How Smartphone Technology Supports Health
How Smartphone Technology Supports Health
There is no doubt that technology has vastly improved the world’s quality of life. And there is still a lot of optimism that health and wellness will continue to improve with the development of new technologies. Smartphones have evolved over the years and now have many features and apps that make them great repositories for wellness, fitness, and health. This guide presents eight ways that your smartphone can support your health.
Medical ID
Each smartphone has a unique tag or address and can be used as medical alert bracelets. You can easily set up a medical ID on your smartphone with all your personal information. Such information may include blood type, existing medical conditions, allergies, and emergency contacts. Detailed information like this increases your chances of survival in the event of an emergency. Smartphones have emergency buttons that make this information available to emergency personnel even when it is locked. Be sure to set up these features as they may prove crucial to saving your life.
Fitness tracker
As more people get interested in their fitness and take charge of their health, technology has also evolved to suit their needs. Now wearable technology is in vogue and is one of the popular ways to keep track of your health. With a bracelet or wristband and a corresponding app, you are good to go. However, most people do not know that you do not need a wearable at all in most cases. Your smartphone is fully capable of tracking your daily activities, depending on your personal goals. Your smartphone tracks and logs your movement during the day using motion sensors and other sensors. At the end of the day, week, or month, you will receive a notification informing you about your progress and goals, depending on how you set it up.
Heart rate monitor
Another important in-built component of the latest smartphones is the heart rate monitor. Although this was the preserve of wearables, new smartphones are making a case. They are pretty accurate if you set them up correctly. This, however, does not mean you should not go for regular check-ups from your doctor.
Meal planner
The constant practice of healthy eating has been the bane of many people who slip into unhealthy eating habits. With smartphones, you can download an app for tracking and planning your meals; there are also fitness and workout apps that you can use to stay in shape. You can even find out the calories a meal contains by simply pointing your camera at it. This valuable information can help you plan your meals to ensure that you are eating and living healthy.
Better sleep
A lot of people struggle with sleep. For some, the problem is with falling asleep, while others experience infrequent and shallow breathing, or even snoring or sleep-talking if they manage to catch some sleep. All these problems can have a telling effect on your wellbeing, but some apps can offer some relief. Some apps can track your sleeping patterns or motions during sleep and provide insight that your doctor can use to properly situate and diagnose your problem.
Reminder and tracker
Smartphones can be used as reminders and health trackers for the family. Keeping track of medications and routine check-ups for yourself and other family members can be difficult. Please use your notes and reminder apps to make it easier to know when you or any member of your family is due for medications or check-ups.
Emergencies
During an emergency, your smartphone can get you help. Just yelling at the phone can trigger a call to emergency services with your location. To access this feature, you must have set up your voice activation first. You can also ask the phone to dial an emergency number already programmed into the phone. This feature has proved very instrumental as there are stories of how lives got saved.
Choosing the right app
Different people have different needs, and there are a plethora of useful apps that can help you improve your health and wellness. Most of these apps are free, and there are a few others that you may have to pay for. So, take a critical look at your situation and see which apps best suit your needs. It is advisable to consult your physician as they may have recommendations that may be more practical.
Smartphones today offer so much more, and you should take advantage of the technology. There is so much information readily available online; all you need to do is place the keywords in the search bar. You can learn a lot about wellness and health and use that information to promote a healthy lifestyle.
