A great way for me to improve my mindfulness practice is to use meditation apps along with my regular routine. Being able to use these apps whenever and wherever I want has really given me the power to take charge of my mindfulness journey. I’ve found that these apps make meditation easier to do and more natural. They can help both people who are new to meditation and people who are already doing it but need some motivation.
When practiced regularly, meditation can help improve physical health, reduce stress and anxiety, alleviate pain, as well as the stress and fatigue commonly associated with chronic pain, and much more. Using apps to learn, improve, or maintain a regular meditation practice has its advantages, such as the ability to customize your practice based on your level, available time frame, or mindset. Apps are also discrete, so you can meditate while riding public transport without anyone knowing. Below we have mentioned some of the Best Meditation Apps.
Best Meditation Apps
iBreathe
If you are an experimenter, you will probably want to take the same approach in your meditation practice, trying different breathing intervals, session lengths, breathing cycles and so on. This app allows you to control all aspects of a single meditation, so you can adjust the length of the session and the amount of each breathing technique you want to use in your session. The breathing exercises are also preset, so it is perfect for those looking for simple deep breathing exercises. Just breathe on command. It’s an easy workout for beginners or those who need a short break. It’s completely free to use all the features. If you want to remove the ads, there is a one-time payment option of $1.99. Overall, this is one of the best Meditation Apps.
Headspace
Headspace has a better set of options than any other app we tried, as well as an engaging interface and a huge, well-organized library of meditations. The courses were clearly labeled and structured, and they progressed gradually over several sessions. Thus, with Headspace it was easier to find the exact type of meditation we wanted and stick with it, compared to using apps whose libraries were disorganized or less complete.
Some Headspace courses give you the tools you need to improve your practice as a whole. Others are problem-solving meditations that focus on anxiety, patience, self-esteem, and grief, to name a few. Short, one-session meditations offer help during specific emergencies or provide a quiet break when you have a spare moment. This is the best Meditation Apps you can install.
Breathe+
Meditative breathing is not the same as normal breathing. It may take some practice before you feel in control of your breathing during meditation and see results. This app is designed to help you learn to breathe “correctly” to get the full benefits of meditative breathing, including the ability to hold your breath for up to 30 seconds and inhale or exhale even for short periods of time. The app offers some free features. Removing ads and unlocking all features costs about $1 per month, $5 per year or $9 for lifetime access. For now, this is one of the best Meditation Apps.
Healthy Minds Program
Awareness, Connection, Understanding and Purpose. Its content is more user-friendly and goal-oriented than the content of other free apps, as well as many paid apps we have tested. When you first use the app, it prompts you to take a survey that gives you a score for each of the four components – a baseline from which you can build over time. You can choose one of two teachers, adjust the course duration in five-minute increments and track your progress. If you’re looking for a simple, straightforward path to meditation without ads or constant pop-ups asking you to pay for a subscription, this might be a good choice. Currently, this is one of the best Meditation Apps.
Aura
Aura fans love the daily meditations, life guidance, nature sounds, stories and music that are personalized through an algorithm based on the needs and interests you share with the app. It continues to learn about your preferences as you make your experience in the app your own. There is also the ability to track your mood and view patterns in how you feel, and set breathing reminders and mindfulness breaks throughout the day. Overall, this is one of the best Meditation Apps you can suggest you friends.
Insight Timer
Experts agree that Insight Timer is a top-notch meditation app. “This app has many of the most experienced mindfulness teachers on it, and it gives you the freedom to choose depending on how long you want to practice, what style you want (e.g. body scan, loving kindness, anxiety/stress reduction, etc.), or just set a timer and sit without guidance,” says Tandon. The app is also a favorite for Elmore because, in addition to a variety of guided meditations, the app has a tracker that allows you to track your progress and earn badges that will keep you coming back for more. Currently, this is one of the best Meditation Apps.
Shine
Shine was founded by black woman and a half-Japanese woman who felt left out of traditional wellness practices. The app includes more than just meditation and mindfulness exercises, but that is definitely the main focus. The free version of the app provides access to Daily Shine meditations paired with motivational messages, three “quick response” meditations for morning, afternoon, and evening, and more.
Shine is a great option if you want to get more out of the app than just meditation. The free and premium versions include a gratitude journal, bedtime stories, self-care exercises, and access to the app’s digital community, Shine Squad, where you can connect with other users. And for those who want more positivity and inspiration, daily motivational texts are available.
UnPlug
Some meditation apps are extensions of physical studios in the world – like this one, which comes from Los Angeles-based Unplug Meditation Studio. It offers over 700 meditation videos that vary in length; some are one minute long and others are a full hour. You can customize your session to suit your mood, time range or favorite teacher once you get started. All sessions are filmed live in the studio, so this is a great option if you feel you practice best in a classroom with an instructor. Plus, the progress options in the app will help you keep track of how far you’ve come since signing up for membership. This is the most popular Meditation Apps that you can consider.
Expectful
This unique meditation app is designed specifically for pregnant women, parents, those trying to conceive, and those dealing with infertility issues (and their partners). It features a wide range of meditation tracks, from weekly and trimester meditations to postpartum mindfulness and support. In addition to the meditation library, it also features a sleep tracker and sleep tools such as stories and soundscapes.
All of its content is based on interviews with people who have been through the process, including prospective parents, pregnant women, and new parents. In addition, we have incorporated much information from psychologists and meditation experts. Upon publication of this book, you can sign up for a special free course on self-care and wellbeing during a pandemic. And if that’s not enough for you, we also offer podcasts. This is the best Meditation Apps that you can consider.
Waking Up
Developed by neuroscientist, philosopher, and best-selling author Sam Harris, the Waking Up program doesn’t encourage passive meditation, but provides more structure and intention as you progress. For example, the 28-day introductory Waking Up program includes lessons on all the ways you can be more intention. With over 50,000 positive reviews, many users have already shared that Waking Up is more like a “meditation university” than anything else. Overall, this is one of the best Meditation Apps you can play.
Final Words
Meditation, which is defined as the practice of mind-body interaction where you focus your attention on something to minimize stressful or distracting thoughts or feelings, can promote more than just relaxation; it also has a number of health benefits, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health in the United States.
Whether you are worried about a crisis that is out of your control or you just need to clear your mind, meditation may be a good place to start. To help you in your search for the best meditation app, the editors of Forbes Health analyzed data on more than 35 apps, scanning a number of metrics including cost, types of meditations offered, additional features and more.
