The modern world is shaped by the increasing availability of digital technologies. From smartphones to virtual reality, technology is transforming every aspect of the human experience — including physical health. Digital health technologies, such as health apps and gamification, are making it easier for people to embrace healthier habits and incorporate wellness into their lifestyles. Let’s take a closer look at how health apps and gamification are making wellness engaging.
How Health Apps Make Wellness Engaging
Health apps are digital tools that are designed to help people make healthy lifestyle changes. This increasingly-popular technology provides features that make it easier to track and manage health, including calorie-counting, food and activity tracking, and medication reminders. By making tracking easier and providing day-to-day guidance, health apps make it easier than ever to develop engaging wellness routines that stick.
For example, the MyFitnessPal app tracks calories and macronutrients, providing users with a complete picture of their eating habits. By tracking daily food intake, users can easily identify areas for improvement and adjust their diet accordingly. Similarly, the Activity app rewards users for staying active with daily move goals based on the user’s age, gender, and fitness level. By providing a tangible goal with immediate feedback, these apps empower users to make healthier choices.
How Gamification Makes Wellness Engaging
Gamification is the process of applying game mechanics and game design techniques to non-game contexts in order to encourage desired behaviors. In the context of health and wellness, gamification is used to incentivize healthy behaviors and make wellness engaging. From tracking progress to rewarding achievements, gamification keeps users motivated, focused, and engaged in their wellness journey.
The popular Fitbit device, for example, relies heavily on gamification to make exercise more engaging. Through its gamified reward system, users are motivated to reach their fitness goals in a fun and engaging way. Similarly, the popular Zombies, Run! app uses an adventure-based narrative to provide users with a sense of accomplishment when they master their fitness goals and “survive” the zombie apocalypse. By providing users with meaningful rewards and stories, gamification makes exercise and wellness enjoyable.
Conclusion
As technology continues to evolve, more and more digital tools are available to help people make healthier choices. Health apps and gamification are two of the most popular digital health technologies, and they are revolutionizing the way people think about wellness. From calorie tracking to adventure-based narratives, these technologies are making it easier than ever before to make wellness engaging.
