Apple celebrates Heart Month with new Apple Watch Activity Challenge, more

Apple has announced that it is celebrating February’s Heart Month with a new Apple Watch Activity Challenge and more.

In a new Newsroom post, Apple announced that it is making a new Apple Watch Activity Challenge available with a new batch awarded to those who successfully complete it.

To help Apple Watch users stay motivated, Apple is offering a new Heart Month Activity Challenge to help people of all fitness levels put their health first by completing 30 minutes in their Exercise ring on February 14 to earn a special award. Also starting February 14, to help users earn the award and stay active, Fitness+ will feature a special section of 30-minute energizing workouts that will motivate users to get their weekly minutes of exercise.

Alongside the new challenge, Apple is also highlighting a collection of apps that are built to help people improve their heart health. The new collection will be available in the App Store.

Apple has also made some preliminary analysis of activity data shared from the Apple Heart and Movement Study available The analysis is based on more than 18 million workouts that have been logged by Apple Watch wearers during the pandemic, the Newsroom post says.

In a new preliminary analysis of activity data shared from the Apple Heart and Movement Study,2 researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, in collaboration with the American Heart Association and Apple, found that after analyzing more than 18 million workouts logged using Apple Watch during the pandemic, study participants relied on getting their activity minutes in by walking, cycling, and running the most. They also found that participants ages 65 and older were actually more likely than their younger counterparts to stay on track, meeting their goal of at least 150 minutes of activity per week.

Apple also points people to Apple Fitness+ as a way that people can try to improve their fitness both overall and specifically heart health.

More of a reader than a runner? Apple Books is also offering a collection of titles that are focused on heart health.

Apple Books is offering a collection of titles that focus on heart health, including books on heart science, emotional well-being, and healthy eating. For viewers, the Apple TV app is featuring a collection of movies and shows on heart disease, heart science, and healthy living. And on Apple Podcasts, listeners can find a curated group of popular podcasts on the Browse tab featuring medical experts that help listeners learn more about their health and the steps they can take to improve overall, fitness, mindfulness, and well-being.

Apple recently announced two more Apple Watch Activity Challenges related to Black History Month and the Lunar New Year.