I don’t know if this is my favorite app of the year, but it’s definitely the 2020 app I used the most this year. Cardiio measures your heart rate and I am concerned to announce that I have been using it every day for the past few months – usually more than once a day. You can feel, like me, that this has been the kind of year that leaves anxious hearts racing and even starts one or three panic attacks. When my heart seems to be exploding from my chest, I find it useful to do a reality check (ok, 78 is taller than my normal, but not “tall” in the sense of “let’s go to the emergency room”) while I take a break from what’s stressing me.
It is sad that checking my pulse has become my relaxation technique, but let’s face it – most of this year has been sad. You can upgrade to discover details like “potential life expectancy” based on your average heart rate, but that seems like pure arrogance at this point. —Alice Bradley, editor in chief
iOS