Fall is known as the season to get back into routine. But what if instead of getting back to it, you make your routine even better?
To optimize your wellness habits, you need the right tools at your fingertips. That’s why we asked our Lifeforce Health Coaches to share the products, apps, and gear they’ve fallen in love with — and are confident you will, too.
These daily essentials will help you step up your sleep, nutrition, productivity, recovery, stress management, and more, so you can make this season your healthiest yet.
15 Wellness Must-Haves
Photo: raoptics.com
Optimize Your Sleep: Ra Optics Blue Light Blocking Glasses
What they are:
These Red Sunset Lenses are designed to block artificial blue light, which is emitted by light bulbs and devices (think: your phone, TV, and laptop). Exposure to too much blue light disrupts your body’s natural circadian rhythm (sleep-wake cycle).
Why we love them:
“The type, quality, and timing of the light our skin and eyes are exposed to is an absolutely critical determinant of our overall wellbeing and health outcomes. Wearing high-quality blue light blocking glasses post-sunset encourages the synchronization of our circadian rhythms, leading to better sleep, hormone health, gut health, and overall bodily function,” says Lifeforce Health Coach Serena Holtsinger. “Though there are lots of brands out there, I recommend glasses with amber- or red-toned lenses, as these are shown to block the most blue light wavelengths. Ra Optics are the best I've found on the market!”
Ra Optics; Starting at $164
Photo: todoist.com
Optimize Your Productivity: Todoist
What it is:
This task management tool streamlines your life by helping you easily create tasks, set priority levels, send reminders, and sync up your calendars. Whether it’s work projects, family commitments, workouts, or wellness appointments, you can coordinate it all in one place.
Why we love it:
One major reason to put organization on your to-do list: It enhances your mental and physical health. Research shows that people who described their lives as “cluttered” and “filled with unfinished projects” were more likely to feel depressed, fatigued, and have higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol. On the other hand, those who kept an organized schedule tended to make healthier food choices and sleep better. Lifeforce Health Coach Kelly Lynch relies on Todoist for her personal to-dos.
"I have multiple schedules and lists,” she says. “This is the best way to keep them all in one place.”
Todoist; Free for the beginner plan or $4/month for the pro plan
Photo: joincarbon.com
Optimize Your Nutrition: Carbon Coaching App
What it is:
Created by nutritionists, this app allows you to set your health goals, track your food intake, and get personalized coaching to refine your nutrition targets as you progress.
Why we love it:
When Health Coach Vinnie Antonelli-Galizio was looking for his own nutrition coach, this is the tool he turned to. (Yes, coaches get extra support, too!) “This app is like working with a virtual nutritionist who is always monitoring your progress, watching for trends, and tweaking your calories and macros to keep you on track for your goals,” Antonelli-Galizio says. “In the month I’ve been using it, I’m already down 7 lbs, and I love that it’s always making small changes to find my true maintenance calories.”
Carbon; $9.99 per month or $79.99 for an annual subscription
Photo: headspace.com
Optimize Your Relaxation: Sleepcasts by Headspace
What they are:
Part podcast, part bedtime story, Sleepcasts help you unwind with simple breathing techniques, meditation exercises, soothing soundtracks, and narrated visualizations of sleepy landscapes.
Why we love them:
“I play one of these every night as I crawl into bed,” says Karen Katzenbach, a Lifeforce Health Coach. “They are a curated blend of background sounds and atmospheric descriptions that are just engaging enough to keep the monkey mind at bay, but not so distracting that they keep you from drifting off. I've used these for years, and I don't know if I've ever heard the end of any of them.”
Headspace; $12.99 per month or $69.99 for an annual subscription
Photo: whoop.com
Optimize Your Overall Performance: Whoop
What it is:
Whoop is a sleek wearable and a customized app that analyzes key biometric performance data. It measures your sleep quality, stress levels, physical exertion, mental load, and your body’s ability to recover and adapt to changes in your routine.
