At the end of February, I was feeling pretty depressed. Suffice it to say it’s been a long time (well, 10 years actually). I’m sure everyone can relate to it in some way at some point.
The arrival of spring also helped. These days, the same goes for the Apple Watch and the Journal app.
February 28th was a tough morning for me. Thanks to my journal app entry that morning.
“7:11 a.m. I woke up around 6:40 a.m. Stressful dream. I’m very anxious right now. Nervous and anxious. Thank you Rory.”
Thanks to this entry, I also learned that it was the beginning of the change of seasons for me, a few weeks before spring actually replaced winter on the calendar.
“At 12:33 p.m., Rory walked me and Nova back to the beach. It was two miles, an hour. I’m so grateful. He also gave me a stress-relieving stuffed Pop-Tart, Fudge Sundae flavor, which is closest to my Cookies & Cream taste. He’s a sweet boy. I love him more than he will ever know.”
My Apple Watch was tracking my activity, so I knew it was 2 miles away and an hour had passed since I left.
I invited my 8-year-old son and a dog his age to walk to the beach because my brain felt like the new Fight Cloud emoji.
Walking was very helpful. Movement, changes in scenery, the effects of sunlight, all the sensations that come from the experience. It was all helpful. This behavior made my son a little more talkative than usual, which I appreciated.
It was a good day. The next morning, March 1st was reset. Fight Cloud Back to the emoji brain.
“It’s 7:27 a.m. and I’ve been up for an hour. I’m anxious, but I don’t think I’m as aggressive as I was yesterday morning. I’m charging Rory’s iPad from scratch. It’s 52 degrees, some windows are open, but not all. I can hear the birds chirping.”
After an hour, it tipped in the wrong direction.
“At 8:40 a.m., I started feeling more ‘noises’ in my head, chest, and throat. I hope to be able to go for a walk again soon. After reviewing some word definitions, I get up and look at my iPad. It’s 62 degrees now and will be approaching 70 degrees in an hour.”
Luckily, my son joined me in my attempt to hack my brain and take a walk in a different direction this time.
“At 1:23 p.m., I walked with Rory and Nova to the National Seashore area. We picked up some trash along the way, including a small path behind a tree.”
It was helpful again.
“It’s 2:01 p.m. and I’m feeling pretty calm now. I’m going to continue spending time outside with his Pop-Tarts because he reminded me to do so.”
The cold front early last week reminded us why we stopped moving in the first place.
It’s easier to bundle up inside than to layer up and go outside when you’re not actually wearing it. have Leaving home for some special reason.
But by looking back at my journal app and answering my watch’s prompt, “Yes, I’m taking a walk,” I connected the dots again.
Apple’s Health app also helped me connect some concrete dots at a time when I might be settling into old habits.
The Trends feature is now as encouraging as the Activity Ring was originally for me.
A few weeks into this routine of clearing my mind and clearing my mind, one notification in particular stood out to me. “Over the past five weeks, my average resting heart rate has decreased.”
The graph shows that the five-week average was 46, while the previous 21-week average was 63. I’ll take it.
Trends are a great way for me to think about a lot of things right now.
Years ago, I used to run every day. I loved it. Running was the best medicine. But like I said at the beginning, it’s been a long decade. After a certain point, running became harder to make happen and ultimately harder to enjoy.
I have no doubt that I will run again. I’m still proud of the fact that I’ve completed seven different half-marathon races using my Apple Watch. At first I just started running to test the watch.
But this is a different season in my life. For now, just getting outside at least once or twice a day and recording your neighborhood dog walks can help. On days when you have the energy and opportunity, it’s even more worthwhile to stay longer and go further.
Unlike before, I’m not motivated by daily streaks or goals to close rings. It’s kind of frustrating just trying to maintain a winning streak and not let it break.
This go-around, I’m just trying to keep moving feel Better. The data collected by the Apple Watch and the insights compiled in the Journal app tell us it’s working.
Movement moves me in the right direction and trends are the momentum I’m riding.
As always, the Apple Watch isn’t making a difference, at least not on its own. Rather, it’s a highly effective tool for finding ways to uncover the right insights when you’re ready.
There’s nothing wrong with carrying a stuffed Pop-Tart in your pocket and squeezing it occasionally.
