If you have not already jumped on the meditation train, these apps can get you up and running quickly and easily. You will enjoy the benefits of living the mindful, stress free existence you have only dreamed about. Or maybe you haven’t been dreaming because you haven’t been sleeping. Meditation can help with your sleep routine as well. In fact, studies show that it has benefits in many areas of health and lifestyle challenges like anxiety, depression, chronic pain, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and even weight loss. This guide below will help you chose the right app for those just getting started or the experience Meditator wanting to change up their practice.
Headspace
Headspace is listed first because it is my favorite. I have a thing for soothing male British accents. It is also highly rated by others on both Apple and Android. You can get started for free with the Basics pack and then once you are hooked, you pay an auto renew subscription for 100s of meditation packs geared towards a variety of life challenges like relationships, better sleep, better performance and more.
You can even share your progress with your friends to help you stay in practice. In the latest version they have included lots of new content to help your kids get into a better headspace as well.
It is not cheap at $12.99 monthly or $94.99 annually, but if you get hooked your hippocampus will thank you. Check out what the NYPost wrote about Headspace: The most powerful millennials in the country depend on this app.
Meditation Studio
Developed by Gaiam Brands, Meditation Studio lets you choose your style of meditation. It has won oodles of awards, including Apple’s 10 best apps of 2016. In a 2016 interview with Forbes Magazine, Gaiam’s Chief Operating Officer, Cyd Crouse talks about what makes Meditation Studio is unique. “Our uniqueness is that we don’t just have one voice or one teacher that reads a script. Our teachers teach based on their passion, expertise and experience. Next is our content depth — we have in-depth courses on topics like Meditation Essentials and Uncovering Happiness, as well as over 160 solution focused meditations.” The price of Meditation Studio can not go unmentioned.
There is no try before you buy, but who cares at $3.99 with no subscription fee. It’s a no brainer to get your brain in shape.
Calm
If you miss your Mom reading to you at bedtime, your should check out this app. Calm covers all the basis of improving different areas of your life through the practice of meditation, but also dives into better sleep with various aids, including over 50 adult bedtime stories. You can track your progress, improve your breathing technique and once you are an expert, use Calm’s timed unguided meditation feature.
You can try before you buy, but once your hooked you will have to subscribe $12.99 monthly or $59.99 annually.
buddhify
Described as meditation on the go, buddhify is for the busiest of peeps, trying to achieve bit of nothingness in their otherwise chaotic existences. It caters to 15 different parts of your day including traveling, being online, taking a work break and going to sleep. The founder of Mindfulness Everywhere, the makers of buddhify, Rohan Gunatillake, is a modern urbanite from Glasgow.
Rohan believes in using everything around us as a prompt for mindfulness, calm and compassion. He was also named by Wired Magazine in their Smart List of 50 people who will change the world.
buddhify is hugely accessible to everyone at the price of $4.99 for everything. No subscription required.
Stop Breathe & Think
With over, 55 guided meditations, friend sharing and an emotion tracker, Stop, Breath & Think (SBT), covers the basis and then some when setting out to deliver a comprehensive Meditation app. It checks in with you through a short survey to find out what kind of mood you are in and then leads you to a meditation to accommodate that mood.
I love the thought SBT makers put into its mission by giving back. Not only are they helping their users achieve a greater state of mind, but the company is also sharing 10% of our net revenue with Tools for Peace, a non-profit dedicated to helping at-risk youth experience the benefits of mindfulness and meditation.
SBT is free to start, but if you really want to dive in you will subscribe $9.99 monthly or $72 annually.