- Cheryl Tan
This Is The Best Time To Sign Up For LumiHealth If You Haven't Yet
When Apple announced LumiHealth as a two-year programme, I was really quite excited. A collaboration between the tech giant and Singapore's Health Promotion Board (HPB), it was an initiative to get people to lead healthier lives by promoting lifestyle changes and rewarding users with vouchers that could be used in a variety of locations, including 7-Eleven, NTUC FairPrice, Cold Storage, Klook, Cathay Cineplexes, F&B outlets and more. People were literally getting paid to exercise and be healthier.
I have to admit, I've never been the healthiest. I never go to the gym, I sleep at irregular hours and I love my fast food. But despite all that, LumiHealth has been a great app for me after I got an Apple Watch. I check it every day, I do the challenges that I feel are doable for me and I get rewarded. And there are plenty, by the way. Aside from the challenge to close all three rings, there are challenges that range from making sure you stand up for at least one minute every hour for 12 hours a day, using the Mindfulness app, using the Wind Down feature before bed, journaling, being mindful about what you eat and more.
It's really quite comprehensive, spanning many different aspects of health, whether it's physical or mental. And now, after close to two years, Apple has announced that LumiHealth will transition to being an ongoing programme, and users will be able to use the app past their two-year mark.
With over 300,000 downloads, it's a promising start. Keep in mind that LumiHealth requires an Apple Watch, so that is somewhat of a barrier to entry. That being said, I love my Apple Watch Series 7, and I can't recommend it enough with the new features (detailed sleep tracking!) in watchOS 8 coming very, very soon. Even an Apple Watch SE or Series 3 would be perfectly fine if you want something affordable but still more than capable of tracking your health.
New challenges will also be coming soon, with cardiovascular challenges that aim to educate users on heart health, setting up heart rate notifications on the watch and more. “The positive impact LumiHealth continues to have on the lives of Singaporeans demonstrates the results that can come when people are empowered to take control of their own health journey. It’s incredibly inspiring to see how so many people are making meaningful changes to their lifestyle by using iPhone and Apple Watch in innovative ways,” said Dr. Mithun Patel, Apple’s head of Health Strategic Initiatives.
And from 15 July to 14 August, it's the absolute best time to buy an Apple Watch if you've been on the fence. Apple retail stores in Singapore will be giving out a S$40 Apple Retail gift card to people who buy an Apple Watch and join the LumiHealth programme for the first time.
If you've already bought a watch or joined the programme like me though, we still get to benefit. Previously, inviting your friends to join LumiHealth would net you 2,000 points for the first 50 friends. Apple is now increasing that fivefold to 10,000 points for successful referrals during the same 15 July to 14 August period, so get around to inviting your friends and family!
LumiHealth, a collaboration between Apple and Singapore's Health Promotion Board, has seen over 300,000 downloads ever since it launched in October 2020.
The programme will now be an ongoing one, instead of just lasting two years, with new challenges to come soon.
To encourage signups, Apple will be giving out S$40 Apple Retail gift cards to people who buy an Apple Watch at an Apple retail store and join the LumiHealth programme for the first time from 15 July to 14 August.
Existing users will get increased points for inviting friends to LumiHealth during that time, from 2,000 points previously to 10,000 points now per successful referral.