Namaste Calm: The Best Meditation Apps to Help Wind Down
Keep cool and focused with these helpful apps
Written by Kelly Carbone
courtesy of instagram: @rahelbrhane_
With all that is going on in the world right now, it’s completely understandable (and almost imperative, I would argue) to take some time to focus on your mental health. Meditation is a quick and simple way to help ease the symptoms of anxiety, increase your concentration, and take a small moment of detoxing from daily stressors and the background noise of your life. Luckily, there are also plenty of apps to help immerse yourself in the practice of meditation. Check out the list below and get ready to enter a state of total zen.
Calm
The Calm app is a great start to dipping your toe into the world of digital meditation. Full of soundscapes, sleep stories, and a variety of meditation programs, the app is sure to have something for everyone. The free version is slightly limited but still allows users to listen to the entire “Confidence Series” program as well as the intro levels for most of the basic programs, from “7 Days of Sleep” to Lebron James’ “Train Your Mind” series. If you pay for the premium app (which is around $70 for the whole year) you will unlock daily programs, sleep melodies, more advanced meditation programs, and sleep stories from celebrities like Harry Styles
Headspace
Headspace is another app that comes with a multitude of features, from sleepcasts and wind downs to individual and group meditation sessions. The free version allows you to view the daily community story and participate in the Basics and Breathe meditation sessions. When you upgrade to Headspace Plus (which has a $70 a year plan or a $13 a month plan) you will also unlock all of the Move workouts, Focus playlists, and the Body Scan.
The Tapping Solution
The Tapping Solution is the perfect app for someone looking to have a slightly more active meditation session. If you find yourself often getting distracted during normal meditation sessions the active Tapping component adds another element to basic meditation that allows your brain to be slightly more occupied so that you can reach your zen zone without wandering off. A free account will allow you to access the first program of every category of meditation program, which includes topics like Fears and Phobias to Pain Relief. For $12 a month you get unlimited access to all of the app’s programs.
Slumber
Slumber is an app that is designed specifically for those whose anxiety leads them to have trouble falling asleep at night. Users are able to pick from a range of sleep meditations, soothing sounds, calming stories, and even children’s stories to help guide them to sleep. The free version of this app truly gives you a wide variety of programs but if you want to splurge $40 a year for Premium you will also be able to unlock all of the programs on Slumber.
Awesome Breathing
The Awesome Breathing app is a totally free app that allows you to practice various breathing methods, from box breathing to relaxing breathing to measured breathing. The colorful circles instruct you when to inhale, when to hold your breath, and when to exhale and are great for those who learn best with visual aids. For those who would rather close their eyes when meditating there is also a feature that allows a series of vibrations to direct your breathing patterns
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