A man has opened up about how buying an Apple Watch ended up saving his life.
In 2019, Steven Luemba from London in the U.K. joined the many millions all over the world purchasing an Apple Smartwatch. Luemba was working in an interior design job with a leading furniture dealer and after receiving a well-earned bonus he was keen to treat himself.
"I had always wanted an Apple Watch," he told Newsweek. "A lot of people back then were buying Fitbits and other smart watches and I wanted to get a sense of how I was doing. I swam once a week and did a spin class but I was also sitting down at a desk working all day and wasn't sure if I was getting my steps in."
There's certainly been a boom in the digital health market. According to a Statista study, as of 2024, there are an estimated 454.69 million smart watch users globally with that figure projected to increase by a further 285.8 million by 2029.
Luemba's story might just help that figure increase a little further. In 2020, he was sitting at home when suddenly his Apple watch pinged with an alert. The message that popped up was short but to the point, urging Luemba to seek medical attention.
"I was absolutely terrified," Luemba said. "I was in my late twenties at the time and didn't feel unwell." But when the watch continued to beep that night with the same message, he decided to speak to a doctor.
Luemba spoke to someone the next day. What followed was a series of tests that confirmed what the watch had first noticed: he was suffering from atrial fibrillation (Afib), a type of arrhythmia or irregular heartbeat, which could have led to serious consequences.
"The doctors basically said that, if it had gone undiagnosed, it could have led to a stroke," he said. Luemba was initially confused at the diagnosis, particularly as Afib is more commonly found in people over the age of 60.
"I considered myself to be fairly fit," he said. "I eat well, exercise and have always been a healthy person. I'm not overweight, I don't smoke and I don't drink excessively."
What Luemba hadn't considered at this point was the impact of another key factor in his overall health: stress. He's the first to admit that his job can be "stressful and demanding" at times, but while he enjoys it, it became clear from speaking to his doctor that the way he was working was a key reason behind his Afib diagnosis.
Whether it's dealing with difficult clients, managing a workload effectively or working outside office hours, the stark reality is that stress-inducing activities of this kind can be lethal. A 2022 study published in the journal Autonomic Neuroscience laid the grim reality bare: mental stressors are linked to sudden cardiac death.
There will be countless workers out there guilty of putting themselves at risk by over-prioritizing work over personal health. Luemba was one of them, but his Apple Watch changed everything.
"If my watch didn't pick this up it could have changed the direction of my life entirely," he said. "I'm forever grateful."
Luemba has since undergone surgery to address the issue and ensure he doesn't have to spend the rest of his life taking blood thinners and Beta blockers. Equally important though, he's changed the entire way he lives his life.
"So I prioritize me first," he said. "In the past I would try to meet everyone's needs whether it was work, friends or family. I was just doing too much." He says that in the past year he has "pulled back completely" from the hectic lifestyle he once knew.
He now focuses on sleeping eight hours every night, eating the right kind of food and setting aside time for himself. "I basically now have Sundays to myself," he said. "That's my wellness day. I might meet someone on a Saturday but Sundays are my day to just recuperate."
Luemba said he's never felt better as a result. He's also taken to TikTok, posting under the handle @steven_luemba, to share his story and the important message it carries.
"When your cup is full, you're able to sort of give on to others," he said. "I was living on a very empty cup for many years, and now I feel very blessed and lucky to know that you know you need balance in your life in order to be the happiest you can be."
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