by Meg Tenny, MS, LCMFT
Stress seeps into our daily lives. Running to get kids to activities, working hectic schedules, and trying to find time for your spouse, your family, and yourself… It all leads to a mind state that is overwhelmed and overworked. The traditional relaxation techniques won’t work because you are already in a time crunch. But you might be able to find five or ten minutes to unwind in bed before you go to sleep or in your car during your lunch break. Meditation phone apps provide a calming influence that can help you start or finish off your day right, or take a little break. Apps are user friendly and simple to install on your phone, and the popular ones listed here are free to use. Which meditation app is best for you?
1. Headspace: Headspace provides themed meditation (for example, “Burned Out,” “Losing Your Temper”) that are short and meant for people with a busy lifestyle. There are also options for help you wake up and go to sleep, and “Sleep Sounds,” which are background noises to help you fall asleep. Packs of ten meditation sessions are offered by theme, or you can choose a single meditation, which cover all variety of life stressors. There are also special sections for children and for students.
2. Calm: Calm offers “Masterclasses,” which are talks by experts on a variety of topics, such as social media and addiction. The app provides relaxing music and themed (“Loving-Kindness,” “Forgiveness”) meditation sessions for 7 or 21 days. Calm also shows the “Breathe Bubble,” which helps you visualize a bubble expanding and shrinking as it guides you through deep breathing exercises. The app also presents a “Relationship” themed series of guided meditation. Calm uses “Sleep Stories,” which are bedtime stories to help you fall asleep, and visually relaxing scenes like a fireplace or a mountain lake.
3. Simple Habit: Upon opening this app, you will be asked what you are doing right now, with options of “Walking” or “At Work,” for example. There is a feature called “On the Go,” geared towards those who are busy, that will ask you how many minutes you have to spare for a meditation and will help you choose a specifically timed and themed meditation based on your response. It also offers the “Community” element that allows you to meditate with friends by connecting on Facebook. “Community” also includes “Challenges” once a month, which show members who are meditating in a time challenge. This is meant to assist you in keeping up your meditation momentum. Simple Habit has a special section for meditation beginners.
Of course, these are only three of a plethora of available meditation apps. Most of these apps have a tracking system that allows you to follow how much of a meditation series you’ve completed or monitor your progress into relaxation. All are designed to help those who are busy and stressed, so it may be worth a try!
