We talk a lot about sleep and stress around here and for good reason; both issues can have a major impact on your mental and physical well being. Meditation may feel like a daunting concept, but it can be as simple as taking a few moments and a few deep breaths during the day. In just a few minutes it can have profoundly beneficial physiological effects. Forbes published a great article last year about the effects that meditation can produce; check it out here : 7 Ways Meditation Can Actually Change The Brain.
One of the practitioners we refer to, Katherine Kientzle (MA NCC LPC CCTP, PhD(c); Licensed Professional Counselor & Neurotherapist; EMDR Therapist), recommends the following list of apps to help you with mindful meditation. There are lots of great apps out there; we’re including just a few. These free apps are a great starting point, but keep looking until you find what works for you.
1. Stop, Breathe & Think (Apple and Android)
This handy little app is an award winner. The interface is simple; it offers neat features like checking in with your emotional state before and after a meditation session. The app will keep track of how long you meditate and track your progress over time as well. Bonus: You can earn in-app stickers!
2. OmVana (Apple and Android)
Do you have a meditation expert on call? With OmVana, you can! OmVana is all about personalization: build custom tracks, integrate with Apple’s HealthKit, and choose your own background music!
3. Guided Mind (Apple and Android)
Download your tracks and meditate wherever you’d like with Guided Mind. The app focuses primarily on shorter meditations (3-30 minutes) with a variety of guides and an elegant interface.
4. Moving Forward (Apple only)
Developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Moving Forward was designed for veterans but is useful for everyone dealing with challenging situations. The assessment section is what really makes Moving Forward unique in our app line up. Currently, Moving Forward is only available on Apple devices.
5. Mindfulness Coach (Apple only)
Another app from the Department of Veterans Affairs, Mindfulness Coach is a simple app to help you develop mindful habits. Practice with a variety of exercises and track your progress over time in this apps simple interface. Currently, Mindfulness Coach is only available on Apple devices.
6. Meditation Timer (Apple only)
A simple, functional timer to help you with your meditation practice. Set reminders for yourself, a meditation schedule, and your own background music. Currently, this particular app is only available on Apple devices but there are a number of similar apps for Android users.
7. Cody (Apple and Android)
Cody is a fitness community: track your exercise, interact with fellow app users, try new workouts, meditate, and learn new skills! The apps focus is more on overall fitness, so if you’re looking for something to help you get moving Cody can help with that too!