5 Apps & Gadgets to Supercharge Your Wellness Journey
Written by: Deepa Somasunderam
Make some easy changes to your lifestyle.
The wellness industry is full of apps, gadgets and advice on the next must-have item. And lately we have been thinking about the apps and gadgets that we rely on regularly to keep our wellness in check.
After much consideration, we have narrowed our list to 5 items that have helped and we were keen to bring a list that was both budget-conscious and addressed different aspects of our wellness.
The Flo App
Staying checked in with your menstrual cycle helps you work with your flow and not against it. We found that Flo offers the best free version while the paid version provides you with further excellent insights helping you be alert to perimenopause symptons, menopause or give you that nudge you need to visit the gynecologist.
Generally, women experience the:
Menstrual phase: The period during which you are bleeding and your energy and productivity will be at its lowest.
Follicular phase: This phase starts as soon as bleeding stops and length varies person to person but can last more than 2 weeks. Rising estrogen levels means you have increased energy.
Ovulation Phase: This occurs in the middle of your cycle when your egg is released. The increased testosterone levels in this period means you will have more outward focused energy.
Luteal Phase: The uterus is preparing to shed its lining for the period. This is a lower productivity phase associated with PMS so you can priortize self-care and take it slower in this period)
A Mindfulness App
There are now a number of meditation apps for anxiety and many of them are great especially for beginners.
Headspace is a solid choice due to the volume of the library, the structure and the diverse topics they cover. The annual subscription is $69.99 USD and the free version is limited so you can try Radio Headspace or their YouTube channel which have some great free meditations. One of our favourite meditation teachers on Headspace is Dora Kamau.
Another great option is Calm which has more of a floaty, unstructured feel with ambient sounds. Calm has a free library of resources and Calm now also includes the Daily Jay where Jay Shetty gives listeners his daily tips for mindfulness.
A Heated Eye Mask
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Because of all the time we spend with our screens, dry eyes (among numerous other eye conditions) has become a very common issue.
A heated eye mask is effectively a warm compress on the eyes and provides hydrating and soothing relief to the eyes helping you with sleep. In short, the heat helps to open the meibomian glands and this improves gland function and stabilizes the tear film.
There are lots of different types of eye masks on the market (including microwaveable eye masks) but the one we have found the most helpful is a gel eye mask which can be placed in warm water to heat up quickly before you insert it into the eye mask cover or even just a homemade warm compress with a clean warm cloth.
An Essential Oil Diffuser
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Essential oils can really help with sleep and mood. There are so many options out there including the vintage style tea-light burners.
You can try lavender or Ylang Ylang Oil for your bedroom and cinnamon or orange for your living areas.
A Filtered Air Purifier
If you live in a busy city where pollution is unavoidable, a filtered air purifier can be very useful. You can buy one online quite easily and it can be placed in any room in your home to trap contaminants in the air like allergens, dust, mould, gas pollutants and smoke.
We suggest using one in your bedroom to keep your sleep space free of contaminants that can irritate your allergies, asthma and breathing in general.
Keep Reading: The 10 Best Wellness Tips for Women of Colour
