Technology can be used for just about anything – going from A to B, having face-to-face conversations with loved ones abroad and a lot more. It also has a role to play in your health and wellbeing.

Have you heard of a movement called “quantified self”? It’s also called “lifelogging” and it involves tracking various aspects of your life. This is where devices like fitness trackers and smartwatches come into their own. Wearing a FitBit or Apple Watch lets you collect relevant data and make adjustments to boost your health, ultimately improving your quality of life.

So, what should you consider tracking – and why?

Exercise

Regular exercise is the best antidote to a sedentary lifestyle and could add years to your life. It helps to lower your risk of a heart attack or stroke, and it improves bone strength and density, reducing the twin risks of osteoporosis and fractures in later life. So, whether you belong to a walking club, or you simply enjoy walking your dog, you could track your routine to monitor your heart rate, the distance you’re covering and more – ultimately helping you determine your level of activity.

Diet

Your diet heavily impacts your health. Ensuring that you eat enough foods with anti-inflammatory properties and which contain antioxidants is a great way to slow the aging process. Another reason to monitor your diet is that carrying extra weight, especially later in life, puts added pressure on your weight-bearing joints and strain on your heart.

Sleep

Getting enough good-quality sleep (7-8 hours a night) is essential, no matter your age. It plays a key role in reducing your risk of chronic disease. By tracking your sleep patterns, you can identify when you’re getting your best sleep, and figure out what might be causing you to toss and turn. Ultimately this means you’re able to adjust your sleeping habits, so that instead of counting sheep, you’ll be counting the hours.

Monitoring your exercise, diet and sleep will not only enable you to keep your health and wellbeing on track, it also means retaining your independence as you grow older.