Why we love it:
"For anyone who wants to see the connection between their sleep, training, and the habits they engage in daily — and how those all impact their energy levels, cognitive capacity, and availability to show up for what matters to them — Whoop is indispensable,” Holtsinger raves. “From their Stress Monitor feature with breathwork practices, to their ability to quantify how hard you performed in a workout (so satisfying!), to their in-depth sleep analysis, Whoop gives you a window into how your unique physiology is adapting to the stress of life.”
Whoop; $30 per month or $239 for an annual subscription
RELATED: 8 Mental Health Apps for Stress, Sleep, and Self-Care
Photo: betterdaysco.com
Optimize Your Hydration: BetterGreens Sticks
What they are:
BetterGreens is a powdered mix of leafy greens, organic fruit blends, and digestive enzyme blends. Pour one handy pouch in a glass of water to up your antioxidant intake and add extra zip to your sip. They come in caffeinated and non-caffeinated varieties.
Why we love them:
"Two sticks a day is the equivalent of your daily servings of fruit and vegetables,” says Lifeforce Health Coach Gina Viviano. “Not only are the flavors delicious, but they make drinking water more fun. My overall water intake has gone from roughly 72 oz per day to over 100 oz thanks to BetterGreens! I put one caffeinated stick in 10 oz of water every morning before my workout. It’s a very subtle increase in energy, and there’s no crash in the afternoon.”
BetterDays; $52.95 for a pack of 30 sticks
Photo: earthrunners.com
Optimize Your Connection to Nature: Earth Runners Sandals
What they are:
The next best thing to being barefoot! Earth Runners’ minimalist and adventure-ready sandals are made with special grounded conductive laces. Stainless steel threads on the bottom of the laces allow for electron flow between the skin and Earth through a conductive copper plug. This mimics the experience of grounding (aka Earthing), the practice of reconnecting to the Earth through physical contact.
Why we love them:
“Grounding has been shown to reduce inflammation, improve sleep and cardiovascular health, calm the nervous system, and balance your body's internal electrical environment,” Holtsinger explains. “These sandals use conductive laces to create a direct connection between your feet and the ground, allowing you to absorb Earth's electrons. Think of it as vitamin G — for grounding! These sandals are ideal for anyone who wants to maximize their outdoor time. They’re a staple in my wellness toolkit.”
Earth Runners; Starting at $68
Photo: greatnessapp.com
Optimize Your Habits: Greatness Daily Habit Tracker
What it is:
Rooted in behavior science and psychology, the Greatness app breaks down big lifestyle shifts into small daily actions. It features personalized routines based on your goals, daily checklists and habit trackers, and audio coaching to help you stay focused.
Why we love it:
“I recommend this for members who know what to do, but can't seem to get themselves to do it. It’s helpful for those who struggle with creating a routine and staying consistent,” Viviano says. She leans on the app in her personal life. “As a busy wife and mom of two young children, with two jobs, two dogs, various activities to organize, and a household to run, I thrive on structure and routine. Greatness not only allows me to stay organized and check off all of the boxes, but it reminds me to take time for myself and that my needs are important. I can't pour from an empty cup!”
Greatness; $49.99 for an annual subscription
Photo: thereadystate.com
Optimize Your Mobility: The Ready State
What it is:
This app is like having a personal mobility coach in your pocket. Developed by physical therapist and trainer Dr. Kelly Starrett, it features guided mobility exercises and customized workouts to help prevent injury and optimize performance.
Why we love it:
Mobility — which is your body’s ability to control and access your full range of motion within a joint — is essential for supporting joint health and carrying out everyday tasks (like unloading groceries from your car, or picking up your kids). “This app will help you maintain your soft tissues, so you can live pain free,” Katzenbach explains. “It has suggestions for pre- and post-workout routines, as well as techniques for specific joints and body parts.”
The Ready State; $14.99 per month or $159.99 for an annual subscription
Photo: vitamix.com
Optimize Your Smoothies: Vitamix Blender
What it is:
Vitamix is the queen of blenders. The brand’s gadgets are known to blend stronger and last longer — they even have a 10-year guarantee.
