed.
The optimal levels vary from person to person, so always check with your doctor first.
As a cardiologist who treats patients with high cholesterol, I always try to use diet as medicine first. Here are the four worst foods for high cholesterol — and what I eat instead to keep my heart healthy:
1. Red meat
Yes, that includes burgers, ribs, steak and pork chops. If you don’t want to cut out red meat altogether, focus on small amounts of lean meat. And by small, I mean a portion size of up to three ounces — and eat red meat at most, once a week.
Remember that poultry also contains saturated fat, so avoiding red meat doesn’t necessarily mean you should load up on chicken.
As for meat alternatives, I’m generally skeptical about engineered foods. To me, plants were never meant to bleed.
What to eat instead: Think fish and shellfish. Shrimp may be high in cholesterol, but as long as you don’t douse it with butter, it will supply you with plenty of protein while leaving your blood cholesterol alone.
Some other delicious lean protein options are white-fleshed fish like tilapia, halibut, cod and bass.
2. Anything fried
Frying food typically ups the calorie count because saturated or trans fats and cholesterol are absorbed by the foods during the process.
What to eat instead: Bake potatoes, kale or broccoli to a crisp when you’re craving crunch. Or, you can invest in an air fryer, which uses much less fat.
3. Processed meat
The World Health Organization has classified processed meats such as bacon, hot dogs and salami as carcinogens. Processed meat is also loaded in sodium and saturated fat.
What to eat instead: Fake bacon is unlikely to satisfy your cravings for a BLT. My advice? Cut way back on these products and make them special occasion treats.
4. Baked goods
Mass-produced cookies, cakes and pastries are often dense in calories, low in nutrients, and contain large amounts of fat (especially saturated fats like butter and shortening) and sugar. All of these are big culprits of high cholesterol.
What to eat instead: Bake at home, and control the amount and type of fat and sugar you use.
Dr. Elizabeth Klodas is a cardiologist and founder of Step One Foods. Trained at Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins, Dr. Klodas has published dozens of scientific articles throughout her career, authored a book for patients, “Slay the Giant: The Power of Prevention in Defeating Heart Disease,″ and served as founding editor-in-chief of Cardiosmart.org.
A new study shares some sympathy for a much-maligned vegetable: the potato.
It found that the way the potato is prepared — including what people add to it — is what’s associated with Type 2 diabetes, rather than the “humble” vegetable itself.
The study was published in Diabetes Care, a peer-reviewed journal by the American Diabetes Association for health care providers.
Previous research had shown an association between diabetes and total potato intake.
A team of Australian researchers, led by Dr. Nicola Bondonno from Edith Cowan University’s Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute, explored the relationship of vegetable intake and the incidence of Type 2 diabetes.
The researchers also examined the relationship of potato consumption and the incidence of Type 2 diabetes.
Over 54,000 participants, ages 50-64, were recruited from the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health cohort, which examined the relationship between dietary components and the incidence of cancer and other chronic diseases.
The participants filled out a 192-item “food frequency questionnaire” at the start of the study.
Those who took part noted how often they ate a particular food for the past 12 months, said co-author Pratik Pokharel, a PhD candidate who worked on the analysis for the paper.
“The intake of foods and nutrients were then estimated using standard recipes and the software FoodCalc,” Pokharel told Fox News Digital.
Eating more vegetables may equal a lower risk of diabetes
The researchers found that those with the highest total vegetable intake had a 21% lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes — compared to the group with the lowest intake of vegetables, after adjusting for lifestyle and demographic confounding variables.
They also found that participants with the highest potato consumption had a 9% higher risk of Type 2 diabetes, compared to the group who ate the lowest daily amount.
Boiled potatoes are key
“When we separated boiled potatoes from mashed potatoes, fries or crisps, boiled potatoes were no longer associated with a higher risk of diabetes. They had a null effect,” Pokharel said in a press release.
The study found that those who ate the most potatoes also consumed more butter, red meat and soft drinks, which are known to increase the risk of Type 2 diabetes.
“When you account for that, boiled potatoes are no longer associated with diabetes,” added Pokharel in the press release.
Plain boiled potatoes had no association with diabetes. Getty Images/iStockphoto
“It’s only fries and mashed potatoes, the latter likely because [they’re] usually made with butter, cream and the like.”
Most people don’t eat enough vegetables
Approximately 90% adults don’t meet fruit and vegetable recommendations, according to the United States Department of Agriculture’s latest dietary guidelines.
The guidelines recommend that most adults consume two “cup equivalents” of fruits and two-and-a-half “cup-equivalents” of vegetables daily.
