Well Tech: The Gadgets That Are Actually Worth It
A curated guide on what’s hype vs. what’s truly helpful in wellness tech. Wellness tech promises optimisation, longevity, serenity - often in the form of glowing LEDs and constant notifications. But in a saturated market, very little delivers what it claims. Some devices are data obsession in disguise, creating anxiety in place of ease. Others genuinely support restoration, embodiment and clarity. This is the pared-back, Aníma-tested guide to what’s actually worth your time, energy and money.
Use It: Ultrahuman Ring AIR
The Ultrahuman Ring AIR is lightweight, sleek, and designed for restoration over performance. It tracks sleep, recovery, metabolism, heart rate, skin temperature and VO₂ max – all without the pressure of a glowing screen or endless notifications. No subscription is required and it’s best suited for users focused on sleep quality, stress response, and holistic balance. Ibiza-based model and wellbeing advocate Vanessa Breuer says that wearing hers has ‘helped her to help herself’, adding that it tracks her cycle, makes her much more aware of her sleeping patterns and adds thoughtful extra data, such as the load acquired from baby-wearing and the positive power of a quick nap. Unlike many fitness wearables, this one isn’t trying to gamify your body—it’s designed to help you understand it.
Skip It: Wellness Mirrors
Oversized, reflective and expensive, these wall-mounted fitness portals are more obsessive spectacle than solution. Without the discipline of a studio setting, they often become little more than glossy reminders of unused resolutions. Unless you live in a minimalist architectural dream home and crave screen-guided workouts, skip it.
Use It: Technogym – Intelligent, Integrated, Beautiful
Technogym has quietly become the gold standard in refined fitness. The Italian-designed equipment is engineered for precision, but its aesthetics are equally considered – streamlined, architectural, and intuitive. Their newest systems use AI to adapt training to your biology and long-term health goals. It’s not about breaking you down. It’s about building you up – sustainably, intelligently, and beautifully. Whether you opt for the sculptural Run Personal or a full Health integration, this is tech that elevates, not overwhelms.
Skip It: Smart Water Bottles
If your water bottle has Bluetooth and a charging cable, it’s overengineered. These gadgets promise hydration reminders but mostly add to your cognitive load. Your body already knows when it’s thirsty. Listen to it.
Use It: Low-Level Laser Therapy
A standout in a saturated field, the LYMA laser treatment device is designed to rejuvenate skin, boost collagen production and calm the nervous system through a combination of clinical and holistic care. Cult Ibiza-based facialist Frederika Van Hagen is an ambassador for the brand thanks to her love of combining cosmeceuticals with holistic techniques. She uses the device in her cosmetic acupuncture treatments. After 20-25 minutes of facial acupuncture – during which clients receive a foot massage – she’ll incorporate LYMA’s game-changing beauty Laser. “It’s a really nice lymphatic massage at the same time, because of the way we move the Laser gently from the inside of the face to the outside, along the ear, down to the neck. It’s a nice way to incorporate a bit of relaxation,” she explains, “but you’re also working deep into the skin.”
Skip It: Smart Scales
Body fat percentage, metabolic age, water retention—these metrics fluctuate daily, often inaccurately. Smart scales promise biofeedback but often encourage fixation over insight. For most people, they provide distraction, not direction. Let your mirror and your mood be the measures. While a strong advocate for wearables, American biohacker and former Alma Frequency speaker Ben Greenfield also acknowledges their limitations and potential for misuse. He cautions against over-reliance on data and emphasizes the importance of listening to the body first and integrating wearable data with other forms of biofeedback.
Use It: Sensate – Nervous System Regulation in a Pebble
This discreet, stone-shaped device rests on your chest and uses low-frequency vibration to stimulate the vagus nerve, helping shift the body into a parasympathetic, rest-and-digest state. Paired with headphones and soundscapes, it creates a grounding effect that modern wellness tech often fails to achieve. No scrolling. No comparisons. Just calm.
Skip It: Breath-Tracking Devices
Devices that track your inhale and exhale rates in hopes of optimising your nervous system often do the opposite. Breath is a practice, not a performance. Learn it through embodiment, not algorithms
Use It: Air Quality Monitors and HEPA Filtration
Clean air is foundational, not optional. Mediterranean summers can bring unwanted air pollution in the form of wildfires, mould sensitivity, high pollen and resin counts and weather phenomena such as the calima, where wind carries dust from the Sahara Desert, significantly degrading air quality. Even in the countryside, smart air purifiers and monitors are worth the investment. Brands like Molekule, Dyson, and IQAir offer systems that track and neutralise airborne threats in real time. This isn’t luxury – it’s common sense.
The best wellness tech fades into the background. It doesn’t demand attention – it restores it.
