Editor
Jodee Tan chevron_right
There’s no denying that our heart health is the most fundamental concern we should always be on alert about.
In Malaysia, heart problems are the second highest cause of death even ahead of cancer; just behind pneumonia which took first spot in 2024. The Malaysian Heart Organisation opined that there’s a rise of Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) diagnosis, and that it’s appearing earlier in symptoms among Malaysians. As of 2024, about 18% of deaths in Malaysia were caused by heart issues.
Thankfully, the health and technology sectors have been quite innovative in recent years, where we are able to witness many more health-centric features such as Smart Rings, oximeters and in-depth sleep monitors. Because of fast-paced environments at work, it’s common for salary earners to overlook their health. And now, tech brands have been coming up with stylish smartwatches filled with lifestyle features to easily incorporate into our tech consumptions. A leading gadget to pick up these days is the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8.
Vascular Load: Monitors Your Heart During Sleep
The Galaxy Watch8 introduces Vascular Load tracking – a feature that monitors stress on your cardiovascular system while you're sleeping. This goes beyond just tracking your heart rate; it's looking at how your entire vascular system is handling stress during rest.
Watch8 combines sleep duration, physical activity levels, and stress data to give you a complete picture of your cardiovascular health. For a country where heart disease remains a leading health concern, having this kind of insight available 24/7 on your wrist is genuinely comforting.
Of course, the Watch8 is also useful for tracking your heart health when you go for a run, or when you need to do breathing exercise. It has other essential features such as ECG, blood pressure, heart rate and IHRN monitors. Essentially, it checks on your heart health when you cannot afford to think about it.
Antioxidant Index: A First in The Smartwatch Industry
This is the feature that has us most excited – and it's a world-first for smartwatches. The Galaxy Watch8 can measure carotenoid levels (antioxidants) in just five seconds. Besides acting as vitamin A, carotenoid pigments are also responsible for improving and maintaining your vision health, as well as decreasing risk of chronic degenerative diseases.
To use this feature, all you need to do is scan your thumb for the BioActive Sensor on your Watch8. You’ll get both a numerical score and a color-coded result.
If it’s in the orange, your carotenoid level is low, which you can get from leafy greens and carrots readily available in our markets. At the other end of the spectrum is blue, which means you're getting enough carotenoid-rich foods.
This antioxidant index also makes it easy to understand if your diet needs adjustment – something particularly valuable given Malaysia's diverse food culture where it's easy to focus on taste over nutrition.
A Personalised Health-First Experience with Galaxy Watch8
This year, we’re seeing a lot of health campaigns Samsung has pushed, which is in line with their smartwatch philosophy for their Watch 8 Series — a personal health coach that sits right on your wrist. With its various health and sports features, the Galaxy Watch8 is also a medical-certified gadget by the Medical Device Regulation.
Coming in 40mm and 44mm size options, this is a comfortable watch to use that also makes it great to incorporate daily into your hectic lifestyle especially if you’re on-the-go a lot.
With a brighter screen, 64GB storage and about 2 - 3 days worth of battery life (with GPS on), the Watch8 also has advanced AI to power the watch for a more unique personal experience, fitted with Google's Wear OS6 integration into One UI 8.
Free Heart Assessment with Sunway Medical Centre
Guess what? Samsung Malaysia is collaborating with Sunway Medical Centre once again, as an official tech partner, for the World Heart Day event, happening on 27 September!
If you have concerns about your heart or questions to ask health experts, this is the event to be.
- Date: 27 September 2025 (Saturday)
- Time: 9am - 1pm
- Venue: SunMed Convention Centre, Level 4, Tower A, Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway City
- Admission: FREE
Here you’ll be able to access free health screenings, join health sharing sessions, an AED Workshop, Wellness Booths & Marketplace, and even a lucky draw!
The Galaxy Watch8 Series will also be part of the event, where you can try its advanced features such as the updated heart-health monitoring and new antioxidant index measurement. Through this collaboration, the Watch8 empowers users to take charge of their health and well-being.
Interested to know more? Check out the new Galaxy Watch8 series on Samsung Malaysia website here. To find out more about the World Heart Day event, visit here.
[This post was made in collaboration with Samsung Malaysia.]
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