Experts suggest aiming for four half-cup servings of fruit and five half-cup servings of vegetables every day to put these recommendations into practice.
The American Heart Association suggests fruits and vegetables should fill half the plate for each meal to meet these goals.
“One cup of raw leafy vegetables or a baked potato should be about the size of a baseball or average-sized fist,” the association added on its website.
We need to diversify our diet
Pokharel recommends eating a variety of foods.
“It is good to replace white rice and pasta with boiled potatoes, as potatoes have fiber, vitamin C and other nutrients — and potato is still a vegetable,” he said.
“We get other nutrients from potatoes that we do not find in white rice or pasta,” he also said.
Refined grains are low in certain nutrients, such as fiber, so they can lead to nutritional deficiencies, he said.
Know the study’s limitations
The study had certain limitations, including that the participants’ diets were self-reported and that the researchers only measured their diets at one point in time.
Pokharel said repeated measurements of dietary intake would give a more accurate estimate of a complete diet.
He also said the study is only a prospective study — so it cannot establish a causal link between vegetable intake and diabetes, such as noting that eating less vegetables actually causes diabetes.
Don’t blame certain foods — understand the context
“People eat food rarely in isolation,” Pokharel said.
“We should look at the bigger picture while assessing the relationship between dietary intake and disease incidence,” he added.
“It is crucial to look at the underlying dietary pattern and food processing method to see what other culprits are rather than blaming on one food,” he also said.
With the holidays upon us, many of us are hitting the road (or the sky) in order to meet up with far-away family members or just get a little bit of a winter vacation in. And while travel is certainly exciting (especially at this time of year), it can also put a strain on your immune system, which is why it’s important to remember that your health should be a top priority.
With unfamiliar environments, the potential for exposure to new germs, and cold and flu season in full swing, you shouldn’t forget to take precautions to protect your health while on the go. To help you stay healthy while traveling, we’ve compiled some expert tips from Dr. Amit Arwindekar, medical director for UnitedHealthcare Global. Find all of his fantastic insight below!
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1. Anticipate potential health issues
As much as we hope that everything will always go smoothly when we travel, it’s important to anticipate the worst–or at least a bit of a hiccup–and take steps to prevent any possible health issues. “Consider a wellness checkup with a primary care doctor before departure to talk about travel plans,” Dr. Arwindekar says. “Packing a portable health kit may also prove helpful, so consider including items such as anti-inflammatory pain relievers, first-aid supplies, earplugs, sunscreen and sunburn relief, motion-sickness remedies and insect repellents.” Noted!
READ MORE:
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2. Refill medications
Dr. Arwindekar also reminds us of the importance of refilling prescriptions and packing extra doses. You can’t keep your health in the best shape if you don’t have the medication your body needs to thrive! “Before any trip, it is a good idea to refill medications and pack extra doses in case of travel delays,” he says. “When traveling by airplane, always pack medication in carry-on luggage to help ensure access. For international travel, be sure to check prescription drug restrictions for each country to help avoid the risk of medications being confiscated.”
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3. Reduce jet lag
Jet lag isn’t only frustrating to deal with–it can also take a toll on your health, which is why taking measures to reduce it as much as possible is vital. “To help avoid jet lag, get lots of rest before a trip, and drink plenty of water before, during and after flights. Then, make a point to get plenty of sunlight during the day, which can help to reset the body’s internal clock,” Dr. Awindekar says. “Proper sleep can help strengthen the immune system, better regulate appetite and aid in recovery from injury.” Plus, health benefits aside, you’ll be able to enjoy your trip much better when you’re feeling well-rested.
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4. Stay active
The importance of exercise doesn’t go away just because you’re on vacation! “Exercise is a great choice for helping to reduce stress and improve mood,” Dr. Awindekar reminds us. “Incorporating physical activity into sightseeing is one strategy for staying active. Using a fitness app may also help, providing access to thousands of workouts, from high-intensity interval training to yoga, and meditation.” No matter how you choose to do it, finding time to get up and move every day can do wonders for your health–even when you’re away from home.
The bottom line
By following these tips from Dr. Arwindekar, you can help protect your health and enjoy your travels to the fullest. Of course, don’t forget to also take standard precautions like washing your hands frequently, avoiding contact with sick individuals, and following local health guidelines to minimize your risk of illness. With a little planning and care, you can have a safe and enjoyable trip. Happy holidays!
