ÜBERMAD

Rule · how

Get a reminder

Texts, emails, alerts or prompts.

A smiling woman on a wooden bench raises a finger as a hanging bell swings and rings beside her.

Studies (24)

  1. Paper

    With habit tools, people did a daily self-kindness exercise more often for six months
    TestedHelped

    People who got a plan, phone reminders and skip days did the exercise more, and it felt more automatic.

    Randomised trial of 497 US adults with smartphones · vs the same exercise and cue without habit tools · they rated themselves

  2. Paper

    Adding text reminders to a sleep habit programme did not strengthen sleep habits
    TestedNo difference

    Text reminders added to nine sleep habit sessions made the habits no stronger than the sessions alone.

    Randomised trial of 161 young adults who are night owls · vs the same programme without texts · they rated themselves · ⚠ not yet checked by other scientists

  3. Paper

    A form-checking exercise app got people with high blood pressure moving more
    TestedHelped

    People who got live feedback on form, reminders and weekly calls said they exercised more than the other group.

    Small randomised trial of 62 inactive adults with high blood pressure · vs the same exercise plan without feedback or calls · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable; summary claims more than the results show

  4. Review

    Reminders, rewards and more helped kids with cancer look after their own care
    TestedHelped

    Across 30 studies, reminders and rewards helped kids with cancer take pills and track how they felt, more than others.

    Pooled analysis of 30 studies with 3,400 people · vs a mix of different other groups · the authors rated their certainty moderate · ⚠ mixes trials with other kinds of study; whole programmes were tested, so no single part can be credited

  5. Paper

    Texts to parents helped bedtime routines for children's teeth, but not twice-daily brushing
    TestedNo difference

    Three short texts a week to parents didn't clearly get more children's teeth brushed twice a day than usual care.

    Randomised trial of 154 parents of young children with tooth decay · vs parents who got usual dental care and advice · they rated themselves · ⚠ not yet checked by other scientists; numbers unreliable

    TestedHelped

    Three texts a week led more parents to report a tooth-friendly bedtime routine, like no night-time milk, than usual care.

    Randomised trial of 154 parents of young children with tooth decay · vs parents who got usual dental care and advice · they rated themselves · ⚠ not yet checked by other scientists; numbers unreliable

  6. Paper

    Daily texts and prize draws didn't clearly help people take blood-pressure pills
    TestedNo difference

    Daily text reminders, on top of a plan to take pills after a set routine, didn't clearly help pill-taking.

    Small randomised trial of 60 adults with high blood pressure in Los Angeles · vs usual care with the same leaflet and pill bottle · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ numbers unreliable; many people dropped out; summary claims more than the results show

    TestedNo difference

    Prize draws plus daily texts, for taking pills on time, didn't clearly help daily pill-taking compared with usual care.

    Small randomised trial of 60 adults with high blood pressure in Los Angeles · vs usual care with the same leaflet and pill bottle · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ numbers unreliable; many people dropped out; summary claims more than the results show

    TestedNo difference

    Daily text reminders didn't clearly help people take their pills within an hour of their chosen routine.

    Small randomised trial of 60 adults with high blood pressure in Los Angeles · vs usual care with the same leaflet and pill bottle · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ numbers unreliable; many people dropped out; summary claims more than the results show

    TestedNo difference

    Prize draws plus daily texts didn't clearly help people take their pills within an hour of their chosen routine.

    Small randomised trial of 60 adults with high blood pressure in Los Angeles · vs usual care with the same leaflet and pill bottle · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ numbers unreliable; many people dropped out; summary claims more than the results show

  7. Paper

    Weekly point goals and a leaderboard got drivers to hold their phones less
    TestedNo difference

    A phone mount, or a promise with if-then plans and texted tips, cut phone use no more than risk lessons.

    Large randomised trial of 1,653 US drivers who often held phones while driving · vs drivers who only got lessons on the risks · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ numbers unreliable

  8. Paper

    Typing blood pressure into a text got it sent more often than an app
    UsedHelped

    People who typed readings into a text reply sent them on more days than when an app synced them.

