How to use Apps to help you focus on improving your health

You can track your health using applications [Apps] on either a Smart Phone or a Personal Computer.

Things you can track:

- how much exercise you have had / how much energy you have used up

- how much food you have eaten / how much energy you have taken in

If you have digital devices you can also track the following;

- weight, and other measurements from digital bathroom scales e.g. body fat %

- blood pressure - from a blood pressure monitor

- oxygen levels - from a pulse oximeter

- heart rate

Once an App understands what you are doing, and how your body is reacting, it can tailor messages to you [nudges] to remind you to exercise, sleep well, eat well and so on. You can examine your data over days, weeks, months, or years. When you review the data, and what worked, or what hasn't worked, you gradually learn what works for your body. For example:

if you exercise, your blood pressure drops afterwards, for a little while
if you lose a little weight, your blood pressure should drop a little
if you are stressed, you might see your blood pressure rise
if you have a salty meal [say chicken nuggets, or you pop out for a cheeky burger], you might be surprised by how much your blood pressure goes up by, and for how long

In the videos below you can view guides and reviews of common health Apps.