Apple Watch users amazed by app that detects illness days before symptoms arise

Social media users are buzzing about an impressive Apple Watch feature that can alert you when you’re about to fall ill.

Imagine if you could foresee an impending illness, allowing you to boost your vitamin intake and potentially ward off a cold before it fully develops?

It seems an app available for the Apple Watch is doing just that, notifying users if they might be getting sick.

On the Reddit forum r/AppleWatch, a user by the name of u/dalethomas81 shared how their ‘Vitals app knew [they] were sick three days before [they] did’.

They recounted: “Woke up today feeling off. Now as the evening is setting in, I am feeling that old familiar feeling in my head. I’m sick.”

This claim is backed by a screenshot they posted, showing ‘three outliers’ on their Vitals page—data points that deviated from their usual health readings.

Other users quickly joined the conversation, sharing similar experiences with the app.

One user commented: “I started using Vitals when it first came out on the beta and since then I’ve gotten sick about twice. Both times it knew a couple days in advance and I hadn’t felt anything wrong. Kinda insane how useful this feature can be.”

Another added: “Mine too, I’m still sick but watch noticed before I did.”

A third user inquired: “Is it a high wrist temperature that tips you off?”

The original poster clarified: “Yes. It’s kind of hard to see but in the bottom of the screenshot it shows the temperature as being the culprit.”

Another participant asked: “This is awesome, but what are the best actions you can take with this info to help limit the sickness?”

The OP advised: “Along with what others are saying, you can also limit other people’s exposure. I have a wife and 3 kids and it would be helpful to keep my distance.”

If you’re interested in exploring this feature on your Apple Watch, Apple’s website provides guidance: “You can also tap Overnight Vitals, then tap More Info to learn about what results you may see, what it means when your overnight vitals are outside of your typical range and the lifestyle factors that may affect your results.”

However, Apple also cautions that ‘Vitals app measurements are not intended for medical use’ and suggests consulting ‘your healthcare provider prior to making any decisions related to your health’.