The original Fossil Gen 6 kind of got shafted. While Fossil was still developing the watch, Google and Samsung sprung the news that Wear OS 3 was on the horizon. Fossil apparently found out at the same time as the rest of us. Then, Qualcomm announced a newer, faster wearable chip. By the time the Gen 6 debuted, it was running a soon-to-be last-gen chip — and Samsung’s first Wear OS 3 watch, the Galaxy Watch 4, was already out. It wasn’t Fossil’s fault, but the Gen 6 was outdated before it ever hit shelves. Unfortunately, it seems like the brand-new $299 Gen 6 Wellness Edition, Fossil’s first native Wear OS 3 watch, got the short end of the stick, too.
Like the original Gen 6, the Wellness Edition has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 4100 Plus chip. It’s got the same 1.28-inch OLED display, the same 1GB of RAM, and the same 8GB of onboard storage. The Wellness Edition also has the same sensors. It’s effectively the same watch, with a slightly different aesthetic and Wear OS 3 installed out of the box. (Older Gen 6 watches shipped with Wear OS 2 but can now be updated to Wear OS 3.) In retrospect, I’m not sure what I thought would be different this time around. But, having spent time with all the available Wear OS 3 watches out there, it feels like there are two tiers of the operating system: the Wear OS 3 you get on Samsung and Google watches and the one everyone else is stuck with.
The 44mm Gen 6 Wellness Edition is a stylish watch. Although it’s slightly bigger than my 42mm Gen 6, I dig the sleeker overall aesthetic, and I prefer the more modern take on the buttons — I had fewer accidental presses this time around, thanks to the flatter profile of the pushers. You can easily swap out the default 20mm silicone straps, but I wouldn’t be ashamed to wear it as is to a formal event. It’s comfortable for everyday wear, and while it wouldn’t be my first choice for fitness tracking or even in the top five, the stainless steel case adds a bit of extra durability. Just don’t take it in the pool, as it’s only got 3ATM of water resistance. That’s fine for washing dishes but isn’t considered safe for swimming.
But a snazzier design isn’t enough to redeem the Gen 6 lineup as a whole. The big thing I was looking for with the Wellness Edition was a better overall experience. I got that, but I ended up with some unexpected annoyances, too.
Wear OS 3 on the Gen 6 is better than Wear OS 2, but not necessarily faster. Scrolling through menus is zippy, and notifications pop up quickly. But sometimes, there’s a slight pause when you launch apps, or a screen freezes for a hot second before moving along. When I tried to download Strava via the on-wrist Play Store, it crashed. Multiple times. And when the search did “work,” Strava never actually appeared as a downloadable app. I ended up having to push it from the web version of the Play Store, but it took a while before it installed. This is so weird since I’ve definitely downloaded Strava from the on-wrist Play Store onto every other Wear OS 3 watch I’ve tested. It wasn’t a huge issue because Adidas Running came preloaded, and you can also track workouts via the native Wellness app. But still.
None of that made the Wellness Edition unusable. It was just odd. But aside from occasional stutters, Wear OS 3 was still an improvement. It was so nice to have more third-party apps that actually work. You could use Spotify on Wear OS 2, but it wasn’t a great experience. It’s much improved in Wear OS 3 and finally supports offline playlists. You can also use YouTube Music, SoundCloud, or Deezer. (Does anyone use Deezer?)
It was so nice to have more third-party apps that actually work
However, it’s not better than Wear OS 3 on the Pixel Watch or the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and 5 lineups. I suspect some of my performance issues were due to the 4100 Plus chip, which launched in 2020 but didn’t really appear in many watches until the end of 2021. By then, Samsung had already moved on to a next-gen chip for its Galaxy Watch 4 and 5 lineups. The Pixel Watch uses a last-gen Samsung chip, but it’s been bumped up to 2GB of RAM to make up for it. I have a feeling a future Fossil Watch running the Snapdragon W5 Plus chip will perform better, but that’s not an option just yet.
But Wear OS 3 itself has more features on Google and Samsung watches. Those watches have Google Assistant. The Gen 6 Wellness Edition does not. It’s unclear if that’s coming sometime in the future, but for now, you’ll have to make do with Amazon Alexa. (It’s fine.)
Alexa is better than nothing, but a smartwatch running Google software ought to have Google Assistant. For health and fitness tracking, Google and Samsung’s Wear OS watches have strong native apps, too. Fossil has the Wellness app, but while it’s aesthetically pleasing, it’s not integrated well into the overall Wear OS 3 experience. The Pixel Watch has a Fitbit integration, which, though imperfect, is more polished than Fossil’s Wellness app. It’s easy to see a daily Fitbit dashboard in your Tiles as well. Samsung’s watches have Samsung Health, which also integrates more smoothly within the One Watch UI skin Samsung runs over Wear OS 3. Even the old Google Fit Tiles could at least give you a quick visual of how far along you were in your daily goals.
