Measuring vital signs
You track your steps, your screen time, maybe even your sleep. But what about measuring your vital signs? The basics when it comes to your body? Vital signs monitoring may sound like a doctor’s surgery at first, but it has long since become part of a self-determined everyday life. Millions of people no longer leave their health to chance. Around a third of Germans now use digital aids to better understand their own bodies – and for good reason.
Because if you know your values, you can not only react better if something is wrong – but also live more consciously if everything is okay. Whether you want to get fitter, need to keep an eye on chronic values or simply like to stay in control: Your vital signs say more about you than you think.
Check in with yourself – why it’s worth measuring your vital signs regularly
Health is not a snapshot – it’s a process. And that’s exactly why it’s worth measuring your vital signs – not just once, but regularly. Not out of a compulsion to check, but because it’s exciting when you recognize trends. Sure, health apps don’t give you a diagnosis, but they do provide you with lots of valuable information – and above all: motivation for your personal health journey. Because progress becomes visible – during training, after a stressful week or when you change your habits.
You don’t need any specialist knowledge to measure your vital signs. Modern health monitoring devices track your pulse, your stress level and even your classic vital signs such as blood pressure or oxygen saturation – simply on your smartphone or smartwatch. This creates one thing above all: clarity. Instead of guessing why you feel so weak at the moment, you can take a look at your data – e.g. to better understand changes over time. And develop curiosity about yourself.
The VitaDock+ appfrom medisana is a particularly powerful tool here: It is now officially a medical device in accordance with the EU’s MDR (Medical Device Regulation) – and therefore meets high standards for safety, accuracy and data protection.
But what does MDR-certified actually mean?
The VitaDock+ app has been validated as a medical device in accordance with the European Medical Device Regulation (EU 2017/745) and bears the CE mark. For you, this means
- Highly reliable display and documentation of the health data recorded by the measuring devices
- High data security in accordance with medical standards
- Digital support for long-term monitoring of your health data.
Which vital signs can be measured – and what is behind them?
What vital signs are there actually? Simply put, they are your body’s basic signals. They show how your circulation, metabolism and nervous system are doing and often say more than you think. So, what are the 5 classic vital signs?
In medicine, these five are considered the “Big Five” of vital sign monitoring:
- body temperature: Provides information about your metabolism and possible infections. A thermometer normally reads 36.5-37.5 °C. An elevated temperature can indicate inflammation, but can also be influenced by stress, exercise or hormonal fluctuations.
- pulse (heart rate): Measures how often your heart beats per minute. A normal resting heart rate for adults is between 60 and 80 beats per minute. An elevated pulse rate can indicate stress, dehydration or cardiovascular problems.
- blood pressure: Shows the pressure at which the blood is pumped through your blood vessels. Ideal: 120/80 mmHg. Values that are too high put a strain on the heart and blood vessels – values that are too low can lead to dizziness and a drop in performance.
- breathing rate: Indicates how often you breathe per minute. As a rule, this is 12-18 breaths at rest. Increased values can be an indication of stress, infections or lung diseases.
- level of consciousness: Sounds abstract at first, but is an important indicator – e.g. in the case of circulatory weakness, neurological disorders or severe dehydration. Is someone responsive, oriented, clear-headed?
These five vital signs are important and are also the first things to be checked in emergency medicine – because they quickly show whether there is a need for action. But they are by no means everything that counts today.
From classic checks to smart monitoring – measuring vital signs 2.0
From oxygen to sleep rhythm: measuring vital signs today means listening more closely – and learning more about yourself with just a few clicks.
| Vital Sign | What is measured? | What is it good for? | Nice to know |
| Oxygen Saturation (SpO₂) | How much oxygen is bound to hemoglobin in the blood (in %) | Detects breathing problems, lung function, strain from infections or physical stress | Below 94%? May become relevant for pre-existing conditions or infections. |
| Heart Rate Variability (HRV) | How flexibly your heart reacts to stress or relaxation | Shows how well your body can cope with stress – important for sports & stress management | The higher, the better: HRV decreases with stress, sleep deprivation or overload. |
| Sleep Quality | Sleep phases, movements, duration & interruptions during the night | Records how restful your sleep was – important for recovery, immune system & energy level | Less than 7 hrs of sleep per night? Many vital signs suffer in the long term. |
| Body Fat & Muscle Mass | Body composition – measured via body analysis scale | Shows how your weight changes – and whether fat or muscle mass is being gained or lost | Muscle mass is the better asset than just ‘losing kilos’. |
| Weight (classic) | Simply put: your body mass in kg | Shows changes – but please don’t overrate it! | Fluctuates daily by up to 2 kg – e.g., due to water, food, cycle, etc. |
Do You Have to Constantly Measure All These Vital Signs? Nope. But it’s good to know what’s possible – and what can really help you in everyday life. Especially if it’s easy, digital, and clearly presented – with the right Connect products and the VitaDock+ app to keep an overview of your data. What does that look like? We’ll show you now.
VitaDock+ App & Connect Products – This Is How Modern Vital Sign Monitoring Works
When tracking and displaying your vital signs becomes as easy as a swipe on your smartphone, you’re probably using the VitaDock+ App 2.0. The app connects via Bluetooth with the matching Connect products from medisana – from blood pressure monitors to pulse oximeters – and turns your body data into clear, smart visuals.
What’s the benefit? Overview. Motivation. And a clear sense of what your body is trying to tell you. You can view your values over the day, week, or month, add notes, track changes – or just quickly check whether everything’s in the green zone. The app becomes your very own health diary – without paperwork or spreadsheet chaos. Just jump in, sync, done.
It’s also practical on the go: With devices like the PM 100 connect pulse oximeteror the BU 580 connectupper arm blood pressure monitor, you stay flexible – at home, on the road, or in the home office. The operation? One-touch. The display? Clear, simple, mobile.
Modern features extend to your scale, too: medisana’s body analysis scalesnot only show your weight, but also provide optional data on body fat, muscle mass, water balance, calorie needs, and BMI – with a smart presentation in the app.
And since tracking vital signs isn’t just about trends but real health management, blood glucose monitorsare also part of the package – for users who want to regularly document their glucose levels, regardless of the occasion.
Did you know? There’s a clear difference between classic fitness trackers and medically certified health apps. The VitaDock+ App is approved as a medical product under the MDR – setting a new standard for your digital health management.
The VitaDock+ App is officially certified under the latest EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR). That means it meets especially high standards for:
✔️ Data security✔️ Measurement accuracy✔️ Medical reliability
For you, this means: Your vital data is not only recorded, but also presented in a structured way – based on recognized standards for the visualization of medical data. Transparent, reliable, professional. A solid foundation for your personal health management.
Your Personal Vital Sign Monitoring – Don’t Track Everything. Just what matters
Tracking vital signs doesn’t mean constantly checking yourself. It’s about orientation, not self-optimization at any cost. Because yes – measuring your vitals is about your health. But also about supporting it with more ease and less pressure.
Self-care can be intuitive. Digitally supported – but human at its core. And sometimes a quick check is all it takes to move through your day with more peace of mind.
