Using Your Android Phone to Keep Stress Levels in Check

The things smartphones can do nowadays never cease to amaze. The key to a lot of the functionalities afforded by smartphones is in the apps. There are apps for almost everything under the sun–from list-keeping apps, to note-taking apps, to health-related apps. An interesting app called Stress Check, developed by Azumio, falls under the latter category.

Stress Check allows you analyze your stress levels in real time by measuring your pulse rate. The app is a physical and psychological stress monitoring tool for Android. To be able to monitor your stress levels, Stress Check uses your device’s camera and LED flashlight to determine the exact level of stress you’re under and what potential factors could be causing any problems.

Stress Check even goes as far as prescribing immediate precautions that you could take to remedy any issues, such as taking a break, going for a walk, or taking a few deep breaths.

Stress Check is simple to use. On Stress Check’s homescreen, tap Settings and specify your sex and your date of birth. Your age and sex will matter in calculating your stress levels.

To start assessing your stress level, just tap the Start button. Cover the camera lens completely with one of your fingertips. The process takes about a couple of minutes to complete, but while it’s in progress, you can view a real-time analysis of your heartbeat, as well as a small camera preview window so you can check the position of your finger.

Once the test is complete, Stress Check displays your measured stress level and indicates possible stressors that might have contributed to it. If you want to share your results, you can do so on the Azumio website. You can even share your results to your friends on Facebook or Twitter. If you want to compare your results over a set number of days, tap on the History button on Stress Check’s homescreen.

Though it may never replicate the kind of attention and accuracy that a real live human doctor can offer you, the Stress Check app is something worth noting for its ingenuity. If not for the accuracy, Stress Check gives a few handy pointers in managing and alleviating stress.

If you’d like to download and try the Stress Check app for yourself, you can get it free from the Android Market. It requires Android 2.2 or higher to run. If your device doesn’t have a LED flashlight, however, this app may not be able to evaluate your stress level at all.

How’s your stress level today?