Top 10 medical/health iOS apps

When it comes to medical/health apps, weight loss and pregnancy applications seem all the rage. However, there is, of course, more to your health than losing weight and getting pregnant. Check out our list of apps that will help you keep track of your health, some in very specific ways and others in general.

1. Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock - $0.99 (approx Rs. 54)

Wake up when it's the right time for you

Sleep is important. What's also important is waking up at the right moment so you actually feel well rested. We have numerous sleep cycles while we rest and this app helps wake you up at the correct moment in a sleep cycle. The way it works is you set a time by which you must be awake. The app then uses the accelerometer of your iPhone to guage your sleep cycle and make notes. It will wake you up at the point of your lightest sleep right before your set alarm. That way, you are not disturbed out of a deep sleep and you won't have to wake up groggy. There are specific instructions that you must follow while using the app like where to place it and how to avoid the accelerometer from picking up the wrong signals.

2. WebMD - Free

An encyclopedia for your iPhone

WebMD can give you a substantial number of answers to your health related questions even before you visit a doctor. Use this app to look up what your symptoms mean, read posts on various ailments and also double check your doctor's verdict with the app. While WebMD is in no way meant to replace an actual doctor's advice; since the majority of the articles are written by doctors, it serves as a good place to start gathering information and to get more information after you've been to a doctor. First aid information is available offline in the app, which is good when you have an emergency and no internet. Furthermore, you can save drugs and conditions that are relevant to you.

3. Color Blind Test - Free

Test your eyes through your phone

There is a large population of colour blind people who don't know that they're colour blind. One of the more common types of colour blindness is red-green colour blindness which makes it difficult for a lot of drivers on the road. With the Color Blind Test app, you can save yourself a trip to the opthalmologist (unless, of course, the app tells you that you are colour blind, in which case you need to go to the doctor for a confirmation and advice on how you can live with colour blindness) and test yourself at home. The app currently only has red-green colour blindness tests so other forms of colour blindness do require a visit to the eye doctor.

4. iDream - Free

Track your dreams

If you believe that your dreams reflect your sub-conscious, this app will be interesting for you. The app explores common themes like shark attacks, long corridors and running that occur in dreams and offer you an explanation as to what they mean. The app has a journal section which asks you to write your dream down and then picks up keywords in your dream to offer you an interpretation. The journal section is password protected so only you can see what you've written. The downside is that while the app is free, you can only access the meat of the app, the interpreter, through an in app purchase of $0.99 (Rs. 54).

5. Drugs and Medications - $0.99 (approx Rs. 54)

Do you know what your drug has?

Buying medicines is far from an informative process. Doctors don't always fully explain side effects and contraindications of drugs they prescribe and not all drugs come with information packets. Drugs and Medications may not give you the brand names of the drugs you've been precribed because those vary by country, but the app does provide information on the actual chemical constituents of the drugs you're taking. The majority of the content in this application can be accessed offline and is therefore helpful in emergency scenarios.