We are living in times where people are more mindful of their and other people’s mental health and well-being. People are more conservative with what they say or do if it might affect another person’s mental well-being. These are times when therapists, psychiatrists and psychologists are reaping big as their client numbers are sky-high. It is also in times like these that meditation apps have hit their peak when it comes to demand from people looking to better their mental health. This article is meant to outline some of the best meditation apps you need to check out.
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What is Meditation?
Meditation has been practised by many different cultures for years to increase spiritual awareness, focus, and mindfulness. It also helps address some mental health issues like anxiety, stress and more. A meditation practice uses techniques to focus your attention and awareness on yourself, a thought, or an activity.
There is no right or wrong way to practice meditation, having a sort of guide or app can go a long way in helping you understand what meditation is and how it is done.
Benefits of Meditation
- Reducing stress and anxiety
- Improving focus
- Improving sleep.
While smartphones can be regarded as one of the biggest distractions and limitations when it comes to focusing, they can be effective tools for improving focus and mental health. Meditation apps that can be installed and used on these smartphones come in handy when it comes to this. They provide users with soothing audio to help with insomnia and stress, guided meditations and breathing exercises that can combat anxiety, and more.
Listed below are some of the meditation apps you should try out if you are dealing with any of the above.
Headspace
With over 780,000 ratings on the App Store, Headspace is one of the most popular meditation apps worldwide. The app is available on the App Store and Google Play and is meant to help users take better care of their mental health by driving them towards being better, calmer and more content with themselves.
The app comes with 10 free sessions that are meant to initiate users through the basics of meditation. At 7.99$ per month, the paid or subscription version comes with more exercises that focus on sleep disorders, stress combating, commuting and more. It has inbuilt playlists, sounds and exercises meant to boost focus.
Calm
Awarded Apple’s 2017 iPhone app of the year, Calm ought to be your go-to option if you are looking for meditation or mindfulness. The app offers a variety of soothing sounds ranging from rain, oceans, and white noise aimed at relaxing and calming users. This is on top of stories and meditation practices for children coupled with Calm Business which is intended for organizations looking to prioritize their employees’ mental well-being. Furthermore, it has meditation services through its Seven Days of Calm which comprises a daily free meditation guide.
You can get all these services and more at a fee of 4.99$ per month and the app is available on both App Store and Google Play.
Aura
Unlike the other meditation apps. With over 30,000 5-star reviews, Aura looks to adopt a personalized approach to self-mental care and daily mindfulness. Initially, users are asked to take a quick survey or assessment where they are asked what their goals are with the app. After this, they are asked about their average mood, preferred session length and even gender to personalize a plan for each user.
Its other features include cognitive behavioural therapy, hypnosis, and even features meant for children. All these are accessible at a fee of 15$ a month. The app is available on the App Store and Google Play.
Breethe
Similar in many ways to Aura, this app also poses a series of questions to initial users to personalize their meditation experience. Guided meditation series, talks on inspiration, sessions with online personal coaches, sleep music playlists for insomniac people, nature sounds, and bedtime stories all come with the 14-day trial and a subscription at 12.99$ a month. The app is available on the App Store and Google Play
Other meditation apps you can check out include iBreathe, Buddhify, and Oak