That brings me to Fossil’s new companion app. Wear OS 3 has done away with the old Wear OS app, meaning companies have to drum up their own companion apps. Montblanc did it with the Summit 3, and Fossil’s done it here, too. This puts non-Google and non-Samsung Wear OS watches at a disadvantage. Google has the Pixel Watch app, while Samsung has the Galaxy Wearable app. For health, they rely on the Fitbit and Samsung Health apps. It’s not elegant to rely on multiple apps, but settings are easy to edit, and there are ample ways to view your daily and historical health data.
No offense to Fossil, but its app is skeletal. It looks pretty, and it’s more than adequate at swapping watchfaces and customizing Tiles. But viewing historical health data is, to put it nicely, unintuitive, and the minimalist data isn’t that useful. Then again, at least you can view health data in the Fossil app at launch. You couldn’t with the Montblanc app when I tested, and I don’t have it anymore to check.
The one “edge” Fossil’s got over Google and Samsung is that its version of Wear OS 3 is iOS compatible. But this is more of a philosophical win for people who either double-wield Android and iOS phones or like to switch between the two platforms. iOS loyalists are much more likely to opt for an Apple Watch or maybe a Garmin if they’re really into fitness.
a:hover]:shadow-highlight-franklin [&>a]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-highlight-franklin dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-white md:text-30″>What is up with the battery and settings?
Over the years, Fossil has tried to take the sting out of the not-so-great battery life on its watches. It was one of the first to add fast charging and multiple battery-saving modes. But it is almost 2023, and a smartwatch has got to last you through the workday. This one rarely did.
With the always-on display enabled, I was lucky to make it to bedtime before the watch automatically switched to one of its battery-saving modes. One day, I had AOD on and took the watch off the charger at 9AM with 100 percent. By 11:30AM, it was down to 69 percent. So far, all I’d done was sit at my desk and hop on the bus to go to work. I got more mileage if I turned AOD off, but going for a 30-minute GPS run still meant I had to top off the battery before bed if I wanted to track sleep.
At the very least, Fossil’s made it so that the watches charge super fast. You can get up to 80 percent in 30 minutes.
I tried futzing around with some settings to see if I could stretch battery life further, but that led me to another one of the Wellness Edition’s quirks. It would seemingly reset my settings when I stuck it on the charger. Not every time, but often enough to gaslight me. For example, I always turn off sounds on smartwatches. My marriage depends on it. My spouse hates all sorts of electronic dings, beeps, and bloops, but they especially hate Fossil watch alerts. And yet, the sounds kept turning back on. I truly have no explanation for it, and I hope it’s something Fossil fixes in future updates.
The Gen 6 Wellness Edition is not particularly good at wellness. Take SpO2, or blood oxygen, monitoring. As with the Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watches, you can take SpO2 spot checks with the Wellness Edition. It’s a relatively new addition to Fossil watches, which I was happy to see since it was a sign that Fossil was making headway as far as advanced health tracking goes.
Too bad that the first time I tried it, the watch said my SpO2 levels were at 83 percent. For context, 95 to 100 percent is considered standard, while anything below 90 percent is reason to seek medical care. Of course, I tried to see if this was a one-off, but the watch then failed to complete several subsequent readings. It kept telling me to wear my watch higher on the wrist and to adjust the strap, but neither seemed to make a difference. (I also couldn’t have worn it any tighter — it was on the smallest possible strap hole.) I rebooted the watch, and that seemed to do the trick, but I still got more errors than I usually do with smartwatch SpO2 readings.
The other metric I’d been looking forward to was Cardio Fitness, or VO2 max. But even though I’ve been wearing this watch for over a week, I’ve yet to get a score. Fossil’s troubleshooting FAQ says that you should be able to get a score in about 24 hours but that intermittent wear might mean taking over a week. I’ve been wearing this watch all day, every day, except for when it’s on the charger or when it dies while I’m out and about. I’m still only 60 percent of the way to a Cardio Fitness score. It’s not unheard of to wait that long to collect enough data for a metric, but it is longer than average for VO2 max.
