Is it a struggle to find the time (or motivation) to exercise? You’re not alone, especially with busy work and social lives. However, it’s important for your health to make sure you’re getting fresh air and to move your body regularly.
We spend a lot of time at our desk, which we know can increase your risk of health complications if you’re not getting your body moving or the oxygen it needs. It can also induce feelings of stress and anxiety, which in turn can damage the quality of your sleep.
Who knew sitting still was so bad for us?
The benefits of exercise are endless to keep your body and mind fit; boosting your energy and mood, as well as reducing stress and improving your sleep health. This list of sleep and exercise gadgets are designed to motivate you towards enjoyable exercise, and track your body and sleep patterns to make sure you’re getting the life balance you need for a happy body and mind.
Phone Apps
Your phone is the most accessible thing you have. So why not try an exercise and sleep app? There are hundreds of free and premium exercise apps to choose from, which offer exercise plans and gym routines, weight loss tracking, as well as yoga and mindfulness exercises. Explore the options to find one which best suits you.
There are also several sleep apps for a range of uses. These can be used to track your sleeping pattern, offer bedtime relaxation techniques, and provide easy wake up alarms for a rested night.
If you’re looking for an immediate start before committing to any purchase, why not use the free Health and Sleep settings on your iPhone? These apps are automatically available if you have an Apple iPhone, and are easy and simple ways to track your exercise, set goals and also follow sleep patterns to find out what makes your body happy.
Wearable Gadgets
If you want a more high-tech tracker, particularly for heart-rate monitoring, wristwatch exercise gadgets are a great option. Fitbit have a range of different wearable tracking devices; low end products offering over 15 goal-based exercise modes with heart-rate, sleep and fitness monitoring, while their higher end products offering personalised workouts along with a number of lifestyle aids.
If a healthy heart is your main priority, the Apple Watch provides a number of the same functions, with more in-depth focus on your pulse which alerts you when you’re experiencing high or low heart rates, as well as sensing any hard falls with an emergency setting.
For more health-oriented gadgets, the Myzone range and QardioArm are fantastic tools for monitoring your heart and blood pressure.
Tailored Gadgets
Every body is different, and so it’s important to make sure you’re doing the type and amount of exercise that you need. Tailored gadgets to your DNA (from spit) like Fitness Genes provide workouts, nutrition guides and additional personal tools for your exact body type whether it’s to get fit, lose weight or build muscle. Fitness Genes even lets you know if your body is lacking in specific supplements, so is a perfect gadget if you’re not sure how to begin on getting fit.
Alternatively, if you’d like a more human interaction, why not use online personalised programmes like Fitterclub? This offers weekly personalised workout programmes and videos, personalised meal plans, nutrition guides and support from fitness professionals. Having weekly goals and plans is a great way to stay on track and motivated.
Coaches
If you value more of the personal touch to motivate yourself, coaching apps are a fantastic way to feel pushed by someone other than yourself. The FitBit Coach provides audio coaching to keep you on your way, as well as offering various workout sessions of different lengths where you can give feedback to adjust the workout to your needs.
Fitmo is one step further, which puts you on a video call with a trainer during a session where you’re able to tailor your training specifically to your desires and goals.
Exercise Equipment
Sometimes it’s purely about changing the type of exercise you’re doing to make sure you enjoy it and feel motivated. Incorporating equipment like skipping ropes and yoga and pilates tools can help make you feel more ready and prepared for exercise.
Skipping is a great cardio exercise to improve heart rate, tone body fat and muscle and improve balance and coordination. You can use a traditional skipping rope, or if you’re looking for different workouts and to challenge yourself, the Crossrope Weighted Jump Rope is perfect.
If you want a more mindful exercise, like yoga and pilates, equipment like yoga blocks, resistance rings and straps are fantastic for expanding your training and making you feel prepared and ready.
Sleep Monitors
If you struggle with insomnia or healthy sleep, or just want to improve your sleeping patterns, there are a number of gadgets to leave you feeling more restful. Digital lamps can be used to help you fall asleep with calming light patterns to help you breath, like Dodow, or alternatively to wake you up in a relaxing manner by mimicking the sunrise, like the Lumie Bodyclock. Alternatively, the Remee sleep mask uses light signals to enhance REM sleep, allowing you to sleep deeper.
If you find it difficult to fall asleep, why not try using essential oil diffusers to relax you? Lavender oil has been shown to aid in treating mild insomnia, as well as reducing anxiety and stress. Alternatively, sleep soundtracks can be a great way to relax and drift off.
By making time for exercise in your life and taking care of your sleep, your body and mind will feel happier and healthier. Particularly with office-based jobs where you spend a lot of time sitting, it’s very important to make sure you’re keeping your body active and your brain feeling fresh to maintain a balanced life. By looking after your body, you’ll be able to feel numerous physical benefits, as well as clearer and happier in the mind.
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