    Small randomised trial of 47 adults with kidney disease and high blood pressure · vs the same people when an app sent readings · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ no untreated control group; pre-post step counts only

    UsedNo comparison

    Daily steps roughly doubled during the programme and stayed up for 12 weeks, with no other group to compare.

    Small randomised trial of 47 adults with kidney disease and high blood pressure · no comparison group · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ no untreated control group; pre-post step counts only

  9. Paper

    Daily phone reminders did not make a walking habit feel more automatic
    TestedNo difference

    Days with a phone reminder before the daily cue left the walking habit no stronger than days without one.

    Very small randomised trial of 24 adults in Switzerland who wanted more activity · vs days without a phone reminder · they rated themselves · ⚠ not yet checked by other scientists

  10. Paper

    Ticking off daily pills in an app helped people finish treatment and get retested
    UsedHelped

    With the app, which also showed the date, 81 in 100 kept up well with the check-up test, against 44.

    Randomised trial of 254 adults treated for a stomach infection in China · vs standard advice and two phone calls · behaviour was recorded

    UsedHelped

    The app group had the check-up test sooner than the other group: about 36 days after treatment, against 73.

    Randomised trial of 254 adults treated for a stomach infection in China · vs standard advice and two phone calls · behaviour was recorded

  11. Paper

    Health-worker visits and daily texts didn't help teens take their medicine more
    TestedNo difference

    Health-worker visits on goals and cues plus daily texts didn't help teens take their medicine more than usual care.

    Small randomised trial of 50 teens with sickle cell disease and their parents · vs teens who got their usual care · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ only a short summary available

  12. Review

    Habit plans made exercise feel a bit more automatic
    TestedHelped

    In 10 studies, help to plan, track and get reminders made exercise feel more automatic than for the rest.

    Pooled analysis of 10 studies with 2,349 people · vs a mix of other groups · they rated themselves · ⚠ whole programmes were tested, so no single part can be credited

  13. Paper

    An online course on handling hard feelings helped students put things off less
    TestedHelped

    A 9-week online course on handling hard feelings helped students put things off less than the waiting group.

    Randomised trial of 148 university students in Germany · vs students still waiting for the course · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable

  14. Paper

    Reminders at breaks in the day got people to use a planner app more
    TestedHelped

    People who got reminders at breaks in their day used their planner app more than those without these reminders.

    Small randomised trial of 32 older adults with memory problems · vs the same app training and alarms without reminders · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ unclear how groups were picked; numbers unreliable

  15. Paper

    Weekly reminder emails got gym members to go more often
    TestedHelped

    Members who got short weekly reminder emails went to the gym about 13% more often than members who got none.

    Large randomised trial of 2,463 members of a gym in Sweden · vs members who got no emails · behaviour was recorded

  16. Paper

    A school plan for bedtime brushing made brushing more automatic for kids, parents said
    TestedHelped

    Parents said brushing was automatic for more kids with a bedtime plan than for kids given one lesson.

    Trial of 164 children aged 7 to 8 in Indonesia · vs children who had one usual lesson on teeth · they rated themselves · ⚠ unclear how groups were picked; numbers unreliable; summary claims more than the results show

    TestedMixed

    Plaque was lower than after one usual lesson at one month, but higher at two months.

    Trial of 164 children aged 7 to 8 in Indonesia · vs children who had one usual lesson on teeth · they rated themselves · ⚠ unclear how groups were picked; numbers unreliable; summary claims more than the results show

  17. Paper

    Swapping sugary drinks for diet drinks worked no better than swapping them for water
    UsedNo difference

    Swapping sugary drinks for diet drinks cut sugary drinks no more than swapping them for water.

    Randomised trial of 136 adults who drink a lot of sugary drinks · vs people who swapped to water instead · they rated themselves · ⚠ only counted people who finished; numbers unreliable; uneven outlier exclusions between groups

    UsedNo difference

    Sugary drinks felt no less automatic after a swap to diet drinks than after a swap to water.

