For many people, checking their health stats is as routine as checking the weather.
A glance at sleep quality.
A notification to stand up.
A reminder to drink water.
For a growing number of Americans, these small digital nudges are becoming part of everyday life. According to new research from Angus Reid USA, 71% of Americans now use health-related apps, while 64% use health-related devices. The days of fitness trackers being a niche gadget for marathon runners are long gone. Digital health has officially entered the mainstream.
Your phone is now your wellness coach
Digital health tools are doing more than counting steps. Many Americans use apps and wearables to monitor sleep, stress, activity, heart rate, and other biometric signals. For some, these tools have become a source of accountability. For others, they offer reassurance.
The emotional connection is stronger than you might think. In open-ended responses, participants said losing access to their digital health tools would disrupt their routines and negatively affect their well-being. One Gen Z respondent described it as losing their “peace of mind.” Another compared it to “losing a part of my routine.”
Much like social media apps, Digital health devices have gone from gadgets to habits. Is our attachment really much different than our compulsion to check TikTok views or Instagram “Likes”?
Wellness is going passive
Interestingly, the way people track their health is changing. Fitness-focused wearables appear to be losing a little ground.
Usage dropped from 28% in 2024 to 22% in 2026. At the same time, holistic wearables climbed from 20% to 24%. Consumers want a bigger picture of their health, and these new smart devices provide it.
Counting calories and steps is still useful. But many people now want to understand stress, recovery, sleep quality, and long-term wellness. They want technology that works quietly in the background instead of demanding constant input.
This may explain the growing interest in smart rings, which rose from 34% in 2024 to 39% in 2026. Smart glasses also gained traction, rising from 16% to 21%. Health tech is getting smaller, and the appeal makes sense. These devices fit more naturally into everyday life. They collect information without asking users to pull out a phone or open an app every few hours.
Gen Z is redefining health tracking
Perhaps the biggest surprise comes from younger consumers. Among Gen Z, fertility and women’s health apps rank as the second most-used category after fitness, with 38% using them. They outpace sleep-monitoring, mental-health, and nutrition apps.
That suggests younger adults are thinking about health more holistically. They are looking beyond fitness goals and toward tools that help them understand their bodies and plan for the future.
More tech, not less.
Despite ongoing conversations about screen fatigue, most Americans are not looking to unplug from digital health. A combined 88% say they want either the same amount of technology or even more technology involved in managing their health over the next five to ten years.
For Millennials and Gen Z especially, digital health isn’t replacing traditional healthcare. It’s filling the gaps between appointments. It’s helping people build routines, spot patterns, and feel more in control of their well-being—while giving more of that control to their devices.
If the latest trends are any indication, the future of healthcare might not start in a doctor’s office. It might start with a buzz on your wrist.
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