The Best Apple Watch Apps To Stay Healthy During Ramadan

As they say, ‘Health is Wealth’ and while we continue to navigate through the pandemic, there’s no doubt that health has taken priority in most of our lives. Although most of us would think that our health apps or an Apple Watch can only be applicable during ordinary days where we track what we eat and how we exercise, you might be surprised to know that it can be equally useful even during the holy month of Ramadan.

Here’s a look at how the Apple Watch and its apps can help while you observe Ramadan with some recommended apps and tips from Charlotte Mei (host and TV presenter) and Faz Gaffa-Marsh (Sugarmat Brands’ Head of Marketing APAC).

CHARLOTTE MEI

Being a host, TV presenter as well as a certified nutritionist (ANutr; SNDA), health would definitely be at the top of her list. She recently hosted an IG TV session with a fellow nutritionist where they discussed nutrition and fasting during Ramadan, while touching on foods to have more or less of, sharing tips on exercising and how we can support family members or friends with diabetes.

FEATURES RECOMMENDED ON THE APPLE WATCH

1. Activity Rings

Activity Rings on the Apple Watch. (Image courtesy of Apple)

Charlotte believes that setting movement/fitness goals for the day help to ensure that you are not too sedentary during the fasting period. The Activity Rings on an Apple Watch is useful for this as you will be able to lower your move and exercise goals during the beginning of the fasting period and increase it as and when you feel more comfortable.

She recommends focusing on the Move and Exercise rings after Iftar when you have fuelled on energy and can rehydrate, and take note of the Stand Ring during the daytime to help break up sedentary moments as much as possible.

2. Breathe App

Breathe App on the Apple Watch. (Image courtesy of Charlotte Mei)

As daily activities can get hectic, try and make time to take a pause. It is normal to feel tired during the day and while taking a short 15-minute nap in the afternoon would be ideal, it may not be possible to achieve especially when you’re at work.

To help bring a moment of calm for just a few minutes during the day, Charlotte turns on the notifications for her Breathe App on her Apple Watch to help guide her through a session of deep intentional breathing, which can also be beneficial for those who may have trouble sleeping.

3. Sleep Feature and SleepWatch App

Sleep Feature and SleepWatch App for the Apple Watch. (Image courtesy of Charlotte Mei and Apple)

During Ramadan, while it is important to get enough sleep, sometimes, getting adequate rest can be a challenge. As such, Charlotte recommends the Sleep feature on the Apple Watch which can be used to help you wind down in the evenings and receive reminders to get ready for bed. You can schedule it to turn on automatically where your phone will instantly be put on a ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode to help reduce screen time and visual stimulation.

For those that are looking to track sleep data, you could use the SleepWatch app which allows you to track sleep patterns, see how much restful sleep you’re getting, and measure your average sleeping heart rate

FAZ GAFFA-MARSH

As the Head of Marketing APAC at Sugarmat Brands and a dedicated mummy, it is important for Faz to make time to maintain her health and mindfulness even as she spends her time juggling work, mummy duties, on top of being a mental health advocate as the founder of My Safe Sphere.

FEATURES RECOMMENDED ON THE APPLE WATCH

1. My Water Balance – Intake Drink

My Water Balance – Intake Drin‪k for Apple Watch. (Image courtesy of Watch Aware)

During her regular days, Faz is not one to track the amount of water she drinks but during Ramadan, she recommends using an app called My Water Balance to track how much water you consume daily. The data you record actually helps to show you what a difference a cup of water can do to your body.

2. Calm App

Calm App for Apple Watch. (Image courtesy of Calm)

As the saying goes, ‘A hungry person is an angry person’, and it is especially so when you’re a frequent snacker like Faz. To help keep your emotions in check, Faz suggests using the Calm App on your Apple Watch with its variety of guided meditations, including a walking guided meditation that she uses as a perfect break in the middle of her workday.

3. Activity Rings

Activity Rings on the Apple Watch can be adjusted. (Image courtesy of Apple)

While it can be hard not to be sedentary during Ramadan, it does not mean that you can’t still get active to close off the Activity Rings on your Apple Watch. As the Activity Rings is a customisable feature on the Apple Watch, you are able to adjust your goals accordingly, based on what you’re comfortable with. Faz usually personalises her Move goals during Ramadan to help get her moving without exerting too much.

OTHER USEFUL APPS TO CONSIDER WITH YOUR APPLE WATCH

LumiHealth

Created with the Health Promotion Board, the LumiHealth app is a personalised health programme where staying active, making healthier food choices, practising mindfulness, and sleeping better can count towards earning rewards in your quest for better health.

Simply take on daily challenges centred around improving your sleep habits, managing stress, or going out to exercise to receive coins in return for the points that you’ve earned. Users can earn rewards of up to $380 over two years in HPB eVouchers that can be used at major lifestyle retailers, F&B outlets, and supermarkets.
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Habitify: Habit Tracker

Suitable for use during and after Ramadan, Habitify: Habit Tracker helps in providing helpful reminders to aid you in forming habits that stick. Designed to motivate you every day, the app allows you to group your habits by time or by different areas of your life. It also offers insightful charts for a better understanding of yourself with data showing your completion rate, check-in time, daily performance, and yearly review.
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Fantastical – Calendar & Tasks

To help keep you organised and focused throughout the month, Fantastical – Calendar & Tasks is a great companion to help you manage your events and tasks. Aside from the typical features of a calendar and task app, you’ll also be able to receive a 10-day weather forecast (powered by AccuWeather), respond to event invitations, push updates for Google and Exchange, and add attachments to events on iCloud, Google and Exchange.