Apps can be used to help with just about every part of your life, including your health. New technology allows all sorts of apps to meet a variety of consumer needs in the health industry. Many of these we would have considered impossible just a few years ago. Looking for a few health app areas that are worth a look at this year? These cover everything from how to obtain needed medication to how to create healthy habits:
1. Prescription Services
The days of relying on a doctor’s office and a pharmacy visit to get prescriptions are over. This is good news for anyone who doesn’t have access to those visits. The advent of prescription apps puts people’s ability to access required medication literally in their own hands.
Patients can have their general prescription needs filled or find places to acquire specific medications. Apps give them the ability to get anxiety meds, migraine treatment, or even birth control online. They also offer additional features. For example, the Nurx app enables patients to directly message health professionals. This communication, on top of better access to needed prescriptions, is a huge health benefit.
2. Meditation
Connection with professionals, or the lack thereof, can significantly influence our health practices. Sometimes, if we don’t know how to do something or are concerned about doing it “right,” we simply won’t do it. This can be especially true with practices that may improve our mental health, like meditation. Sitting quietly in a dimly lit room is all well and good, but is it helping?
That’s where research-backed apps come in. They are based on science and the recommendations of professionals. Consider the app Headspace, which seeks out studies it can participate in to further the science of meditation. When you use it or similar apps, you’ll know that a professional community supports what you’re doing.
3. Fitness
Apps are the most useful when they combine professional knowledge with personal choice. Where you’ll find this a lot is in the fitness apps category. Not everyone has gym access, and even fewer people can hire a personal trainer. An app that can use industry know-how to let users pick the right exercise for themselves is perfect.
There are tons of fitness apps for specific kinds of exercise. You can try weight training or yoga. You even can run while pretending zombies are chasing you. These apps are all available through either the App Store or Google Play.
Those who aren’t exactly sure what they’re looking for will benefit from an app like Sworkit. It allows users to choose their workout preferences and time, then generates a customized exercise plan.
4. Smoking Cessation
When it comes to kicking a bad habit, having a plan based on your specific needs is critical. That’s what makes apps for things like smoking cessation so appealing. Rather than taking a general approach, you can tailor a program to your behavior patterns. With an app, you can also keep track of your progress on an easily accessible device.
Having that information in your pocket is a great way to stay on top of your habits. Check out an app like Smoke Free, which lets you track progress and cravings. One great feature of this app is that it shows how much money you save by not purchasing cigarettes. So if the health benefits aren’t enough motivation to quit smoking, the financial ones might be.
5. Healthy Habit Creation
If you’re looking to start new, good habits rather than quit bad ones, there are apps for that, too. Again, the benefit mostly lies in being able to track your progress. You’ll have access to information about how you’re improving and where you may have fallen short. The right habit-focused app will let you set multiple goals at once, rather than focusing on just one.
In this case, something simple like the Loop Habit Tracker app may be your best bet. You input your desired habits and a schedule for when to complete them. Then, you can add reminders to help you maintain your new healthy routine. This type of app is a good option for someone looking to make overall health improvements.
6. Improved Sleep
One great way to improve your overall health is through better sleep. Thankfully, there are many apps to assist with just that. As with other health apps, which one will work best for you depends on what you want. Some offer a bevy of features (e.g., guided bedtime meditations), while others are more straightforward.
If you’re new to the world of sleep apps, you may want to start with something basic. Android users may like Sleep for Android, which, at its simplest, is an alarm app. However, you can also use it to track your sleep cycle. The app then uses this information to recommend wake-up times and other sleep quality improvements. There isn’t an exact Apple equivalent, but there are plenty of comparable options out there.
7. General Health
General fitness trackers that log movement and heart rate are great starting points for trying out health apps. They’re also usually preloaded onto your device. Apple, Samsung, and Google all have these fitness apps available.
These apps won’t do anything fancy or support a total health overhaul, but they’re worth mentioning for the convenience factor alone. These apps are easy to use and ask for a relatively comfortable amount of personal information. By using them, you may get the boost you need to explore other fitness and health apps.
No matter what your health goals are for 2021, there’s likely an app designed to help you accomplish them. As an industry, the health tech and apps space has exploded. With any of these apps, you’ll be able to address your health in a convenient and personalized way.
