Being in good shape requires effort, dedication, and a knowledge of your mind and body (and, crucially, an iPhone) to help you stay on track. Even though Apple is promoting its “Screen Time” function to reduce bad smartphone habits, its Health app can help with anything else.
Because it can store so much data, it may be overwhelming when you first open the Health app for the first time. However, don’t let that discourage you from continuing.
For those who wish to lose weight, quit snacking, destress their lives, get better sleep, enhance their overall physical fitness, or take care of their heart, the Apple Health app has a plethora of helpful health and fitness-tracking tools, and I’m going to teach you everything you need to know.
If you’re curious about what you can do with the app on your iPhone, here are my favorite tips. I suggest you read them all if you’re a new user. After using the app for a while, you may still discover some valuable features that were previously hidden from your view.
With the previous few iOS upgrades, Apple Health has become the center of attention. When Apple introduced its Watch, the Health app became even more of a central point for all of your physical activities.
To allow third-party apps to access and write health-related data, Apple has gradually opened up the Health app’s APIs.
Check out the Apple Watch 7 versus the Fitbit Sense
Apple Health App – more than a pedometer
Apple Health, by default, keeps track of how many steps and how far you walk each day. Everything from vitamins to water intake, sleep to thoughtful minutes, and the health app may track more.
In addition, you may create and preserve health profiles and export the data to another device in a separate file.
This piece will go over the top nine tips and strategies for using Apple Health like a seasoned master.
Add activities to your feed
On the home screen, Apple Health brings you to the summary tab. Only floors and steps are involved. You can, however, use the edit menu to add extra tabs.
When you tap the edit button in the upper right corner, you’ll be able to enter your height, weight, water intake, and sleep tab.
The large list of activities supported by Apple Health can be seen under the All tab. It’s easy to find what you’re looking for. Add your favorite icons to your home screen by tapping on them.
Choose Browse > categories to save your favorite activities on the main page instead.
Set and achieve your cardio goals
WatchOS 7.2 and iOS 14.3’s new cardio fitness function allows you to measure your VO2 max and track your cardio fitness levels. VO2 max measures how much oxygen your body can use when working out, and it may be increased by regular physical activity.
However, it’s worth noting that before watchOS 7.2, Apple Watch could only predict greater VO2 max levels during outside activities such as running, hiking, or walking. As a result, the wristwatch can now evaluate your cardio fitness as you move throughout the day, thanks to the new cardio fitness levels.
Specifically, Apple Health rates aerobic fitness levels as High, Above Average, Below Average, or Low.
Navigate to the Health app’s heart section, select Cardio Fitness, and select Set Up.
Grab an Apple Watch SE for less!
Monitor your Apple Health App checklist
Using Apple Health, you can keep track of all the health features with your iPhone that you’ve activated.
The app also suggests activating additional features to improve your health and fitness.
An option in the Health app called “Health Checklist” will show a list of all the features you have enabled and the ones you should enable to improve your fitness.
We expect the Apple Watch 8 to be out in 2022. Check out the fitness features here.
Create a medical ID
This can come in handy in a pinch. I strongly encourage you to do so with your Apple Health. You may enter all of your health-related information and medical history in one place by tapping on the Medical ID link on the site.
Your profile includes medical history, allergies, drug reactions, and even your preferred emergency contact.
When you’re in a life-threatening scenario, others can go through your Apple Health medical ID and help you.
Side tip: It’s possible to hide one’s medical information from the Lock Screen
Medical ID can be accessed via the lock screen for a legitimate cause. A passerby can quickly locate your emergency contacts by scanning your Medical ID card.
In the event of an emergency, this Health app feature could prove to be a lifesaver because of how critical it is to contact the emergency services department or family members as quickly as possible.
You may want to keep your personal information private or simply do not want anyone to see your Medical ID unless you grant them access. No worries, the Medical ID can be hidden from view on the lock screen.
To do so, open the Settings app with your iPhone and select Health -> Medical ID -> Edit from the drop-down menu. The toggle next to Show When Locked can now be disabled. Finally, press on Done in the upper right corner to complete the process.
Link third-party apps to your Apple Health App
The Health app includes all of Apple’s fitness tracking features. However, this does not imply that the app does all the work. To fill in the gaps, Apple Health makes use of third-party apps.
