What we build on
The studies and guidelines behind every task.
The app is built on habit research, the programs on official WHO, EFSA and AASM guidelines. For every source, we say how strong the evidence is.
- guidelinean institution's official guideline or expert consensus
- a synthesis of many studies
- reviewan expert review and practical guide
- studya single study, weaker evidence
- associationan observation, not proof of cause
The app
How it is designed for habits.
Lally et al. 2010
study- What it found
- People who repeated one healthy behavior daily in the same situation reached full automaticity after a median of 66 days, with a range of 18 to 254 days, and missing a single day did not significantly affect habit formation.
- In the app
- Streaks don't demand perfection: they count the days you complete at least half of your tasks, and a task you skip today isn't counted against you. The author herself points out that the figure of 66 is often taken out of context.
Singh et al. 2024
- What it found
- A review of 20 studies with 2,601 adults found medians of 59 to 66 days and means of 106 to 154 days; stronger habits were linked to more frequent repetition, morning timing, personal choice and enjoyment of the activity. The 21-day rule does not hold.
- In the app
- Programs don't count on 21 days; they offer a way to continue. New tasks are added gradually, anchors are often in the morning, and you can turn off or move any task.
Gollwitzer and Sheeran 2006
- What it found
- Plans in the form "when X happens, I will do Y" had a medium-to-large effect on goal attainment across 94 tests (d = 0.65).
- In the app
- Every task's note begins with a "when, then" anchor, for example "When you get up, drink the glass of water you set on your nightstand the evening before."
Gardner, Lally and Wardle 2012
review- What it found
- A habit forms when you repeat a simple action in response to one consistent daily cue until it becomes automatic.
- In the app
- Tasks are small, often one to five minutes, have a set time and build on something you already do: waking up, breakfast, the trip home from work.
Dai, Milkman and Riis 2014
association- What it found
- People start on resolutions more often after temporal landmarks: on a Monday, on the first of the month, at New Year or after a birthday.
- In the app
- You can start a program today, tomorrow or on Monday. After a break, simply start again, no guilt.
Why 3 to 5 tasks and a gentle streak
rule of thumb- What it found
- The key studies always test one behavior for one cue. We found no controlled study comparing one, three and five new habits at once.
- In the app
- A program has 3 to 5 tasks a day and no more than two new ones at a time. You complete a task with a ring that shows the last seven days, not perfection. A reminder never points out a miss.
Programs
What the program content builds on.
Every number in a task has its source in brackets at the end of the tip. Official guidelines come first, studies add to them.
Official guidelines
- Movement150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week, strength training on at least 2 days a week, and after 65 also balance training on at least 3 days.
- WaterTotal water of 2.0 l a day for women and 2.5 l for men, with roughly a fifth coming from food. Tea and coffee count.
- Protein0.83 g per kilogram of body weight a day for adults.
- Fiber25 g a day.
- CaffeineUp to 400 mg a day, up to 200 mg at a time, and up to 200 mg a day during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- SleepAdults need at least 7 hours of sleep on a regular basis.
- FoodAt least 400 g of fruit and vegetables a day, free sugars below 10% of energy, ideally below 5%.
Key studies
Steps: Paluch 2022 and Ding 2025
Mortality falls as steps increase and levels off at roughly 7,000 to 8,000 steps; around 4,000 steps is already better than 2,000. This is an association from cohort data.
The program's goal is 7,000 steps, not 10,000.
Caffeine and sleep: Gardiner 2023
According to 24 studies, a coffee with about 107 mg of caffeine is best had at least 8.8 hours before bedtime.
The task "Finish your last coffee" sits at 14:00 for a 23:00 bedtime.
Light: Brown 2022
guidelineInternational consensus: at least 250 lux at eye level during the day, no more than 10 lux from three hours before bedtime, and no more than 1 lux during sleep.
Out into daylight in the morning, a lamp instead of the ceiling light in the evening.
Breath: Balban 2023
studyIn one randomized trial, five minutes of cyclic sighing a day improved mood more than five minutes of mindfulness.
The Five Minutes of Breath program. It rests on a single study, so we offer it as a calm moment, not a certainty.
Meditation: Goyal 2014
Mindfulness programs show moderate evidence of effect and are no better than other active options, such as exercise.
A short moment of calm in your routine, with no promises.
Gratitude: Cregg and Cheavens 2021
Gratitude journaling has a small effect, one the authors themselves call modest.
Three Good Things takes a few minutes, and the task's tip says so.
Nature: White 2019
associationPeople who spend at least 120 minutes a week in nature report better health and wellbeing. These are cross-sectional data: an association, not a cause.
The 120 Minutes Outdoors a Week program, spread across shorter walks.
Ultra-processed food: Hall 2019
studyIn a two-week controlled study, an ultra-processed diet led to an intake about 500 kcal a day higher.
Less ultra-processed food: cooking and a balanced plate, without counting calories.
Menstrual cycle: McNulty 2020
The difference in performance between cycle phases was trivial, and the authors concluded that general phase-based recommendations cannot be made.
An example of what we leave out: training by cycle phase is not in the catalog.
Process
How programs are made.
Research.
Official guidelines, meta-analyses and studies. Every number in a program has a traceable source.
Writing.
One goal, a few tasks a day, a note with a "when, then" anchor and a tip with its source. No judgment, and no talk about bodies.
Review before publishing.
Every program is checked for facts and sources, task safety, legal wording and language.
What we deliberately leave out
Some things don't belong in our programs.
Either the evidence for them is weak, or they carry a risk that a general program cannot manage.
- Fasting and eating windows shorter than 10 hours
- Ice baths and open-water cold swimming
- Rapid hyperventilation breathing
- Supplements with dosages, and melatonin
- Weight loss and calorie restriction
- Training by menstrual cycle phase
General suggestions for everyday wellbeing, not medical advice.