Apple Watch Ultra 2 widgets are unresponsive and side button doesn't return to home screen

For as long as I’ve had my Apple Watch Ultra 2, it has been very unresponsive. When i tap the widgets, the screen registers the touch - i can see the widget briefly dim but nothing happens the first few times. It often takes several ineffective taps before the widget does what i expect. the worst offender is the Calendar widget - usually takes 8-10 or more taps before it loads the Calendar screen.

secondly, after viewing notifications, clicking the main side button (with the wheel) won’t return me to the default/home screen until i’ve clicked that button about 5 or more times. often, it’ll load the list of apps instead. again, the watch screen registers that i’m doing *something* - but it doesn’t actually return me home.

these annoying behaviours have persisted through every software update. i’m on the latest WatchOS.

any ideas on how to fix it?