Our Favorite Apps to help you reach your Wellness Goals
Do you have health and wellness goals? An essential part of reaching those goals is being able to measure and track your progress. Apps can be hugely helpful with this!
Below are 6 areas of health and wellness, why we think tracking that aspect is important, and an application for each that can help you measure your progress and reach your goals!
BREATHING
Why is it important to track?
Breath is a vital part of wellness. Proper breathing mechanics allow you to activate your parasympathetic nervous system which sets your body up for calmness, healing, and recovery.
Our app recommendation: “Breathing Zone”
This app has audio and visuals that guide you and help you tune in to your breath. You can set the breathing rate and pattern to a timing that you find comfortable. You can also set daily goals for how long you want to spend practicing your breathing.
MIGRAINES/HEADACHES
Why is it important to track?
If you deal with migraines and headaches on a regular basis, tracking pain frequency, intensity, and location as well as other symptoms, and relevant notes is very helpful in understanding your migraines and working towards your goals. While sometimes they are straightforward, migraine triggers can be tricky to figure out and the more you understand what causes your migraines the better you will be at preventing and treating them.
Our app recommendation: “Migraine Buddy”
You can track the type of headache, the pain location and intensity, medication usage, symptoms, pain/symptom start and end time, and pain-free days.
MOOD, SLEEP, & MINDFULNESS
Why is it important to track?
Increasing our awareness around our mood and sleep can improve the health of both our minds and our bodies. For example, mental state often has a huge impact on chronic pain. Increasing rest and decreasing stress and anxiety help calm the nervous system down and teach the brain that your body is not in danger.
Our app recommendation: “Calm”
You can track your mood and include notes on factors that are currently affecting your mood. The app provides suggestions, such as guided meditations, according to your mood. You can track your sleep including what you did before and during sleep, sleep quality and duration, and sleep start and end times.
MOVEMENT
Why is it important to track?
Movement is medicine! Moving your body has so many benefits to your health and wellness. It keeps your heart, bones, joints, and muscles healthy and strong. It can improve mood and it even helps with chronic pain by reducing nerve sensitivity.
Our app recommendation: “Steps - Activity Tracker” (or anything that tracks your steps)
There are so many apps out there designed to help you exercise more. In our opinion, the most important thing is just to get moving! And to move in a way that is doable and sustainable for you. For many, the best place to start is with walking. Walking is a great way to move more!
EATING & DRINKING
Why is it important to track?
What you eat and drink should be taken into account no matter what your health and wellness goals are. Tracking food and drink can help migraine sufferers better understand their triggers. Tracking and moderating sugar intake can help reduce inflammation which can help with chronic pain. Tracking water intake can help ensure you stay properly hydrated throughout the day.
Our app recommendation: “Ate - Food & Health Tracker”
Again, there are so many apps for tracking food and drink. We like this app because you can set your personal goals around food. You can track the food and drink you consume, your reasons for eating, your mood around eating, and your progress made towards your personal goal.
SNORING
Why is it important to track?
Snoring can be an indicator of a variety of health issues such as sleep apnea, mouth breathing, airway obstructions, jaw disorders, dental alignment issues, allergies, poor posture, and more.
Our app recommendation: “SnoreLab”
The app lets you record your snoring and play it back. It tells you when and how loudly you snored. It also suggests solutions and allows you to track influencing factors.
Do you use any of the apps we suggested? If not, pick one that suits your wellness goals and give it a try!