Garmin and researchers from Harvard and Oxford universities share initial findings from a landmark study examining happiness

Garmin in collaboration with researchers at Harvard University and the University of Oxford, today announced the early results from the first largescale study of its kind in this field, which seeks to identify predictors of happiness and wellbeing using data from smartwatches and smartphones to inform global public policies and product development. As the exclusive smartwatch provider, Garmin plays a critical role by leveraging the high-quality sensor data of its product portfolio.

The pilot study revealed several statistically significant findings. While initial results need to be corroborated through the larger global study, they illustrated an important relationship between sleep, exercise, and happiness.

Key findings included:

 -  Daily physical activity and adequate sleep, both measured by Garmin devices, were strongly correlated with increased happiness and reduced levels of stress.

- Emotional stability varied by age, with older adults showing more stability and younger adults more variability.

-  The study demonstrated high retention rates, suggesting participants found value in self-monitoring emotions during the day.

- Respondents were happiest when involved in cultural and social activities, eating, or spending time with friends and family.

“As a collaborator on more than 1,000 research studies and clinical trials, the Garmin Health team is uniquely positioned to provide smartwatches with excellent battery performance, high-quality sensors and dynamic API or SDK integration for monitoring and reporting. We are honored to work with academic researchers at Harvard University and the University of Oxford on this groundbreaking study to better understand the intersection of happiness and health.” —Susan Lyman, Garmin Vice President of Consumer Sales and Marketing.

After receiving approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB), the pilot study was launched by Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health researchers – in collaboration with the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford, the University of Warwick, the University of Saskatchewan, Avicenna and Garmin – at the Lugano Happiness Forum in Switzerland on June 18, 2024. Now, after successfully completing initial test phases, the Health and Happiness Study is expanding to include more than 10,000 participants from across the globe.

Surveys are sent to respondents’ smartphones three times per day, asking them to identify their current level of happiness and activities directly preceding the survey. Those reports are then cross-referenced with data from Garmin smartwatches and smartphones to provide a nuanced, qualitative and quantitative representation of how happiness is impacted by variables like physical activity, sleep, socialization and stress.

“The Health and Happiness Study is thrilled to work with Garmin as our exclusive smartwatch collaborator. Garmin’s unique combination of advanced wearable technology, a health-conscious user base, and a strong commitment to improving lives through data makes it the ideal partner for this groundbreaking research. By leveraging Garmin’s capabilities, we aim to overcome the recruitment and retention challenges that have hindered similar studies and uncover new insights into the drivers of mental health and wellbeing.” —Micah Kaats, Principal Investigator, Harvard University