In this demanding and digital age, telling someone to keep calm and relax is definitely a lot easier than actually doing so. Some may not know when to start, while others are simply too busy or addicted to their fast-paced lifestyle to know when to take a break.
But instead of abandoning the pursuit for a healthier state of mind, why not live in the times and turn to a nifty meditation app? Whether you’re a beginner, a stay-at-home parent, or looking to squeeze in some positivity into your busy schedule, we’ve rounded up 8 meditation apps that offer guided exercises, short sessions, and meditation how-to’s that can help you find your focus again or add some zen to your life.
Headspace
Declutter your mind, sleep better, and wake up happier with this cheery yet relaxing app. During the day, it guides you through meditation sessions, breathing exercises and mindfulness techniques during the day to keep you centred and mindful. At night, you can access its sleep-themed meditations which include calming music, sounds of nature, and storytelling to help you get a better night’s sleep.
Download on the App Store or Google Play.
Calm
Declutter your mind, sleep better, and wake up happier with this cheery yet relaxing app. During the day, it guides you through meditation sessions, breathing exercises and mindfulness techniques during the day to keep you centred and mindful. At night, you can access its sleep-themed meditations which include calming music, sounds of nature, and storytelling to help you get a better night’s sleep.
Download on the App Store or Google Play.
Related: Want to improve your relationship with food? Try mindful eating.
Ten Percent Happier Meditation
Based off the popular book by Dan Harris, this app aims to teach you the ins-and-outs of meditation in a fun and accessible way. The app boasts over 500 guided meditation sessions, covering topics from anxiety and parenting, to focus and mindfulness. If you have a packed schedule, it also offers bite-sized content designed for on-the-go listening or if you don’t feel like meditating but still want a positivity boost.
Download on the App Store or Google Play.
Stop, Breathe & Think Kids
This unique app is made for both adults and children. It teaches you and your little ones how to keep calm and work through negative emotions effectively, while mindfulness games help with nighttime restlessness. It uses cute animations, rewards, and virtual sticks to reinforce your child’s good behaviour, while keeping activities short and sweet.
Download on the App Store here.
Simple Habit
Made for those constantly on-the-go, Simple Habit offers you personalised wellness and mindfulness sessions to help you achieve your goals whether you have 20 minutes or only 5 minutes to spare each day. It’s specially designed for life’s daily problems, and features meditations guided by Google’s mindfulness experts or former monks, coaching content, and even motivational talks.
Download on the App Store or Google Play.
Oak
Turn meditation from an experiment into a habit by taking on mindful and relaxing sessions on Oak. You can choose between guided or unguided meditation sessions with soothing background tracks, learn mindful breathing exercises, or delve into a Mantra meditation 10-day course for something more intensive. Organised folks will particularly enjoy this app as it tracks your meditation and mindfulness progress, and rewards you with accomplishment badges.
Download on the App Store here.
Breathe+
If you’ve ever wondered how meditative breathing differs from normal breathing, Breathe+ visualises it beautifully to help you achieve “proper” breathing techniques so that you can reap its benefits. It’s great if you’re a beginner looking to practice your breath control during meditation and just want something simple and straightforward.
Download on the App Store here.
Happy Not Perfect
Nurture your inner positivity and keep stress at bay with this cheerful app that focuses on having a balanced wellbeing rather than perfection. Whether you’re feeling sad, anxious, or insecure this app features professionally-developed tools and activities to help you feel right as rain again. You can commit to the Daily Happiness Workout, select your mood and complete a fully interactive “mind workout”, or practice positivity with your very own Daily Affirmation.
Download on the App Store or Google Play.
Photos courtesy of the respective brands.
Featured image: Pexels.