Choose tools that subtract noise, deepen stillness and help you return to your body’s natural intelligence. Forget the gimmicks. Keep the gear that earns its place.
Choose tools that subtract noise, deepen stillness and help you return to your body’s natural intelligence. Forget the gimmicks. Keep the gear that earns its place.
Use It: Ultrahuman Ring AIR
The Ultrahuman Ring AIR is lightweight, sleek, and designed for restoration over performance. It tracks sleep, recovery, metabolism, heart rate, skin temperature and VO₂ max – all without the pressure of a glowing screen or endless notifications. No subscription is required and it’s best suited for users focused on sleep quality, stress response, and holistic balance. Ibiza-based model and wellbeing advocate Vanessa Breuer says that wearing hers has ‘helped her to help herself’, adding that it tracks her cycle, makes her much more aware of her sleeping patterns and adds thoughtful extra data, such as the load acquired from baby-wearing and the positive power of a quick nap. Unlike many fitness wearables, this one isn’t trying to gamify your body—it’s designed to help you understand it.
Skip It: Wellness Mirrors
Oversized, reflective and expensive, these wall-mounted fitness portals are more obsessive spectacle than solution. Without the discipline of a studio setting, they often become little more than glossy reminders of unused resolutions. Unless you live in a minimalist architectural dream home and crave screen-guided workouts, skip it.
Use It: Technogym – Intelligent, Integrated, Beautiful
Technogym has quietly become the gold standard in refined fitness. The Italian-designed equipment is engineered for precision, but its aesthetics are equally considered – streamlined, architectural, and intuitive. Their newest systems use AI to adapt training to your biology and long-term health goals. It’s not about breaking you down. It’s about building you up – sustainably, intelligently, and beautifully. Whether you opt for the sculptural Run Personal or a full Health integration, this is tech that elevates, not overwhelms.
Skip It: Smart Water Bottles
If your water bottle has Bluetooth and a charging cable, it’s overengineered. These gadgets promise hydration reminders but mostly add to your cognitive load. Your body already knows when it’s thirsty. Listen to it.
Use It: Low-Level Laser Therapy
A standout in a saturated field, the LYMA laser treatment device is designed to rejuvenate skin, boost collagen production and calm the nervous system through a combination of clinical and holistic care. Cult Ibiza-based facialist Frederika Van Hagen is an ambassador for the brand thanks to her love of combining cosmeceuticals with holistic techniques. She uses the device in her cosmetic acupuncture treatments. After 20-25 minutes of facial acupuncture – during which clients receive a foot massage – she’ll incorporate LYMA’s game-changing beauty Laser. “It’s a really nice lymphatic massage at the same time, because of the way we move the Laser gently from the inside of the face to the outside, along the ear, down to the neck. It’s a nice way to incorporate a bit of relaxation,” she explains, “but you’re also working deep into the skin.”
Skip It: Smart Scales
Body fat percentage, metabolic age, water retention—these metrics fluctuate daily, often inaccurately. Smart scales promise biofeedback but often encourage fixation over insight. For most people, they provide distraction, not direction. Let your mirror and your mood be the measures. While a strong advocate for wearables, American biohacker and former Alma Frequency speaker Ben Greenfield also acknowledges their limitations and potential for misuse. He cautions against over-reliance on data and emphasizes the importance of listening to the body first and integrating wearable data with other forms of biofeedback.
Use It: Sensate – Nervous System Regulation in a Pebble
This discreet, stone-shaped device rests on your chest and uses low-frequency vibration to stimulate the vagus nerve, helping shift the body into a parasympathetic, rest-and-digest state. Paired with headphones and soundscapes, it creates a grounding effect that modern wellness tech often fails to achieve. No scrolling. No comparisons. Just calm.
Skip It: Breath-Tracking Devices
Devices that track your inhale and exhale rates in hopes of optimising your nervous system often do the opposite. Breath is a practice, not a performance. Learn it through embodiment, not algorithms
Use It: Air Quality Monitors and HEPA Filtration
Clean air is foundational, not optional. Mediterranean summers can bring unwanted air pollution in the form of wildfires, mould sensitivity, high pollen and resin counts and weather phenomena such as the calima, where wind carries dust from the Sahara Desert, significantly degrading air quality. Even in the countryside, smart air purifiers and monitors are worth the investment. Brands like Molekule, Dyson, and IQAir offer systems that track and neutralise airborne threats in real time. This isn’t luxury – it’s common sense.
The best wellness tech fades into the background. It doesn’t demand attention – it restores it.
Choose tools that subtract noise, deepen stillness and help you return to your body’s natural intelligence. Forget the gimmicks. Keep the gear that earns its place.
Choose tools that subtract noise, deepen stillness and help you return to your body’s natural intelligence. Forget the gimmicks. Keep the gear that earns its place.
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