The 5 Wellness Apps You Need Right Now
Published June 21st, 2021
Get out your phones, LIV Fam: We’re giving you the very best apps you need to download right now. Whether you’re looking to up your gains, down your screen time, or make better connections with the people around you, you’ll be amazed at what these must-have tools can do.
Into The Woods: All Trails
Take a hike—or run, walk, or explore. The AllTrails app features more than 200,000 trails across the U.S., including national parks and hidden gems in your own neighborhood. Brief summaries let you know a bit about the area, as well as what times of year and day are best for a visit. Each trail is rated on its skill level and includes reviews and photos from users, as well as keywords that let you know what to expect. The app will show you the current weather in the area, and if you’ve got horror-movie vibes when you enter the woods, don’t worry: a GPS function means you’ll never get lost.
Cost: Free
Do It Again: Streaks
If you’re looking to develop better habits (or ditch the bad ones) Streaks is a must-download. This satisfying app lets you list twelve tasks you’re looking to complete each day based on your own personal goals and helps you build consistency through your streaks (get it?). You can also choose behaviors you’d like to do less of, like smoking or biting your nails, and watch the days add up as you break your bad habits. Want to keep it super simple? Create timed tasks for activities such as meditating, reading, or even brushing your teeth. Streaks will send you reminders and automatically sync across your devices and if you have an iPhone, it will link to your Health app and automatically update when you’ve completed related tasks such as your daily workout. Full disclosure: “checking” off tasks each day is both satisfying and addictive.
Cost: $4.99
Develop A Pattern: Sleep Cycle
If you’ve ever slammed the snooze button and had no recollection later, or if you find that you wake up feeling groggy and tired, Sleep Cycle can help. You don’t need to wear anything or keep your phone under your pillow—just set it by your nightstand or nearby on the floor. The app will analyze your breathing sounds, snoring (no shame), and sleep-talking to determine your sleep patterns. The gentle alarm will wake you when you’re in your lightest sleep, so that you feel more refreshed (and less aggressive towards your alarm clock). For the price of Premium, you’ll get comparison data on your sleep, a sound recorder, access to their library of meditations, sounds, and other aids, and even learn how different weather affects your shuteye.
Cost: $29.99 annually for Premium
HomeBody: Nike Training Club
If there’s one good thing to come out of a global pandemic, it’s our increased awareness of seriously amazing fitness apps featuring a huge variety of workouts we can do at home. Our pick: Nike Training Club. Made for athletes at every level, it’s got nearly 200 free workouts to choose from, including HIIT, boxing, cardio, body weight exercise, and yoga. Workouts range from five to 60 minutes and are led by trainers. Not sure where to start? They offer programs varying in length from four to eight weeks, and will complement your sweat sessions with health and wellness advice including nutrition, mindfulness, recovery, and sleep.
Cost: Free
Ignite Your Insight: The Pattern
If you’re dipping your toes back into the pool of socialization after a year of near isolation, The Pattern is a worthwhile investment (especially because the basic version is free). The premise makes astrology sounds like science-fiction, but the benefits are very real: This app will help you to understand patterns in your behavior and relationships to ultimately empower you to connect with others on a deeper level. It starts with your birth chart to get an overall sense of you, then tracks your emotional cycles and compares your compatibility with potential friends and romantic interests. The app also explores cycles in the world at large, and how they may be affecting you on a personal level (does the word “quarantine” ring a bell?). You’ll make friends on the app, and can connect with them and chat within the app. If you want to go even further, their “Go Deeper” experience unlocks additional content at a cost of $14.99 for 3 months.
Cost: Free