Below are nine apps for health that focus on improving both physical and mental wellbeing, from sleep to brain health.
Most of the apps below have free versions with paid subscriptions or a one-time fee and are available for both ios and android devices. So download and check them out!
[Please note that we are not healthcare professionals and have no medical training. These apps are recommended based on personal use and experience. Apps do not replace a primary care doctor; please speak to a trained healthcare provider for more advice.]
1. Sleep Cycle
Sleep can often get forgotten about when it comes to maintaining our health. Still, it’s one of the fundamental areas we should be focusing on for good mental and physical health. I’ve been using Sleep Cycle for years now, and it’s one of the apps I use every day.
Features
- Sleep tracking
- Sleep Aid
- ‘Wake up window’ Alarm
- Noise recording
- Statistics
Apart from tracking your sleep, Sleep Cycle provides you with statistics so that you can make connections between your day and your rest. Before you go to bed, you can add a sleep note, such as ‘coffee’ or ‘exercise.’ You can then check to see if there’s any correlation between drinking coffee and a restless night’s sleep or exercising and a good night. One of the newer features is a noise recording function that pinpoints snoring, coughing, talking, or movement. If you want to hear creepy breathing, you can listen back to each noise. The best function is the ‘wake up’ window, which uses motion and sound to analyze your sleep state. The app waits till you’re in the lightest phase of your sleep before waking you gently.
Availability: iPhone/ Apple Watch / Google Play
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Sleep Score
2. Seven
If like me, you’re not into the gym, Seven offers short, high-intensity workouts (or HIIT high-intensity interval training) that are guaranteed to get your heart rate up. You don’t need extra equipment (apart from a chair occasionally), so it’s the ideal mobile app to use at home and for beginners. The short exercises mean you can fit them into any schedule, so it’s easy to get into an exercise routine and get in shape.
Features
- 7-minute HIIT workouts
- Fitness Goals
- Live classes
- 30 Day Challenges
- Workout Tracker
A no-frills, simple to use workout app that focuses on short HIIT exercise. You can set fitness goals such as losing weight or getting fit and take part in 30 days challenges that focus on one area of fitness. If you want to change it up, you can Freestyle based on the exercises you prefer. There’s quite a big social angle, which is helpful if you need some accountability to get you working out. Track how well your friends are doing or compete against others on the leaderboard.
Availability: iPhone/ Apple Watch / Google Play
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Sworkit / GRAPHIITE (iOS only) / Nike Training Club
3. RunKeeper
Features
- Activity Recording
- Training Plans
- Stats & Insights
- Shoe Tracking
Not just for runners, RunKeeper records any cardio activity that gets you moving from canoeing to skiing. RunKeeper provides you with a training plan for a couch to 5k, or just to get fit by setting an achievable goal. With an easy-to-navigate interface, it’s simple to set up and start running. You can also link your Spotify account to listen to your favorite playlist and get audio cues while you run.
Availability: Apple / Google Play
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Strava / Map My Run / Runtastic
4. Balance
I’ve tried over wellness apps, such as Headspace, but it just didn’t stick. I was using Elevate, which the same app developers make, and I was generously offered a free year of balance (still available during 2021). I highly recommend trying out this app (it’s free!), even just for the short and focused Singles.
Features
- Different plan options
- A dedicated section for sleep and winding down
- Single meditations
Balance is a meditation and sleep-aid app that offers focused plans or bitesize reflections whenever you need them. The interface is clean and extremely easy to use. There aren’t any unnecessary features to distract you from taking time for your mental wellness. The Singles tab includes ‘immersive’ meditations that combine vibrations with the sounds of a storm, waves, music, or bells.
Availability: Apple / Google Play
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Headspace / Calm
5. Elevate
I’ve been brain-training Mon-Friday for the last year, and I feel like I’ve seen improvements, especially with my math. I do my ‘workout’ on my commute to work in the morning to wake up my brain and get me ready for work.
Features
- Varied Games
- Track your performance
- Mini-lessons
Elevate aims to improve your cognitive skills without making it feel like a chore. The app helps you improve writing, speaking, reading, and math by focusing on common weaknesses. For example, to improve your writing skills, you might play a game that requires you to spot four mistakes and typos in under 20 seconds. As your performance improves, you gradually move up through 400 levels (unless you’re a genius, that’s gonna take a while) and show how you rank compared to the average user. Math usually gives me the fear, but even that section is tolerable, dare I said, even fun?
Availability: Apple / Google Play
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Lumosity
6. My Plate
Having tried several food tracking apps in the past, My Plate is one of my favorites, from its design to usability.
Features
- Diet tracker
- Fitness tracking
- Menu suggestions
- Meal Plans
It has a huge food database, adding your meals is simple, and it has a great ‘repeat’ function, so you don’t have to keep logging your first coffee of the day. Set your goal, and the home screen breaks down your daily achievements into easy-to-read charts showing your ‘food diary,’ calorie counter, and your activity. There’s also a nice feature that serves you up a meal within your calorie range and dietary preference. If you have dietary restrictions or are following a specific diet like Keto, you can manage your own nutritional and or calorie goals.
Availability: Apple / Google Play
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MyFitnessPal
7. Noisli
As someone who is extremely sensitive to sound, Noisli may have saved me from going crazy AF. If I start to feel irritated, I play some rain or a storm, but I can also use it when I need to focus.
Features
- Variation of background noises
- Create custom ‘combo’ sounds
- Timers with fadeout
From a mixture of natural noises like babbling brooks and thunder to human-made sounds such as trains and cafe chatter. Simply tap the sounds to play them individually, or create a ‘combo’ of sounds to soothe or improve your productivity.
Availability: Apple / Google Play / Chrome Extension
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Noizio
8. Grid Diary
Grid Diary is for people who want to journal but need some prompts to get writing. Journaling can help deal with stress, anxiety, and depression, to name a few. Writing can be highly cathartic for many people, and a record allows you to evaluate your emotions later on.
Features
- Journal templates
- Multiple journals
- Hundreds of prompts
Grid Diary provides you with a daily set of questions in a grid format. You can create prompts or use one of the templates. They also have a vast database of questions to choose from depending on what you want to focus on, from relationships to professional development. If you’ve got plenty to say, you can also scan a QR code on your web browser for a more comfortable writing experience.
Availability: App Store / Google Play / Mac App Store
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Day One
9. Reflectly
Features
- Record your mood and thoughts
- Tracks your stats
- Daily challenges
- Motivational quotes
Reflectly allows you to track your feelings with a mood check-in. Although it’s considered a journaling app, this differs from Grid Diary in that it focuses more on the wellness side and uses graphs and data to show connections between your emotions and what’s happening in your life. If you’re feeling stressed out, angry, or down in the mouth, select an emoji that reflects how you feel. The app uses a combination of cognitive-behavioral therapy (cbt) and mindfulness to increase happiness by reflecting on your feelings and actions. You’ll receive push notifications during the day (if you want them), offering motivation and positive reminders to note your mood.
Availability: App Store / Google Play
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Daylio
Since most of us rely so heavily on our apps for health, then taking care of our phones is fairly important. Protect your phone with a long-lasting case made from aramid fiber and continue using apps to look after your mental and physical health.
