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Though fitness bands like [[Fitbit]] are quite popular, health tracking has a lot more to offer.  This page is mainly intended to encourage more tracking. It is based off an argument map.<ref>https://www.kialo.com/everyone-should-health-track---self-quantify-49787</ref> If you are not convinced by argument, please read [[Self Tracking, Types Movements Communities|Self Tracking Movements]] for a show of popularity of the practice or [[List of Interesting Self-Tracking Results|Interesting Results]] for examples of successes. Sections of this page are ordered by similarity, not importance.   

Though fitness bands like [[Fitbit]] are quite popular, health tracking has a lot more to offer.  This page is mainly intended to encourage more tracking. It is based off an argument map.<ref>https://www.kialo.com/everyone-should-health-track---self-quantify-49787</ref> If you are not convinced by argument, please read [[Self Tracking, Types Movements Communities|Self Tracking Movements]] for a show of popularity of the practice or [[List of Interesting Self-Tracking Results|Interesting Results]] for examples of successes. Sections of this page are ordered by similarity, not importance.   

==== Contribute to science ====

==== Contribute to science ====

Self-experimentation is still science. Variety of literature shows the validity of N-of-1 and patient-led studies.<ref>https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&q=patient-led+study</ref> 12 self-experimenters won Nobel prizes.<ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3298919/</ref>

Self-experimentation is still science. Variety of literature shows the validity of singe subject and patient-led studies.<ref>https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&q=patient-led+study</ref> 12 self-experimenters won Nobel prizes.<ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3298919/</ref>

Alternatively, you could donate your data. Even if no large formal experiment is conducted, observational studies are important.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead%E2%80%93crime_hypothesis</ref> [https://medschool.ucsd.edu/som/medicine/divisions/gastro/research/NAFLD/research/epidemiology/Pages/default.aspx#:~:text=Epidemiologic%20studies%20are%20the%20foundation%20for%20disease%20control,for%20a%20disease%20and%20targets%20for%20preventive%20medicine. Epidemiological studies]<ref>Introduction to Epidemiological Studies - PubMed (nih.gov)</ref>, which are observational studies, become better with self-tracking tools.<ref>https://www.jmir.org/2022/6/e35804</ref><ref>https://www.researchgate.net/publication/49775085_Reducing_case_ascertainment_costs_in_US_population_studies_of_Alzheimer's_disease_dementia_and_cognitive_impairment_-_Part_2</ref> Continuous self-tracking data from multiple people qualifies as [[wikipedia:Longitudinal_study|longitudinal study]]. These are more reliable than single slice observational studies like the ones most often used by papers about diets. Unfortunately, [[wikipedia:MHealth|mobile health]] companies that aggregate data from users rarely do it with real scientific goals in mind. Instead, you should give that data to researchers through [[Open Humans]].

Alternatively, you could donate your data. Papers often encourage greater granularity in the data they use. Even if no large formal experiment is conducted, observational studies are important.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead%E2%80%93crime_hypothesis</ref> [https://medschool.ucsd.edu/som/medicine/divisions/gastro/research/NAFLD/research/epidemiology/Pages/default.aspx#:~:text=Epidemiologic%20studies%20are%20the%20foundation%20for%20disease%20control,for%20a%20disease%20and%20targets%20for%20preventive%20medicine. Epidemiological studies]<ref>Introduction to Epidemiological Studies - PubMed (nih.gov)</ref>, which are observational studies, become better with self-tracking tools.<ref>https://www.jmir.org/2022/6/e35804</ref><ref>https://www.researchgate.net/publication/49775085_Reducing_case_ascertainment_costs_in_US_population_studies_of_Alzheimer's_disease_dementia_and_cognitive_impairment_-_Part_2</ref> Continuous self-tracking data from multiple people qualifies as [[wikipedia:Longitudinal_study|longitudinal study]]. These are more reliable than single slice observational studies like the ones most often used by papers about diets. Unfortunately, [[wikipedia:MHealth|mobile health]] companies that aggregate data from users rarely do it with real scientific goals in mind. Instead, you should give that data to researchers through [[Open Humans]].

==== Manage health conditions ====

==== Manage health conditions ====

Unhealthy products are ubiquitous. Many foods are designed to be sold, often without concern for the health of the customer. Technological innovation grows so fast that culture and regulators (FDA) cannot keep up.<ref>One-Third Of New Drugs Had Safety Problems After Approval : Shots - Health News : NPR</ref> This turns in to a [[Digital addiction]] epidemic because of games like flappy bird, and apps like Facebook and Youtube.  