Apple goes out of its way to recommend apps based on what you’re doing. On the homepage, Adidas, iHealth, etc., are listed. You’ll find tools like MyFitnessPal and Lose It in the nutrition section.
Switch on the permission to allow them to read and write data from the Apple Health app when you install these apps on your phone. Alternatively, you can change Apple Health’s permissions.
The Data Resources & Access option can be found at the bottom of any section to examine which apps read and write data for that particular activity.
Side tip: Connect other fitness tracking apps to your Apple health account
A high-priced Apple Watch is not for everyone. Fitness bands and smartwatches are popular choices for many people.
Apple’s Health app isn’t able to communicate with these gadgets. Only the Apple Watch can use this app. You’ll need to connect fitness band apps to the Apple Health platform in these circumstances.
Enabling the required permission in apps like Fitbit and Mi Fit allows them to send data to Apple Health. Apple’s Health app now receives data from your wearable via its iPhone app.
Should you get the Apple Watch 7 or Garmin Epix 2?
Track Sleep
The next Apple Watch software update is expected to include sleep monitoring. The iPhone itself allows you to carry out the same task.
Use the Bedtime feature, which tracks your sleeping hours based on the time you select and the actions of your smartphone the morning after you set it to sleep.
You can also manually enter your sleep data in the Apple Health app. Using the second technique, Apple recommends applications like Beddit and Sleep+ for keeping track of your sleep pattern.
Activate or deactivate Bedtime
In order to meet your sleep goal, you must remember to go to bed at the right hour. I enjoy this feature. However, it might be a little frustrating when you no longer need a sleep reminder or have gotten used to your pattern. Fortunately, you can disable the iPhone’s bedtime reminder.
Apple has made a slight change to turning off/on bedtime reminders in iOS 14 or later. An option to receive sleep reminders has been tucked away in Apple Health rather than the Clock app. Indeed, the new system is a little complicated. Becoming more familiar with how it works is necessary before taking back control of your bedtime reminders.
Side tip: Sleep reminders can be turned off if you don’t need them
Go to the Health app -> Browse -> Sleep -> Options (found all the way at the bottom). Turning off the Sleep Reminders toggle is now complete.
Manage your sleep tracking data sources
In the Health app with your iPhone, you can adjust the data sources for your sleep tracking. Specifically giving or denying access to apps and devices at your discretion to your sleep data.
Using the Health app with your iPhone, you may view and customize your sleep data sources (found at the bottom). The apps you’ve authorized access to your sleep data should appear in the Apps Allowed to Read Data category. Each app has a button next to it that allows you to give or deny it access to your sleep data.
All the apps you’ve permitted to update your data should be listed under the Data Sources section. You can see what data each program has accessed by tapping on it. You may also delete selected or all sleep data collected by a given source as a last option.
Remove all your sleep data
It is possible that you no longer use the built-in sleep tracking function. To free up some storage space, you may want to remove all of your sleep data from the Health app. You can erase all of your sleep tracking data for various reasons, including privacy protection or simply to clear out some space in the Health app.
Go to the Health app with your iPhone, then select Browse > Sleep > Show All Data. All of your sleep tracking data will be displayed here. Click Edit in the upper right corner of the screen to remove individual items or the entire list. Click Done at the end to ensure you’ve completed the activity.
Menstrual cycle tracking
People who menstruate can use Cycle Tracking to monitor their menstrual cycle, including when they are most fertile. You can keep tabs on your daily symptoms and other things like monthly exercise (or you can use the Cycle Tracking app on your Apple Watch).
Predicted reproductive window dates might help you stay in tune with your cycles and plan ahead of time.
Side tip: Set up cycle monitoring on iPhone and Apple Watch
with your iPhone’s Health app, select Browse, then Cycle Tracking, then Options from the drop-down menu. Now, touch on Period Length and input the length of your period. Then, tap on the Cycle Length and input the time between periods with your iPhone and Apple Watch.
After enabling Cycle Tracking, you may tailor it to your specific needs. Cycle log settings, for example, can be included or excluded, and sexual activity and baseline body temperature can be displayed.
Soon we expect the Apple Watch to be able to monitor blood pressure… Read more.
Real-time monitoring of audio levels in headphones
Hearing is a new feature in iOS 13 that reduces the amount of noise you’re exposed to. In iOS 14, Apple has added the option to check the audio level of your iPhone’s headphones in real-time.
