There’s a lot we can say about the negative impacts of technology on physical and mental health. However, one positive trend that can’t be ignored is the way that tech has removed gatekeeping from wellness. The information you need to take care of your body and mind is out there. In addition, it’s never been easier to connect to products and services that allow you to develop personalized wellness protocols without jumping through hoops. Come learn about the positive things happening in the wellness industry with a little help from technology.
Mental Health Apps Provide Instant Support
You’re carrying a brain reset in your pocket. Mental health apps focusing on relaxation, meditation, and mindfulness have made prioritizing space for your mind easier than ever. A 2024 review of the efficacy of mental health smartphone apps for symptoms of depression and anxiety found that these apps are effective. Researchers have also found that apps that contain things like mood-monitoring features or chatbot features that integrate AI in healthcare actually had more significant effects.
There’s also evidence that mental health apps can play an especially important role when patients are struggling with long wait times for care. A study involving 2,000 patients scheduled to get care in upcoming weeks from University of Michigan clinics found that depression and anxiety dropped when patients awaiting an initial psychiatric appointment used smartphone apps to get cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), mindfulness, or encouragement prompts.
Health Trackers Remove the Mystery From What’s Happening With Your Body
Fitness trackers and wearable devices that allow us to track key health indicators allow us to see what’s going on inside our bodies using real-time data. Currently, about one in five people has a smart watch or fitness tracker. The most popular trackers track steps to help people get a daily tally of how much they’re actually moving. However, devices and apps are also available to monitor things like heart rate, pulse, blood pressure, sleep cycles, and more. Digital health solutions can’t replace physicals or lab tests. However, they can help us to establish baselines and spot health red flags sooner.
Digital health solutions empower you to make changes and adjustments to your life based on your unique biological rhythms. They also empower you to show up to a doctor appointment with concrete data that shows trends and patterns about your health. This puts you and your doctor in a position to create protocols without starting from scratch.
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SubscribeOnline Retailers Make Personalized Wellness Easy
The ease of shopping online doesn’t get enough credit for being one of the most important developments in wellness technology. The availability of online supplement retailers has made it easy to get access to high-quality vitamins, nutritional supplements, and edibles without the need for a special prescription. Online shopping makes it easy to take your time to carefully read product descriptions and compare pricing without the pressure of in-person shopping. In addition, it’s easier than ever to discover products and formulations that are tailored to your specific health needs with nothing more than a simple search.
Telehealth Lets You Heal at Home
The rise of telehealth appointments has removed the hassle from being seen by a doctor. Telehealth shows special benefits for people managing diabetes and other chronic diseases that don’t necessarily require in-person visits for every appointment. A 2024 study shows that telemedicine significantly improves patient outcomes, access, and satisfaction for these types of patients. These positive experiences can make it more likely that someone struggling with a chronic illness actually sticks to a care plan and stays on the radars of doctors.