The Wellness Edition can track sleep, but it’s not a good sleep tracker because of its poor battery life. A few times, the watch had switched over to time-only mode before I woke up, even though I’d gone to bed with at least 40 percent. (That’s the minimum most other smartwatches suggest for sleep tracking.) The result was that my sleep data was unreliable because the watch cut sleep tracking early. For instance, on a night that my Apple Watch Ultra and Oura Ring tracked 7.5 hours of sleep, the Fossil tracked 4.5 hours. All three devices were around 30–40 percent charged, but only the Fossil failed to make it to the next morning. It doesn’t mean sleep tracking is impossible — it just means you’ve got to be much more mindful of battery levels than you would with other devices.
On the other hand, the Wellness Edition was way better at tracking my outdoor runs than other recent Fossil watches I’ve used.
Here’s how GPS tests tend to go with Fossil watches. I strap it on, start up the native fitness tracking app, do my little run, and facepalm when I load up the recorded map. Usually, there’s a stretch where the GPS says I’m running in the East River or zigzagging through walls like Kitty Pryde. Not this time. I went on two 30-minute runs, which I recorded on my phone, the Gen 6 Wellness Edition, the Garmin Fenix 7S Sapphire Solar, and the Apple Watch Ultra. The GPS maps corresponded across all four platforms, as did heart rate, pace, and distance data. That’s a big improvement over the Fossil Gen 5 lineup. Otherwise, heart rate, pace, and distance data were also on par across all four devices.
This is still a fashion smartwatch, even if it is called the Wellness Edition
I don’t expect a whole lot from Fossil watches on the health and fitness front. This is still a fashion smartwatch, even if it is called the Wellness Edition. So even though my results here were incredibly mixed, I wouldn’t say that’s a major con. As long as you’re aware that these features aren’t the main focus, you can still use this watch for casual health and activity tracking.
For the last few years, I’ve told Android users to wait for the next Fossil watch. I’m loath to give that advice again, but history seems to keep repeating itself. Once again, Fossil’s done the best job it can to make lemonade out of Wear OS’s lemons. But older hardware and a less-finished version of Wear OS 3 hasn’t set up any of the Gen 6 watches for success.
That said, if you’re picking between a Fossil Gen 6 (or the Skagen Falster 6, Michael Kors Gen 6, etc.) and the Gen 6 Wellness Edition, I’d go with this. Fossil has started rolling out Wear OS 3 to the vanilla Gen 6, but you’ll save time if it’s preloaded. Even if that’s not a concern, the Wellness Edition has a more elegant design, and the stainless steel case is a perk. I’d also definitely pick this over the Montblanc Summit 3. Not only will you save roughly $1,000, but it’s also a less bulky watch, and the Fossil companion app is marginally better, too.
But for the price, you’re going to get a fuller experience with the $280 Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 or the $350 Pixel Watch. Both those watches have a more polished version of Wear OS 3, faster processors, better battery life (though it’s a close call with the Pixel Watch), and more robust health features. If you’re willing to pay $50 extra, you can also get cellular connectivity.
Hopefully, Fossil finally gets a more even playing field with the Gen 7. Ideally, it’d get the new Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Plus chip, and once the Wear OS 3 transition nears completion, perhaps there’ll be a more uniform experience across all Android smartwatches. (Hint hint, Google Assistant for everybody else, perhaps?) Lord knows Fossil has had a lot of patience with the Wear OS platform over the years. It’d be nice to see that pay off — for them and the Android smartwatch ecosystem as a whole.
a:hover]:shadow-highlight-franklin [&>a]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-highlight-franklin dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-white md:text-30″>Agree to Continue: Fossil Gen 6 Wellness Edition
Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It’s impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit “agree” to use devices when we review them since these are agreements most people don’t read and definitely can’t negotiate.
To use the Fossil Gen 6 Wellness Edition, you must pair it with an iPhone or Android smartphone. That includes the phone’s terms of service, privacy policy, and any other permissions you grant. You may also be prompted to allow the Fossil Smartwatches app to access your phone’s photos, location, Bluetooth, motion and fitness data, voice assistant data, notifications, background app refresh, and cellular data.
By setting up the Fossil Gen 6 Wellness Edition, you’re agreeing to two mandatory agreements:
Terms of Service
Privacy Policy
There are also optional permissions you can grant, including sharing data usage and opting into marketing emails. If you choose to enable the Alexa, you must agree to both Amazon Alexa’s privacy policy and terms of service as well as the Alexa Skill by Fossil’s privacy policy and terms of service. You will also be prompted to grant permissions to allow Alexa to view and edit activity data, device information and settings, heart rate data, SpO2 data, and workout data. If you choose to integrate with Apple HealthKit or Google Fit, you must also agree to those terms.
Final tally: two mandatory agreements and several optional agreements.
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