    Randomised trial of 136 adults who drink a lot of sugary drinks · vs people who swapped to water instead · they rated themselves · ⚠ only counted people who finished; numbers unreliable; uneven outlier exclusions between groups

  18. Paper

    A habit app for weight loss didn't clearly beat waiting
    TestedNo difference

    Plans, logs and daily reminders in an app did not clearly help people eat well more than waiting.

    Small randomised trial of 81 overweight adults in the UK · vs people who waited for the app · they rated themselves · ⚠ many people dropped out; numbers unreliable; only counted people who finished; groups weren't properly compared

  19. Paper

    A coached sit-less plan weakened older adults' sitting habit a bit more
    TestedHelped

    Coaching, a buzzing wristband and sitting charts weakened the sitting habit a bit more than a health workbook did.

    Small randomised trial of 60 older adults with obesity who sit a lot · vs a health workbook, one coach session and mailings · they rated themselves · ⚠ only counted people who finished; many people dropped out; many outcomes tested without correction

  20. Paper

    Web plans built exercise and diet habits briefly, but not by three months
    TestedMixed

    Plans for when, where and how to move built a stronger habit at 8 weeks, but not at 3 months.

    Randomised trial of 790 adults in Germany and the Netherlands · vs people who were waiting for the programme · they rated themselves · ⚠ many people dropped out; numbers unreliable; summary claims more than the results show

    TestedMixed

    The same web plans built a stronger fruit and vegetable habit at 8 weeks, but not at 3 months.

    Randomised trial of 790 adults in Germany and the Netherlands · vs people who were waiting for the programme · they rated themselves · ⚠ many people dropped out; numbers unreliable; summary claims more than the results show

  21. Paper

    Reminder emails about a step bonus raised walking, but the gain faded
    TestedHelped

    With a two-week step bonus, people who got reminder emails walked about 330 more steps a day.

    Large randomised trial of 2,055 users of a step-reward app with a Fitbit · vs the same step bonus without reminder emails · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ student thesis, not checked by other scientists; summary claims more than the results show

    TestedMixed

    The reminder group still walked about 300 more steps a day for two weeks after the bonus, but not later.

    Large randomised trial of 2,055 users of a step-reward app with a Fitbit · vs the same step bonus without reminder emails · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ student thesis, not checked by other scientists; summary claims more than the results show

  22. Paper

    A kitchen poster and emails helped students build a new cleaning habit
    TestedHelped

    With a kitchen poster and emails, the new habit felt more automatic than it did for the diary group.

    Small randomised trial of 45 university students in Australia · vs the same sponge and unrelated diary emails · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable

    TestedNo difference

    For the group with an email every 3 days, the habit felt no more automatic than for the 5-day group.

    Small randomised trial of 45 university students in Australia · vs reminder emails every 5 days · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable

    TestedHelped

    Poster and email groups cleaned the cloth on 9 to 11 more days, against 3 more for the diary group.

    Small randomised trial of 45 university students in Australia · vs the same sponge and unrelated diary emails · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable

    TestedNo difference

    An email every 3 days got the cloth cleaned on no more days than an email every 5 days.

    Small randomised trial of 45 university students in Australia · vs reminder emails every 5 days · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable

  23. Paper

    Homes with price rises slowly used less power, but weren't compared with others
    UsedNo comparison

    Homes with price rises, especially with a live screen, slowly used less power, but this wasn't compared with other homes.

    Randomised trial of 437 households in Connecticut, USA · no comparison group · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ not yet checked by other scientists; summary claims more than the results show; many people dropped out; habit trend not compared with control

  24. Paper

    Reminder emails got students who seldom used the gym to go more often
    TestedMixed

    Rare gym users went about 2 more times a month with email reminders than without, but the gain faded.

    Randomised trial of 247 students at a university gym in Italy · vs students who got no reminder emails · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ unpublished working paper; numbers unreliable; randomisation method not described

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