Tracking! As a self-proclaimed biohacker, tracking is a vital part of what I do. If we don’t have metrics to follow, how will we know once we’ve reached our wellness goal?!
Many people who are trying to lose weight will track their weight and some will even track their calories or macros (I do not track my calories). But there are a number of other metrics that can be tracked, often times with the help of low-cost or even free apps or devices. The pictures below are from my Oura Ring app. Although it may be considered an expensive tool for tracking health statistics, I have found it to be extremely helpful. I will also list some more budget friendly options/alternatives below.
When I first wake up, the first thing I check is my Body Oxygen Level Test (BOLT) score. This is a subjective measure of breathlessness, which provides feedback on functional breathing and exercise tolerance. I will explain a little more when I post about breathwork (stay tuned).
The Oura Ring app shows Readiness and Sleep scores.
Readiness takes into account many different factors including sleep, resting heart rate, activities, body temperature and heart rate variability (HRV). This gives me a general idea of the overall state of my body. When I’m starting to get sick (or hungover), the Readiness score will typically be low and I’ll know to take it easy and focus on recovery.
Sleep is obviously an important one. If you’re trying to be healthier, reduce stress, lose weight, and/or recover from injuries, you should really be tracking sleep. I track the amount of REM, Deep, and Light sleep every night. Many wearables have sleep tracking. There’s also a great app called Sleep Space that has many cool features.
I track Heart Rate Variability (HRV) as well. I have improved my HRV drastically using the techniques I’ll be sharing. A free option to track HRV is an app called HRV4Training.
The strategies/practices I use are not a quick fix. As with everything, it takes time and commitment.
Please feel free to reach out if you ever have any questions or want more information. I am by no means an expert, but I love to help others find their path to a healthier life!
So, what things do you currently track for your own health?
Screenshots from the Oura Ring App. Left: Readiness and Sleep scores give a big picture snapshot of recovery and readiness for daily activity. Below: Heart Rate Variability (HRV), Walking Equivalency, and Resting Heart Rate averages over an 8-week time period.
コメント