New research suggests that when runners leave their watches and fitness trackers at home, they might enjoy their workouts more, according to CNN. Researchers at the National University of Ireland Galway studying the psychology of fitness tracking apps found that some users became obsessed with analyzing their data to compare with others. For these users, workouts became stressful. Instead of runner's high after a long run, users simply felt bad when they saw how they stacked up against other runners. There's a simple solution, though: Leave the smart watch at home.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.