Top 10 Apps To Keep You Healthy During COVID
There has never been a more pressing time to forefront your self-care routine. For those with lazy hygiene upkeep, Covid was a wakeup call. No more missed showers, half-washed hands, or uncovered sneezes. Now, people feel naked without a mask on in public, and BYOB has become BYOHS (Bring Your Own Hand Sanitizer).
Essentially, the global pandemic has created a shift (or novel development) in the routines of millions, making us all reconsider how much we really prioritize our well-being.
However, such a shift has mostly emphasized the importance of medical practices you can adopt to protect yourself and others from the disease. And while such a focus is necessary during these times, it has also overshadowed other forms of health– mental and physical– that are highly important to maintain at all times.
This article has curated a list of the top 10 health apps, ranging from physical safety, exercise, mental health, and even skincare routines.
Safety First
- Citizen
Created in 2017, the Citizen app merged 911- dispatch data with phones’ GPS location to notify the user of nearby dangers such as fires, shootings, and car crashes. In the wake of the pandemic, however, Citizen can now warn users about possible exposure to Covid-19.
Mental Well-Being
- Insight Timer
This app has been topping psychologist’s charts for years, praised for its diverse range of mental health activities. You can choose from over 6,000 hours of guided meditation, focusing on mental mindedness and body confidence.
- Ten Percent
Skeptical when it comes to meditation? Check out Ten Percent, an app designed for those who aren’t eager to meditate or reflect on a daily basis. Co-Founder Dan Harris was inspired to create an out-of-the-box care app after having an on-air panic attack during an ABC news segment. The app features unconventional mindfulness guides, such as school teachers, scientists, and even an advisor for the NY Knicks, Chicago Bulls, and LA Lakers, making it easy for users to feel welcomed into a new world of meditation.
Physical Exercise
- All Out Studio
This app is your one-stop shop for the best workouts on the market. It collects primarily from Prevention and Women’s Health while also including other verified programs and sites. Users can choose from a wide range of workout styles, such as pilates and kickboxing, at any difficulty level.
Fuel Your Body.
- D Minder Pro
If you live in an area where the winter weather seems to lag, or you find yourself shut inside due to Covid-19, you should make this app a staple to your phone’s home screen. It is able to estimate your Vitamin D exposure according to your weather conditions, location, and time spent outside. You can even apply the stats from your latest doctor’s appointment to the app to get a more comprehensive understanding of what you should or should not be adding to your daily routine.
- Lifesum
This type of self-care is perhaps the one we emphasize the most in modern-day lifestyles: nutrition. It’s so easy these days to get caught up in the latest diet fads and trends, allowing our eating habits to creep into malnutrition or consumption of overly processed foods. Whether you’re sticking to the Keto Diet, Whole 30, or just going with the flow, LifeSum helps you track calories based on what your body needs. It takes into account your height, mood, daily activities, and goals in order to provide over 1,000 recipes. Additionally, it gives you a daily breakdown of the food you ate, helping you understand if you need to cut back or add in any specific macronutrients.
- Shopwell
Ever been overwhelmed by the labels at the grocery store, unsure of what’s a health myth and what’s the truth? Enter Shopwell, an app that simplifies the grocery shopping process for you. Create a food profile with your dietary and health goals, food favorites, and allergies, and you’ll receive a personalized nutrition score whenever you scan a label. Once the app becomes familiar with your eating patterns, it will produce food recommendations and location awareness tips to find the best products on your grocery store excursions.
- Waterlogged
Even if you think you’re drinking enough water per day, odds are you are probably not. However, you can easily find out by downloading Waterlogged, an app that reminds you throughout the day to take sips of water until you reach a satiated state of hydration. All you have to do is add your favorite bottles and liquids to your profile on the app!
Rest Break!
- Sleepscore
There are so many apps on the market that “track” the hours of deep sleep you get at night. Not only is Sleepscore ranked as one of the most reliable ones, but it goes above and beyond by giving you personalized advice to extend your resting period.
External Well-Being.
- Skincare Routine
Who said that skincare doesn’t count towards your health routine? Not only does a good skincare routine help to prevent acne and wrinkles– things that could give individuals stress and anxiety– but studies have shown that a good skincare routine promotes positivity and eagerness to improve other factors of health such as exercise and mobility. Skincare Routine helps users identify the steps necessary for their skin and which products to use for their personal skin type. It then creates daily routines for the user and tracks the skins progress over long periods of time.
It’s that easy to switch up your routine.
While this article has provided just ten apps that will help target the problem areas of your life and give you personalized guidance, there are so many other ways to focus on your health during quarantine. Think of these apps as a companion– they’re there for you when you need them, but it’s ultimately up to you to make the relationship work. Sometimes it can be hard to be self-motivated at a time when the future is so uncertain, but downloading one of these apps could be the first step to a new, healthy routine.