Why we love it:
"I love whipping up a protein shake in my Vitamix,” Katzenbach says. “It makes quick work of the ice, frozen fruit, or any other additions I opt for. It's a great way to sneak in more veggies by throwing in some spinach, a carrot, or some beets. It's also handy for that end of the work week margarita — non-alcoholic and sugar-free, of course!”
Vitamix; Starting at $249.95
Photo: legionathletics.com
Optimize Your Post-Workout Recovery: Legion Whey+ Protein Powder
What it is:
When you’re blending up your smoothie, you need a nutrient-packed protein to add into the mix. According to our experts, Legion is the whey to go. Their whey protein isolate powder is made with grass-fed milk from hormone- and antibiotic-free cows.
Why we love it:
Protein is essential for repairing muscles and cells, fueling energy, and preserving lean muscle mass. (Read more about protein’s perks here.) This protein is Antonelli-Galizio’s pick because “it’s 100% natural, tested for purity, and is made with no artificial sweeteners or dyes,” he says. “It’s a high quality source of protein that’s great for people both on the go and throughout the day at home. My personal favorite flavors are Dutch Chocolate and Cinnamon Cereal!”
Legion; $59.99
Photo: mealpreppro.com
Optimize Your Meal Prep Routine: MealPrepPro
What it is:
This app provides thousands of easy, healthy recipes for every eating style — from high protein to vegan, vegetarian, low-carb, Mediterranean, and flexitarian. You can adjust any recipe to your portion needs. Then, plan your meals, make grocery lists, and track your macros.
Why we love it:
"Figuring out what to do for dinner can be one of the most daunting tasks,” Lynch says. “This app gives me ideas and inspiration for the week.” Meal prepping in advance will save you time and brain power on busy weeknights. Plus, research shows that meal planners are more likely to have better diet quality and variety and maintain a healthy weight.
MealPrepPro; $229.99 for an annual subscription
Photo: painpodusa.com
Optimize Your Pain Relief: PainPod M
What it is:
PainPod offers a drug-free way to treat joint aches, muscle soreness, workout injuries, and even period cramps. Based on an electrotherapy method called TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation), PainPod devices use gentle electrical impulses to help block pain signals.
Why we love it:
"I love this TENS unit brand for pain relief,” says Sara Ramirez, a Lifeforce Health Coach. “It can help with everything from post-op recovery to everyday aches and pains.” You can get portable mini devices, heat pads, bio socks, and more. Keep in mind: Always get injuries checked out by a medical professional who can determine your treatment plan.
PainPod; $99
Photo: orderoochaos.com
Optimize Your Space: Order Out of Chaos Cards
What it is:
A clean home is about to be in the cards for you. These colorful, upbeat flashcards guide you to declutter your house with one simple 10-minute task at a time.
Why we love it:
We’re not messing around — research shows that people who keep their home clean are more focused, relaxed, and happier than those who live in a sloppy space. So, why not make a game of it? That’s exactly what Lynch does. “When we first had our toddler, Harper, we gamified daily tasks and chores. It was a great way for everything to get done without it seeming like such a big to-do!”
Order Out of Chaos; $19.99
Photo: eightsleep.com
Optimize Your Sleep Temperature: Eight Sleep Pod Cover
What it is:
If you’re willing to splurge for your sleep, the Pod may be just what you need to rest easy. An intelligent sleep system that can be installed in any bed, the Pod uses artificial intelligence to automatically personalize the temperature of your bed based on your sleep schedule, phases, and preferences. It also includes vibration and thermal alarm features.
Why we love it:
"For those looking for an amazing night’s sleep, the Pod includes temperature control, bedtime routine consistency and disturbances tracking, heart rate monitoring, and more — all without a wearable device,” Ramirez raves. The temperature feature is extra cool because research shows that your thermal environment is one of the most important factors impacting your sleep quality.
Eight Sleep; Starting at $1,795
This article was medically reviewed by:
Vinita Tandon, MD, ABIM Board Certified in Endocrinology and Metabolism
Julia Afridi, DO, ABIHM Board Certified in Family and Osteopathic Medicine