Unhealthy products are ubiquitous. Many foods are designed to be sold, often without concern for the health of the customer. Technological innovation grows so fast that culture and regulators (FDA) cannot keep up.<ref>One-Third Of New Drugs Had Safety Problems After Approval : Shots - Health News : NPR</ref> This turns in to a [[Digital addiction]] epidemic because of games like flappy bird, and apps like Facebook and Youtube.  

Travel can be unhealthy in unexpected ways. Quality of sanitation and health care varies between countries. Health advisories about foreign countries are abundant. Digital nomads, or anyone that travels great a lot, should maintain a diary of symptoms to notice uncommon diseases. Productivity can suffer unnoticeably.  

Travel can be unhealthy in unexpected ways. Quality of sanitation and health care varies between countries. Health advisories about foreign countries are abundant. Digital nomads, or anyone that travels great a lot, should maintain a diary of symptoms to notice uncommon diseases. Productivity can suffer unnoticeably, because of stress or new environment affects traveler's judgement.  

Long term monitoring provides safety baselines for self-experimentation. Just imagine someone trying out long term [[Fasting]] or nootropics and not noticing dangerous changes to their normal state. In addition, if someone who does not experiment ever decide to experiment, they will have lots of baseline data to compare against data gained during interventions.   

Long term monitoring provides safety baselines for self-experimentation. Just imagine someone trying out long term [[Fasting]] or nootropics and not noticing dangerous changes to their normal state. In addition, if someone who does not experiment ever decide to experiment, they will have lots of baseline data to compare against data gained during interventions.   

Unfortunately, many industries that promise such improvements are filled with conflicting information and scams.<ref>https://disb.dc.gov/page/beware-weight-loss-scams</ref> Consumers avoid buying products from such industries because they are not sure if there was any benefit from any specific product. Tracking of outcomes fixes this problem and encourages consumers to search for better products.   

Unfortunately, many industries that promise such improvements are filled with conflicting information and scams.<ref>https://disb.dc.gov/page/beware-weight-loss-scams</ref> Consumers avoid buying products from such industries because they are not sure if there was any benefit from any specific product. Tracking of outcomes fixes this problem and encourages consumers to search for better products.   

   

   

Health tracking encourages experimentation and constant self improvement.  People have gone through their entire life without finding drastic life improvements because they simply did not experiment systematically. What if you are that kind of person?  

Health tracking encourages experimentation and constant self improvement.  People have gone through their entire life without finding drastic life improvements because they simply did not experiment systematically. What if you are that kind of person?  

==== Motivate and change your behavior ====

==== Motivate and change your behavior ====

When someone has successfully figured out what needs to change, they then must build up motivation to enact the change. This is the focus of the [[Habits]] and self improvement community. Do not dismiss failure as a lack of willpower because willpower is still brain chemistry and easily manipulable by outside factors. For example, sometimes lack of willpower is caused by health problems, or sometimes just a bit too much friction can shut down motivation and productivity.  

When someone has successfully figured out what needs to change, they then must build up motivation to enact the change.This is the focus of the [[Habits]] and self improvement community. Tracking is useful here too. Do not dismiss failure as a lack of willpower because willpower is still brain chemistry and easily manipulable by outside factors. For example; sometimes lack of willpower is caused by health problems, sometimes just a bit too much friction can shut down motivation and productivity, or making a habit mildly more fun makes the habit something to look forward to. Avoid relying on willpower and instead get yourself to want (motivate) the new behavior.  

Health tracking, (or rather mood tracking), can determine the best behavior change technique for each individual.  

Health tracking, (or rather mood tracking), can detect problems and determine the best behavior change technique for each individual.  

Most smart watches, the most popular wearable, include lots of motivating information. [[Gamification]], the idea of dressing up real world as a game, seems popular and it requires some tracking. The self tracker has access to many other behavior change techniques, including; cool new tech, cool art, competition, empowering healthful communities, financial punishment, and guilt. Just watching the numbers improve or even be recorded can be motivating and build healthy habits; according to personal experience [[User:DG|DG]] ([[User talk:DG|talk]]) and Atomic Habits book. Feeling in control, and mastering yourself and skills, can be strong intrinsic motivation.   

Tracking is itself motivating. Most smart watches, the most popular wearable, produce lots of motivating information and nudges. Share accomplishments with friends to get external motivation. [[Gamification]], the idea of dressing up real world as a game to make real world things more fun, seems popular and it requires some tracking. The self tracker has access to many other behavior change techniques, including; cool new tech, cool art, competition, empowering healthful communities, financial punishment, and guilt. Just watching the numbers improve or even be recorded can be motivating and build healthy habits; according to personal experience [[User:DG|DG]] ([[User talk:DG|talk]]) and Atomic Habits book. Feeling in control, and mastering yourself and skills, can be strong intrinsic motivation.   

 

Unfortunately, when things are not going well, people will become demotivated and even hide the event from their history.  The negative effects of self tracking on motivation is mentioned in section arguments against tracking.