If you’ve never heard of decibels, 85 decibels is the safest amount of exposure for up to 8 hours, whereas 100 decibels is deemed safe for around 15 minutes per day. To put it another way, as the volume of your headphones rises, so does the amount of time you can safely listen to music.
Remember that only certified Apple headphones like Beats and AirPods can provide the most reliable results. To begin, open the Settings app and select Control Center from the menu. You can do this by tapping the “+” button to the left of the “Hearing” option.
From the Control Center, you can monitor the volume of your headphones. The volume level is fine if you see a green tick. When a measurement indicates a yellow exclamation point, the sound level is beyond 80 decibels, which is dangerous to your ears.
Headphone audio levels may be monitored in great detail using the Health app. It’s easy to tell how much time you spend listening to loud music. Go to the Health app -> Browse tab -> Hearing in order to complete the task. After a week of listening to music through headphones, have a look at the headphone audio levels and surrounding sound levels.
Track mindfulness minutes
Taking time off from a busy schedule can be beneficial in today’s fast-paced world.
The iOS ecosystem is replete with such apps for relaxation and meditation. Apple has included a mindfulness feature in the Apple Health app because it sees it as a form of exercise.
In addition to Addple Health, Calm and Headspace apps can be used to keep track of your peacetime.
Benefit from Siri shortcuts
By default, Apple provides a number of Siri Shortcuts that can be used to keep track of one’s daily tasks. With Siri Shortcuts, you can track your water consumption, sleep duration, and mindfulness practice. This is how you do it.
It is easy to find shortcuts for health apps by going to Shortcuts>Gallery>Shortcuts from Apps>Health>.
Add a related spoken phrase to activate Siri by tapping on it. I use it to keep tabs on how much water I’ve consumed throughout a typical day. Siri Shortcuts widget has an option for logging water, so I select it and enter my current ounce count.
Take full control of your personal data
You have full control over which apps can access your health data through the Health app, which is typical of Apple’s approach. As a result, you’ll be able to keep track of what health data each app has access to, and you can even delete all of it if it doesn’t work for you.
With your iPhone, open the Health app and select Profile -> Apps. A list of all the apps that have access to your Health data will now be displayed. It is now possible to see what data each program has accessed and erase it completely if it is no longer necessary.
Export your health data
Only iOS devices may access Apple Health. The app will soon be available on Mac OS X as well, thanks to the company’s efforts.
The health data can be exported to other platforms as well. Simply open the app, tap on “Profile,” and export your health data to any other platform. As an XML file, you’ll need a program to open it.
Delete medical information
For maximum transparency, Apple allows consumers to remove all their health data from a device.
Open Apple Health > Profile > Devices > Add a device. Simply choose the current device and do a data deletion.
A logged activity’s date and time are shown in the same menu.
Back up your medical data to iCloud
iCloud backup is a great feature because it automatically backs up your health information. There is no need to be concerned about your progress report being lost in the event of an accident. Make sure the toggle next to the Health app is set on before activating iCloud backup with your iPhone (Settings app with your iPhone-> Profile-> iCloud->Health).
Because iCloud only provides 5GB of free online storage, some users may want to disable the Health app’s cloud storage in order to save space. If that’s the case, turn off the Health switch.
Apple Health conclusion
Much like iMessage is my go-to messaging app, Health is my go-to tool for keeping tabs on my health. Despite the abundance of health and fitness apps available in the App Store, none can compete with Apple’s comprehensive collection of health tracking tools. For new users, the steeper learning curve is a detriment rather than a benefit because the software is now more feature-rich and useful (in certain ways).
Using the Health app on your iPhone can be intimidating at first, but these suggestions will help you get the most out of it.
Apple Health is much more than a simple pedometer. With or without an Apple Watch, you can use it to keep tabs on your fitness and wellness. It will only become better with the Apple Watch. While you’re at it, you can use the tips and tricks outlined above. You may also want to offer your tips and tricks in the comments below!
Interested in more Apple Watch tips and tricks? Check them out here.
Follow us on social media to stay up to date with our latest articles
      |
Maygen is a multifaceted writer, proofreader, and experienced smartwatch industry writing and editing professional.
We appreciate her work, contribution to our blog, marketing skills, editing, and expert writing abilities which are second to none.
Truly adept in content strategy and content creation which has immense contribution to our blog.