When I open my phone’s app store and type in “health,” I see thousands of apps — one for steps, one for calories, one for sleep, one for meditation, even one for tracking my mood. It feels like there’s an app for every possible corner of my health. And I have a dozen of them downloaded & subscribed to in my phone. 😅
And yet, if I pause and really think about it, how many of these apps have actually changed my life in a sustainable way? For me — and for most people I know, the answer is: none.
Health apps are fantastic at attracting downloads. They’re not so great at helping people make real, lasting changes. Let me share why I think they fail — and what, in my view, true personalised health should actually look like.
Where Health Apps Go Wrong
1. They confuse ‘tracking’ with ‘changing’
Most apps give me numbers: steps taken, hours slept, calories burned. There’s a famous quote often cited in business & self-improvement circles: “If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it”. But here’s the truth — data alone doesn’t change behavior. Knowing I only slept five hours doesn’t help me magically sleep eight. Seeing my calorie chart turn red doesn’t automatically make me eat better.
Real change comes from understanding why the number is off, what’s realistic for me, and what small step I can take next. And that’s where most apps fall flat.
2. They treat everyone the same
I’ve noticed how many apps throw the same generic goals at everyone: “10,000 steps.” “Drink 3 liters of water.” “Sleep 8 hours.”
But I’m not a template — and neither are you. A new mother’s health needs are different from a 40-year-old executive’s. An intermediate level runner needs a very different plan than someone dealing with insulin resistance. When apps ignore this context, they quickly feel irrelevant. And that’s when people stop opening them.
3. They don’t solve the motivation problem
Health isn’t just numbers; it’s psychology. I know what it feels like to be motivated for a week and then fall off. Most apps try to keep me hooked with streaks, badges, or push notifications. But behavior change doesn’t come from gamification alone. It needs empathy, accountability, and flexibility. Apps rarely know how to support me when I’m struggling, or how to help me restart when I’ve lost momentum.
4. They forget the human factor
Some health goals are deeply personal. Why does my energy crash every afternoon? Why does my cholesterol stay high despite exercising? Those aren’t questions a graph can answer. They require interpretation, expertise, and sometimes even hand-holding. Apps that try to replace human expertise often end up feeling shallow.
What True Personalised Health Should Look Like
If health apps fail because they’re generic, shallow, and disconnected, then true personalised health should be the opposite. Here’s how I think it should feel:
1. My health story, not just my numbers
Personalized health should connect the dots, not just list the stats. Instead of giving me random figures — blood sugar, sleep, steps — it should tell me a story:
“Your late-night work hours are cutting into your deep sleep. That’s raising your morning cortisol. Which is making your blood sugar harder to control. Let’s work on winding down earlier twice a week.”
That’s clarity. That’s actionable. That feels like it’s talking about me.
2. Small, practical steps, sequenced for real life
Rather than dumping a 20-point plan on me, a personalised approach would say:
- “This week, just add protein to your breakfast.”
- “Next week, try a 10-minute walk after lunch.”
One step at a time. In the right order. Until it becomes second nature. That’s personalisation: meeting me where I am, not where a textbook says I should be.
3. Adapts as my life changes
Life isn’t static. I travel. I have stressful weeks. My priorities shift. A truly personalised health system would flex with me. It wouldn’t punish me for breaking a streak — it would adjust the plan to fit my reality.
Health isn’t linear. My health journey shouldn’t be either.
4. Combines intelligence with expertise
I’ve seen how good technology is at spotting patterns in data. But what makes those patterns meaningful is expertise. For me, the future of personalised health isn’t about choosing between AI or humans — it’s about both. Let algorithms highlight the trends, and let experts validate and guide me through them. That’s how advice becomes both smart and safe.
5. Focuses on outcomes, not app usage
Most apps measure success by engagement: did I log in today, did I track my meals, did I respond to a notification? But that’s not what matters.
Real success is:
- Did my sleep actually improve?
- Do I feel more energetic?
- Am I building habits I can stick with for years?
That’s how health should be measured.
Imagine This Instead
Picture this. It’s Monday morning. I open my health app, and instead of a dashboard with twenty graphs, I see one clear insight:
“Your last two weeks of data show your evening meals are affecting your sleep quality. Let’s try shifting dinner an hour earlier, and see if your deep sleep improves. We’ll check back in a week.”
Later in the week, my health companion (a real human, not just a bot) checks in with me:
“How did the earlier dinners feel? Was it realistic with your schedule? If not, let’s adjust together.”
Over time, the system learns what works for me, adapts to my changing life, and keeps me accountable without overwhelming me. That’s what I think true personalised health should feel like.
Why This Matters?
Because health is not about chasing perfect numbers. It’s about clarity, confidence, and control.
- Clarity: Understanding what’s really happening in my body and why.
- Confidence: Knowing which steps will actually move the needle.
- Control: Having a plan that fits my life, not the other way around.
That’s the real shift we need: from generic apps to truly personalised journeys.
Final Word
Most health apps fail because they stop at the surface. They give me numbers without meaning, nudges without context, goals without guidance.
True personalized health, on the other hand, is about:
- Connecting my data into a story.
- Breaking down big goals into small, doable steps.
- Adapting to my life as it evolves.
- Blending the intelligence of technology with the wisdom of experts.
- Focusing on real outcomes that matter to me.
For me, the future isn’t about downloading yet another health app. It’s about building systems that actually help people live healthier, fuller lives.
