The shift of people's lives during the pandemic has significantly affected day-to-day dynamics. Activities done outside the house would now be carried out indoors. This includes work, leisure and entertainment. With spending the majority of their lives online, many recognized the need for promoting and maintaining health even within the confines of their own homes.

Unsurprisingly, 2020 and 2021 saw spikes in the demand for wellness apps. Downloads have increased by up to 30% and the time spent for health and fitness also rose by 25%. Needless to say, even with the gradual return of face-to-face and outdoor activities, these apps are here to stay.

Nowadays, health is not simply about exercise. Beyond that lies nutrition, mindfulness and habits that promote one's well-being. These habits that encourage a healthy lifestyle begin as soon as one wakes up, which developers of the Book Morning! app took into consideration. Book Morning! allows the user to set an alarm and rewards them by unlocking a short story chapter as they wake up on time. This plays off the concept of being motivated enough to form the habit of waking up early.

There are three interesting adventures to choose from, namely Far as Cielo, The Last Cat Alive and No Place Like Home. In these stories, app users play the role of assistant to Dr. Wakey, an astronomer. In a similar way that bedtime stories can make up a nighttime routine, users can consider the Book Morning! app as part of their wake-up routine. It effectively replaces the dragging feeling with excitement to read the next chapter as one wakes up. What better way to start the morning than with an interesting and stimulating chapter?

Staying hydrated is also a healthy practice that many people tend to neglect. The human body is made up of about 70% of water and hydration helps to keep the body function normally. How much fluid intake depends on certain conditions, but generally eight to 12 glasses of water daily would be enough. For those who find it hard to keep water intake in check, the Plant Nanny2 app may just be the answer.

This cute hydration app encourages users to drink enough water through regular reminders and the reward of growing a virtual plant. On signing up, the user needs to enter information such as height, weight, level of physical activity and can then choose a virtual plant to grow. Sizes of water cups can also be personalized in the app, which is very convenient. Each glass of water logged into the app helps the plant be happy and eventually grows bigger. Larger plants can be placed in a virtual garden, which allows seeds and other virtual plants to be collected as well. This app taps into people's inner gardeners while promoting adequate water intake.

Plant Nanny2 keeps the user motivated through rewards for accomplishing certain water intake goals. And users can track their water consumption over time via the daily, weekly and monthly charts in the app.

Of course, physical activity can't be neglected even during these changing times. In fact, an activity as simple as walking can have numerous health benefits. These include weight loss, better cardiovascular health, stronger bones and muscles, and improved endurance. Walkr is a space-themed fitness app that promotes walking with the use of the accelerometer on phones. Each step physically taken translates into walking energy? which can be used to explore the virtual galaxy.

The gameplay is simple - colonizing planets and transforming them into better places. Along the way, missions to help aliens using resources from one's progress. This makes Walkr one of the unique games that allows users to have fun and motivated to stay in shape.

These useful yet entertaining apps prove that being healthy doesn't need to be a chore and a bore. Give Book Morning!, Plant Nanny2, and Walkr a try, and see how it forms better habits and promotes health with enjoyment!