In 2022, I made the conscious decision to use my Apple Watch and Apple Health more actively when I started on my health journey, and, can I just say, I’ve never looked back. From using my Apple Watch to track my daily morning walks and workouts in the gym, to using Apple Health to monitor my vitals (resting heart rate, VO2 max, steps, and many more) and changes in my health trends, it’s become such an important part of my life. And if you, like me, are looking for the perfect tools to fire up your health, whether it’s physical or mental, look no further—these are some of the ways that you can make full use of Apple Health and Apple Watch.
1. Keep track of your health trends
One of the things I appreciate the most is being able to get an overview of my personal health metrics, from my daily activity to my heart rate, blood oxygen levels and VO2 max. But the Health app is also surprisingly detailed in that it tracks activity that you wouldn’t normally pay attention to.
For example, one often overlooked aspect of your health is walking mobility, which can be used to assess your health status, track recovery from injury and surgery, or monitor changes that come with ageing. The Health app tracks metrics like walking speed, walking step length and walking asymmetry, among others, and uses that information to assess health status.
What’s more: You can safely and securely store all this information on your phone, and have full control over sharing this information and specific metrics with your nearest and dearest—or say, your personal trainer, too.
2. Be more aware of your state of mind
Mental health should be an important part of any fitness journey, and I’ve found that using the Mindfulness app on the Apple Watch to be a quick, fuss-free way of assessing my mental health. The intuitive interface and insightful questions are perfect for a daily check-in and help me to keep track of my moods and feelings in a seamless way. It’s also a good way to be more aware of the lifestyle factors and daily stressors in your life.
3. Assess your mental health
If you’re concerned about your mental health, the Health app now also lets you access depression and anxiety assessments easily and securely. You can also evaluate your risk level of depression and anxiety, reach out and connect with local resources around you, and even generate a PDF to share with a health professional. With more focus being put on mental health in Singapore, it’s a great way to take care—and take charge—of your own mental health, with just a click.
4. Get into journalling
Be gone, physical journals! I’ve tried to be consistent with journalling in the past—often writing down things that I’m grateful for, or logging my thoughts for the day—but with a hectic schedule of travelling and work, it’s become very spotty. Cue: The brand new Journal app, which has just been released. It allows you to group different experiences like outings and workouts, and allowing you to reflect on them by adding photos, videos, locations and more media to help you to capture the moments you want. Personalised prompts for reflection also make the whole journalling process easier and more intuitive.
This story originally appeared on GRAZIA Singapore.