Main points
- My iPhone serves as a pedometer for daily step tracking, providing insights into habits and trends.
- The Apple Halth app can check headphone audio levels to prevent hearing damage and make sure the music isn’t too loud.
- I use the Health app to create bedtime schedules, medication reminders, and overall health habit tracking.
There’s no denying that I’m a terrible Apple Watch user. When I actually remembered to put the 44mm Series 8 on the charger, I couldn’t seem to get over how the iconic square-and-round design felt a bit bulky on my smaller wrist. No matter how fast, durable, or powerful the Series 9 is, I doubt these upgrades will be enough to break my habit.
Hatch Restore 2 didn’t improve my mornings, but it changed the nighttime game
It may be pricey, but the viral Hatch Alarm Clock completes my nightstand trip, morning and evening routine, and combats my midday slump.
Unlike a runner or athlete, I use a watch for three main reasons: to check the time, to track my steps while walking around New York City, and to (try to) stick to a sleep schedule. After getting rid of the watch, I realized I didn’t have to give up my primary tracking habit because my Apple Health app has the same functionality, plus a few useful surprises.
To find any of these features, simply select the Browse tab of the Health app.
1 Pedometer to track your steps
Anyway, I have my phone with me
Even if it’s tucked away in your work bag or backpack, if you’ve been there, your phone has it, too. As a New York transplant who aspires to walk everywhere, I average about 9,000 steps a day, and I’m always looking to improve my benchmark every month.
By opening the Health app, my iPhone actually functions as a wearable pedometer. In addition to showing daily statistics, the app also displays overall trends – showing whether your step count is higher than it was the day before. Essentially, it tells me when I’m slacking off. All kidding aside, the success of this feature is in showing current habits and comparing them to old ones so that I have the ability to form new, sustainable habits. To access these insights, simply go to your Health app and select “Steps.”
2 Check headphone level
Apple’s simple way to protect your ears
While on-demand audio streaming through wireless headphones is fun and convenient, listening to audio at high volumes can be damaging. I’ve been a fan of earbuds since the iPod days – listening to music at a volume that would “accidentally” block out the sounds of my parents, friends and colleagues. For those times when I want (or should) be in tune with my music and surroundings, a feature like Transparency Mode instead of active noise cancellation is great, but I often just turn the volume up louder.
It might have been a quick fix to eliminate the noise, but I now know that subjecting my eardrums to ongoing trauma would eventually lead to my angry parents warning me that I would, in fact, one day be damaging my hearing.
When Apple warns your music is too loud, here’s what you should listen to
Is your iPhone telling you that the music volume is too loud? Here’s how to heed these warnings and protect your ears.
Not to let this warning fall on deaf ears (sorry, not sorry), I checked the “Headphone Audio Level” setting in the Health app to make sure my hearing levels were normal. There’s even a chart detailing how much exposure (in dB) you need to risk permanent damage. When I play a podcast to block out the screams of the New York City subway tracks, I use it as a benchmark to make sure I’m within my parameters.
3 Create a bedtime schedule
I sleep better when setting screen borders
The blue light emitted by cell phones has been shown to disrupt circadian rhythms, which can disrupt sleep, so it’s best to put your phone away before bed. While simple in theory, a quick “I’m going to check Instagram” turns into an hour in bed wondering how you suddenly discovered photos of your aunt’s friend’s daughter’s college roommate on vacation in the Caribbean.
How to limit blue light from your iPhone or Android phone
Protect your eyes from the bright light on your phone with just a few taps on the screen.
To combat the doom scroll, I set up a “bedtime” schedule where my phone automatically goes into “do not disturb” mode from 11:00 pm to 6:55 am. That way, I’ll be more intentional about unlocking and using my phone and not checking Instagram for the millionth time after taking just two seconds to respond to a text message.
4 Add medications and reminders
Just like setting a timer on your phone, but better
Over the past year I’ve had to start taking different medications – each at a specific time. Initially, I set reminders on my iPhone, but found it confusing and often forgot the exact purpose I set the reminder for. The features of this health app greatly simplify the process.
With the ability to add consistency and strength (in milligrams, grams, milliliters or percentages), in addition to its medical ID functionality, this tool is ideal for assisting in emergency situations when a caregiver or doctor quickly needs access to medical history and medications . Plus, it helps when I need to recall medication details during my yearly visits.
I tried Apple’s new journaling app, and this time, the basic functionality worked just fine
Apple’s new Journaling app debuts in iOS 17.2. I’ve been using it for a few weeks and it’s very basic. But that’s not a bad thing here.
Overall, I think the Apple Health app on iPhone is an underrated and powerful app for not only tracking, but instilling healthy habits. In addition to physical health benefits, the iOS 17 update also helps improve mental health practices, allowing users to record emotions through questionnaires—almost like a virtual diary.