Unfortunately, when things are not going well, people will become demotivated and even hide the event from their history.  The negative effects of self tracking on motivation is mentioned in section arguments against tracking.

See also [[Psychological effects of tracking]]. <ref>https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3274309</ref>

See also [[Psychological effects of tracking]]. <ref>https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3274309</ref>

User's mood may become dependent on success, eg sad when cannot run as fast as usual or do not get the chance to get their exercise. This is the negative side of users becoming motivated by watching their stats grow. Users may become obsessed with data tracking and consequently take time from better activities. Seem easily solved, just add "obsession with self tracking" metric.  

User's mood may become dependent on success, eg sad when cannot run as fast as usual or do not get the chance to get their exercise.<ref>www.wsj.com/health/wellness/sleeper-performance-people-obsess-over-their-stats-biometrics-6a6feff</ref> This is the negative side of users becoming motivated by watching their stats grow. Motivation to do activities could become dependent on tracking. Users may become obsessed with data tracking and consequently take time from better activities. Seem easily solved, just add "obsession with self tracking" metric.  

When someones' motivation is controlled from outside it overrides intrinsic motivation and causes resentment and apathy. However, many of the motivating techniques are only encouraging, involving,  and engaging rather than domineering. Users should easily notice if they are successfully motivated or not, so only effective apps would be popular.

When someones' motivation is controlled from outside it overrides intrinsic motivation and causes resentment and apathy. However, many of the motivating techniques are only encouraging, involving,  and engaging rather than domineering. Users should easily notice if they are successfully motivated or not, so only effective apps would be popular.

Never the less, self trackers can make more data available.<ref>https://www.mobihealthnews.com/news/most-health-apps-have-ability-collect-and-share-patient-data-study-finds</ref> In particular, many devices measure stress and [[Mood]] through [[Tools for heart rate or pulse|heart rate]] and [[Galvanic skin response]], kind of like a polygraph.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygraph</ref><ref>https://www.wareable.com/wearable-tech/wearables-that-track-emotion-7278</ref><ref>https://www.heartmath.com/tech/</ref>   

Never the less, self trackers can make more data available.<ref>https://www.mobihealthnews.com/news/most-health-apps-have-ability-collect-and-share-patient-data-study-finds</ref> In particular, many devices measure stress and [[Mood]] through [[Tools for heart rate or pulse|heart rate]] and [[Galvanic skin response]], kind of like a polygraph.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygraph</ref><ref>https://www.wareable.com/wearable-tech/wearables-that-track-emotion-7278</ref><ref>https://www.heartmath.com/tech/</ref>   

Such data has ended up in the hands of employers to squeeze the most out of their employees, as well as mortgage lenders, and insurers to adjust rates.<ref>https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03085147.2019.1570707</ref> It was even used to support discrimination and as evidence in court.<ref>https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2018/01/29/strava-fitness-data-location-privacy-scare/</ref><ref>https://mashable.com/article/period-apps-roe-v-wade</ref>   

Such data has ended up in the hands of employers to squeeze the most out of their employees, as well as mortgage lenders, and insurers to adjust rates.<ref>https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03085147.2019.1570707</ref> It was even used to support discrimination and as evidence in court.<ref>https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2018/01/29/strava-fitness-data-location-privacy-scare/</ref><ref>https://mashable.com/article/period-apps-roe-v-wade</ref><ref>flcourts.gov/content/download/881800/file/Pacemakers%20Fitbits%20and%204th%20Amendment.pdf</ref>   

Self tracker has some options for defense. Data protection regulations grow.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Data_Protection_Regulation</ref> Government classified [[Commercial, Medical Device, or Open Source|Medical Devices]] make medical data and that data is under more protection than basic commercial device data. Data can be anonymized, though often its not hard to deanonymize it. User should choose companies with terms of service that require opting into user tracking programs. [[Commercial, Medical Device, or Open Source|Open source]] apps, and some commercial ones, are under your complete control and will not mind if the device it runs on never connects to the internet. This wiki will note open source tools and tools with exceptional demand or lack there of for user data.

Self tracker has some options for defense. Data protection regulations grow.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Data_Protection_Regulation</ref> Government classified [[Commercial, Medical Device, or Open Source|Medical Devices]] make medical data and that data is under more protection than basic commercial device data. Data can be anonymized, though often its not hard to deanonymize it. User should choose companies with terms of service that require opting into user tracking programs. [[Commercial, Medical Device, or Open Source|Open source]] apps, and some commercial ones, are under your complete control and will not mind if the device it runs on never connects to the internet. This wiki will note open source tools and tools with exceptional demand or lack there of for user data.

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[[Category:Topics]]

[[Category:Discussions]]