It’s already been a decade and a half since the smartphone has firmly planted itself into our hands and our daily lives. Researchers have closely monitored how we interact with our mobile screens and the impact they have on our relationships, our children’s lives and even the way we view ours.
The good news is that our phones aren’t just distractions anymore; they actually can also be useful tools. Especially when it comes to our health, and particularly in light of recent events.
Our phones can now be our first line of communication with healthcare providers. Whether you’re seeking medical or behavioral health care, calling your provider or utilizing virtual visits through telemedicine is important now more than ever.
Here are 5 additional ways your smartphone can support your health, by:
1. Carrying your medical ID
Use your phone to store a list of your health conditions, allergies, emergency contacts, and blood type, in case you have a medical situation.
2. Helping you sleep better
With apps designed to monitor your snoring, sleep-talking and other disturbances, your phone can help you understand why you may be having trouble getting the rest you need. Some apps can even train you to move from your back to your side if you have breathing issues while sleeping.
3. Managing your medications
Program your phone to remind you when to take your medications and when to get them refilled.
4. Promoting healthy eating
Use your phone to track your calories with an app that lets you log your daily food choices. From nutritional tools to healthy recipes, your smartphone can be a helpful resource when it comes to meal planning.
5. Keeping you moving
Your phone can be like a coach by challenging you to get up from your desk or the couch and get walking. In fact, studies have shown that our chances of cancer, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and posture issues go up when we sit down. Some even say that sitting is the new smoking.
Employers can help keep employees on their feet with an online steps challenge, supported by a well-being program like Harvard Pilgrim’s Living WellSM program, powered by Limeade. Steps challenges can be competitive, tracking who can accumulate the most steps in a week. Or they can be cooperative, pooling how many steps the entire team can achieve together. See if your team can walk the length of the Great Wall of China or the distance between Boston and Los Angeles.