I love phone apps! I have an app for pretty much everything – entertainment, finances, books, cooking.. Anytime I have a problem I search for an app that will help me fix it or manage it.
I have so many apps that I’ve even organized them into folders by category. The folder with some of the most apps is my “Health” folder.
Here are my top five..
SleepCycle
I’ve been using SleepCycle for years, and it’s been a game-changer for how I wake up in the morning. Gone are the days of jarring, loud alarms. Now, I’m gently awakened during my lightest sleep cycle. I can even choose the time range in which I want to be woken up. For example, if I need to be up by 7:30, I can set the alarm to go off anytime between 7:00 and 7:30, when I’m naturally more awake.
Ever notice how you can sometimes wake up a bit before your alarm and feel pretty alert, but then you go back to sleep for “just 15 more minutes”? Only for the alarm to go off again and you feel terrible, groggy, and tired? That’s the problem with waking up during a deep sleep cycle.
How does it work? Somehow, through your phone’s microphone, the app analyzes your movements while ignoring other sounds like snoring, fans, or your partner shifting (how? It’s magic, I swear).
It also gives you a sleep report, tracks trends in when you’re going to bed and waking up, lets you log sleep notes, and even records your snoring—if you’ve ever wondered what that sounds like…
Try the “Freemium” version to test it out, and consider upgrading to the premium subscription for $29.99 a year. The premium version includes features like sleep aids (calming sounds to help you fall asleep), snore detection, and sleep notes. It’s well worth the investment for a better night’s sleep!
Calm
Once you’ve woken up feeling refreshed, you might want to try some morning meditation.
There are lots of meditation apps out there—Headspace, Balance, Ten Percent Happier Meditation, to name a few—but my favorite is Calm. Tamara Levitt’s voice is so soothing and calming, you’ll have no trouble getting into meditation or drifting off to sleep with one of their sleep stories.
Every day, Tamara releases a 10-minute meditation with a new focus, ending with an inspiring quote that you can share on social media or text to a friend. There are many other series by her and other instructors on topics like stress, focus, and anxiety. One of my favorites is the Winnie the Pooh series. Calm also helps me fall asleep with its sleep stories.
Check it out for yourself and see why it’s the #3 health app on the App Store. You can try it for free, or for $14.99/month after the trial. Or, go all in with the yearly subscription for $69.99/year and save over $100.
DownDog
Now that you’re feeling good and have meditated, it’s time to work out. The next three apps focus on fitness, depending on the type of movement you want to get in. We’ll start with yoga…
DownDog (now just called Yoga) is an app I’ve had for years but didn’t really start using regularly until the quarantine. It makes it so easy to start practicing yoga and stick with it. You can choose from 11 different types of yoga, from Ashtanga or flow to easy gentle or restorative classes. You can also pick your level from five options, starting with beginner level 1, and select the length of practice, starting as short as 3 minutes.
I often go for the “full practice” at level “intermediate 1” with a flexibility boost, lasting 25 minutes with a 1-minute Savasana.
What I love about this app is its flexibility. With so many options, I can find the right type of yoga and the right length to practice every day—because honestly, who doesn’t have 3 minutes for yoga? Plus, there are great music style options (I like Alt Beats). You can even change the instructor’s voice and adjust how much guidance you get during the practice. This app really lets you tailor your experience, and you can change it up daily.
Membership is $7.99/month or $49.99/year.
HIIT app
The DownDog model worked so well that they created additional apps—Yoga for Beginners, HIIT, Barre, 7-Minute, and Prenatal Yoga. I recently tried the HIIT app for High-Intensity Interval Training, and it works similarly to DownDog with the flexibility to choose your total workout time (from 2 minutes to 55 minutes), level, and body part focus. It’s been an easy way to fit in strength training.
One of my favorites is the 5-minute core workout, level 1, with some basic pop music to keep me going.
Membership is $7.99/month or $49.99/year.
Couch to 5K
Last but not least is the app that got me off the couch and running: Couch to 5K. It does exactly what the name says—it helps you go from being a couch potato to running alongside your friends in those 5K “Fun Runs.
I have never been a runner.
’ve never been a runner. You know that “runner’s high” people talk about? Yeah, me neither. When I run, all I can think is, “When can I stop?” But this app has been the only way I’ve been able to stick with running and start to see some results.
Couch to 5K breaks down the training, starting with just 1 minute of jogging followed by 1 minute and 30 seconds of walking for a 20-minute session. Each week, the jogging time increases as your endurance builds. You can also choose your trainer, from the friendly “Runicorn” to the tough “Sergeant Block,” who motivates you while playing your favorite music from your playlist.
Couch to 5K is the #8 Health & Fitness app. The app has a free version or you can pay a one-time cost of $2.99 for full access to the features and workouts.
Thanks for this. I needed the couch to 5k!!