If you have an iPhone, you may have noticed that MigraineMe asks you to allow it to read from Apple Health. You may have wondered, "Why Apple Health? I want to read from my Fitbit or my sleep app, not from Apple."
This is a good question. The short answer: Apple Health is a bridge. It sits in the middle. Your devices put their numbers into Apple Health, and MigraineMe takes its numbers out of Apple Health. They do not need to talk to each other directly.
Let's draw it in words.
The bridge, in words
Picture three boxes lined up.
- On the left, your Apple Watch, or your sleep app, or your glucose monitor.
- In the middle, the Apple Health app.
- On the right, MigraineMe.
The arrows go like this:
Your Apple Watch, then Apple Health, then MigraineMe
Apple Health is the middle box. It collects readings from all your devices in one place. Then, with your permission, other apps (like MigraineMe) can read from it.
Why it works this way
You might say, "Why not connect every device straight to MigraineMe?" There are good reasons for the bridge. (Oura, Garmin, Polar and WHOOP are the exceptions: they connect directly, under Connections.)
- One place for everything. You can have ten different devices, and they all end up in Apple Health. MigraineMe just looks in one box, instead of trying to talk to ten companies.
- Privacy by design. Apple Health is on your phone. Your data does not leave it without your say-so. MigraineMe asks Apple Health for what it needs, and you approve each category.
- You stay in charge. You can turn off any data type at any time, in Settings. MigraineMe immediately stops reading it. No phone calls, no emails.
What "categories" means
In Apple Health, your data is split into categories: Steps, Sleep, Heart Rate, Weight, Blood Pressure, and so on. When MigraineMe asks for permission, you see a list. You can say yes to some and no to others. For example, you might allow Sleep but say no to Respiratory Rate. MigraineMe will only read what you allow.
How to check what MigraineMe is reading
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone (the grey gear icon).
- Scroll down and tap Health.
- Tap Data Access & Devices.
- Tap MigraineMe.
You will see a long list of switches. Each one is a category. Green means MigraineMe can read it. Grey means it cannot.
If you ever want MigraineMe to stop reading something, just flip the switch off here.
What happens behind the scenes
When new readings land in Apple Health (say, last night's sleep or today's steps from your watch), iPhone gives MigraineMe a quiet nudge, usually within the hour. It does not constantly bother your devices. It just listens for the nudge, picks up the new number, and uses it.
This is gentle on your phone's battery, and it works even when you are not opening MigraineMe.
If something goes wrong
- The most common problem is that a device's own app has not been allowed to write to Apple Health.
- Open the app for that device (Withings, Zepp, your sleep app, and so on).
- Look in its settings for Apple Health.
- Turn it on. Tap Turn On All when asked.
- Then open MigraineMe, tap the gear icon, then Data and Notifications, and check that the matching category is on.
That is the whole picture. Apple Health is just a polite middle layer that makes life easier and keeps your data on your phone.
