The practice of mindfulness involves clearing your mind and deeply aware of yourself and your environment.
There are various ways in which this can be achieved. Popular methods include deep breathing or guided imagery. Whichever way you prefer to practice mindfulness / meditation, the benefits for your mental and physical health are immense. In fact, it is an NHS-approved approach to help deal with anxiety, improve sleep, and enhance your focus.
For some, however, it can be hard to find the time or energy to take a meditation class. Cue technology intervention. There are now a number of meditation apps available which make it easy and possible to practice mindfulness anywhere.
It’s important to note, however, that these apps have not been created to treat mental health problems, and should not be used as a substitute for seeking professional help.
These are the top seven apps, for iPhone and Android, for deep breathing, guided meditation, and finding your Zen.
1. Headspace
iPhone rating: 5-star
Android rating: 5-star
Price: Free with trial
This app is perfect for meditation beginners. The free trial is comprised of 10 exercises aimed at helping beginners learn more about meditation and how to apply it to your life. The paid version offers a wide variety of meditations with an easy-to-use interface. There is also a personalised progress page, reward system, and buddy system. The app also provides short meditations for emergencies or the odd quiet moment. The animations involved add an endearing, light-hearted effect.
Download Headspace here for iPhone.
Download Headspace here for Android.
2. Calm
iPhone rating: 5-star
Android rating: 5-star
Price: Free with trial
Calm provides a wide range of guided meditations, ranging from three-minute to 25-minute sessions. These are somewhat flexible and, therefore, may appeal to more experienced meditators. There is also the ‘Daily Calm’, which is a 10-minute program you can make use of at the start or end of your day. Furthermore, there are breathing exercises, sleep stories, and over 25 comforting sounds to help you sleep.
Download Calm here for iPhone.
Download Calm here for Android.
3. Buddhify
iPhone rating: 4-star
Android rating: 4-star
Price: $4.99 for iPhone, $1.99 for Android
Buddhify offers over 11 hours of custom meditation sessions. Each activity is aimed at varying details of life, for example: to improve sleep or take a break from work. This apps unique selling proposition is its ‘wheel’: a colourful disc made up of segments, each representing a different meditation activity. You can add or remove meditations to customise this wheel. Most of the activities are brief, spoken sessions, created to be used on the go. You are also able to assess your progress.
Download Buddhify here for iPhone.
Download Buddhify here for Android.
4. Insight Timer
iPhone rating: 5-star
Android rating: 5-star
Price: Free
Insight Timer offers over 4,500 free guided meditations created by more than 1,000 meditation practitioners. You are also able to listen to 750 meditation songs. Furthermore, Insight Timer is focused on network and allows you to access a world map showing how many people are meditation at any one time, and where they are located. You are able to customise your meditations to create ones that best suit you.
Download Insight Timer here for iPhone.
Download Insight Timer here for Android.
5. Smiling Mind
iPhone rating: 5-star
Android rating: 4-star
Price: Free
With Smiling Mind, you can get your children to practice meditation. This apps intention is to make mindfulness “an accessible tool for all”. What’s more, you can create accounts for different family members. Teachers can also make use of the app in order to include meditation in their curriculum.
Download Smiling Mind here for iPhone.
Download Smiling Mind here for Android.
6. Stop, Breathe, & Think
iPhone rating: 5-star
Android rating: 5-star
Price: Free
Stop, Breathe, & Think offers over 55 practices for guided meditation. It also categorises activities according to various topics, such as sleep, compassion, depression, and anxiety. Furthermore, you can record how you’re feeling (mentally and physically) and then, once your ‘emotional data’ has been collected, the app selects the mindfulness activity best suited to your mood. The app includes unconventional illustrations throughout, which may appeal to the younger generations. The chimes and sounds are customisable and you are able to track your progress.
7. 10% Happier
iPhone rating: 5-star
Android: 5-star
Price: Free
10% Happier was created for meditation skeptics. The app is, therefore, instructive, straight-talking, and irreverent. The app is based on the concept that happiness is a skill that can be taught. It was developed by famous news anchor, Dan Harris, who collaborated with the likes of Buddhist teacher, Joseph Goldstein. The meditation activities aim to help with anxiety and sleep and new content is added weekly. Apple Health App integration is also available.
Download 10% Happier here for iPhone.
Download 10% Happier here for Android.
