Every year we are inundated with innovative apps that promise to “revolutionize” our lives, making the daily grind less, grind-y. Sticking to our fitness goals or making sure to cleanse our mental and physical being can sometimes prove to more difficult than we’d hope, getting the motivation and keeping it isn’t always breezy. How do we make time? How do we stay on it? What can we use to keep us going? What actually works?
While there are always going to be a pile of apps available for download, there are key apps that you should know about, if you don’t already. Whether it is about organizing your priorities, or getting yourself more in touch romantically, you should be your number one investment and these apps are here to help you cash in on that investment.
Here are 10 apps (some brand new) that should be part of your health and wellness regimen.
Created by and for women, Jyst is the anonymous chat platform that allows women to open up with one another. The crowdsourcing, free relationship app is all about quality feedback, so when you pose a question to the community, expect to receive responses that are more about empowerment and understanding than judgement and negativity, something we can always use more of. Whether it’s decoding a text or conversation or opening up about relationship battles or trying to figure out how to handle a work friendship, Jyst is a forum that gives women the opportunity to help each other in a safe, secure digital space. Jyst has already received notable mentions in Harpers Bazaar, Refinery 29, Forbes and Oprah Magazine. As of now, Jyst is only available for iOS.
If you’re like me, having a digital pictorial of your daily exercise, calorie intake and important health-related information can either super helpful, or super annoying. Lifesum isn’t one of those invasive apps that makes you feel bad if you don’t achieve all your goals everyday, but it is there to help you take better care of yourself even if you’re not a fitness guru or monitoring your meals. Lifesum offers “balanced recommendations” based on organizations like the World Health Organization, and it provides healthy choices and options if you’re wanting to maintain, strengthen, bulk up or get leaner. You can make short or long term goals and the motivation behind the app keeps you trekking along without feeling burdened or… irritated. It’s a very practical and visual app that puts healthy living at the forefront, without being over the top about it all.
Relationup’s slogan is “Immediate. Anywhere. Anytime,” and provides confidential advice whenever you need it. The 24/7 on-demand service links you with professional help whom are there to guide and answer any questions you may be having, and you’re not having to fork out a heft amount of money for their time. It’s a quicker way to get the help you need and a great feature is that you are in the driver’s seat when it comes to what expert you work with–you can hear various perspectives or stick to just one. Available for iOS and Android users, the service costs $12 per 15-minute conversation.
Sometimes you need extra help when it comes to decluttering your life and reconnecting yourself with yourself. Calm is here to help you do just that, and through a mix of guided programs, meditation and mindfulness themes, you learn and follow steps for a more peaceful, balanced life. This is an all-encompassing platform that includes the app and blog plus there are a ton of resources to help you get the most out of the what’s hoped to be regular experience. Choose between programs like “21 Days of Calm” or “7 Days of Sleep” or find out methods to improve self-esteem, gratitude and happiness. You can also do programs that sharpen your focus and concentration or choose individual mediations that are catered to your lifestyle. The app is free and there are various subscription options available, depending on your time allowance. Cue rainforest sounds.
If you’re sick of mediocre dating apps that are based on a 10-second glance at a photo or seven, perhaps Sapio will be more up your alley. The app matches people based on intelligence (which is part of one’s wellness), so if that is a big component in your liking process, read on. The key is to define (or redefine) sapiosexual (people who are only attracted to the highly intelligent), more so, giving an outlet for sapiosexual people to unite and find connections with one another. Interests, intelligence levels and conversation knacks are all part of the pairing process, which attempts to shift attention away from the hookup culture we are all so used to these days. First, you answer a questionnaire that delves right into your core values and mantras as well as deep questions surrounded around life, the economy, politics, and more. There are multiple categories to then also select follow up questions from (from hypothetical to controversial) so you can tap into multiple layers of your cognitive and emotional intelligence. It also lets you divulge your experiences while learning about others. Similar to other dating apps, Sapio does use your photos and such, but hopefully Sapio gives you more meaty conversations and opinions that can help reclaim the faith in humanity. Sometimes a good, engaging conversation is all you need.
Pacifica helps you monitor your mood while also managing anxiety, stress and depression. The self-help app lays out methods based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, wellness and mindfulness, providing activities and lessons and techniques to track your progress. Each day you can enter your current mood and use the app as your own personal journal, detailing what you are feeling, what stresses may be bothering you, etc. You also have the option to check in on your health–your sleep patterns and habits, for example. The app also offers activities on muscle relaxation, public speaking, breathing and more. The clinician aspect of the mental health app shows you a concise and clear breakdown of your mood and health, and you can talk one-on-one to a professional.
Fooducate is like having a “nutritionist in your pocket” and helps you track relative information about your food, particularly its nutrients. The app shows you what’s inside the foods you’re buying — simply scan the back of any product’s barcode and you can find out everything from sugar levels to GMO levels to added preservatives, things that aren’t always readily disclosed on packages. You can scan all the products in your home and have a tally of what are the best and worst rated food (plus examples of what to buy instead). Track your exercise, calorie intake, and so on, while also getting sound advice that is tailored to your body and lifestyle.
Let’s be honest: long distance can really suck sometimes (OK all the time) so luckily there are apps like Ice Break that can keep you and your partner interested, regardless of proximity. The app poses questions for couples, keeping things fresh, but as Today notes, it’s “like couples therapy in an app.” So, during those times when you think you know everything about your partner, or you really need some help in the learning department, Ice Break is a simply way to connect and rekindle with each other, and it’s free.
