Should I Use Health-Tracking Apps?

Technology continues to impact every aspect of our lives, from how we’re woken up in the morning, how we prepare meals, and how we monitor our health (and beyond). In recent years, health-tracking apps have continued to grow in popularity, providing users with a range of insights about their daily habits and overall well-being.

Health-tracking apps may be the perfect fit for some individuals, offering insights that can help them to monitor key health insights and adjust their lifestyle, medication or approach as needed. For others, however, the downsides may outweigh the positives. The use of health-tracking apps is a highly personal decision, so it’s worth considering both the benefits and their potential drawbacks before you begin to use one for yourself.

For women experiencing menopause, health-tracking apps may become more integral to managing symptoms and menopause’s changes. Here’s what we’d encourage you to consider if you’re looking for a tool to assist you during the changes menopause brings.

What can health-tracking apps do?

Health-tracking apps are designed to record and analyse various elements of your health. General wellness apps may track aspects like sleep, movement, exercise, and calorie intake, while more specialist apps can also track mental health, fertility, heart health, and more.

These apps work by using data that’s either input by the user manually or synced with a wearable device. The Apple Watch and Fitbit’s range of products are two of the leading suppliers of wearable fitness tech, automating the process of capturing key health metrics through everyday use.

What are the benefits of using a health-tracking app?

The specific benefits of each health-tracking app are tied to the app or wearable technology itself, but there are some key benefits that are common across most apps within this category. 

These include:

• The development of a heightened awareness of personal health and habits, providing insights that may otherwise go unnoticed 
• Easy access to health data that can support healthier lifestyle choices (such as being able to track your sleep pattern against your energy levels)
• Identification of health concerns through early awareness that can lead to timely intervention
• Support for stress reduction through additional support for physical or mental stress-reducing practices
• Regular reminders across aspects such as medication, hydration, movement and more
• Increased autonomy, with users able to make more informed decisions about their health thanks to insights provided by the app

What are the drawbacks of health-tracking apps?

While health-tracking apps can offer a wide range of benefits, there are also numerous drawbacks that should be considered when deciding whether or not an app is a good fit for your needs. 

One of the major concerns related to health-tracking apps is the issue of privacy and data security. As these apps handle sensitive health information, often having access to personal health metrics we’re not encouraged to share outside of trusted practitioners. Questions have been raised about their abilities to carefully handle and protect this data. 

Some users may also experience health-related anxiety as a result of constant monitoring or misinterpretation of data. Known as ‘cyberchondria’, this can be of key concern during menopause, as women are already prone to increased anxiety and mood swings.

The accuracy of the data these apps provide can also vary from app to app. As relying on incorrect information about personal health insights can potentially be harmful, this means users need to consider any data provided by these apps within the context of advice from their trusted GP or medical team. 

Health-tracking apps during menopause

If you’ve weighed the benefits and drawbacks of a health-tracking app and are comfortable moving ahead, you may find them to be a valuable tool during your menopause experience. As menopause can often be challenging to navigate, these digital tools can help by:

• Providing symptom tracking – with many apps offering symptom-tracking features, this can be useful for women needing to keep a record of menopause symptoms. These records can help healthcare providers to identify patterns and triggers, leading to more personalised recommendations throughout each stage of menopause.

• Offering hormone-balancing tips – some health apps are focused on providing hormone-balancing tips, including in the areas of diet, exercise, and lifestyle modifications that can help to minimise the impact of menopausal symptoms.

• Supporting a healthy diet and balanced nutrition – as menopause can lead to changes in the metabolism, diet-focused apps can help women sustain a nutritious daily intake that meets their dietary needs.

• Prompting physical activity – regular exercise can be a crucial lifestyle tool throughout menopause, helping to manage weight, maintain a positive mood, and enhance overall well-being. Fitness tracking apps can be a great tool for setting and tracking exercise goals.

• Monitoring sleep patterns – it’s common for women to experience sleep disturbances throughout menopause. By using sleep tracking apps, women can discover insights into their sleep patterns and personalised recommendations for improving their sleep quality. 
• Support for mental health – as mood swings and anxiety are common throughout menopause, apps that offer mental health resources can be a highly beneficial resource throughout this season.

Health-tracking app recommendations for menopausal women

Looking for health-tracking apps that are shaped around the needs of menopausal women? We recommend reviewing the following:

Balance

Balance is an app from menopause specialist Dr Louise Newson which offers free tracking of symptoms, personalised expert content, downloadable health reports and community support.

MyFitnessPal

MyFitnessPal provides easy tools for tracking your diet and exercise, with key integrations into a range of wearable fitness technologies. This app can be a great support for those looking to support their slowing metabolism throughout menopause. 

Apple Watch

You’re probably already familiar with the Apple Watch, which offers all kinds of useful applications for women in the midst of menopause. From sleep tracking to medication reminders, the Apple Watch can provide a range of insights that can help you to monitor and manage your health on a highly personalised level. 

Conclusion

Menopause has an impact on many different aspects of our daily well-being – when technology can help us to manage those changes, we’re eager to make use of it.

By finding a health-tracking app that works for you and your needs, you can simplify the process of managing menopause symptoms and changes.

To find more resources and tools for your menopause journey, talk to our team at the Australian Menopause Centre. We’re here to support you through every change that menopause brings to your physical and mental wellbeing.