It’s easy to get lost in the daily chaos of life, especially if you are a hands-on mom. Whether you are a new or veteran mother, nothing prepares you to the physical and mental changes which your body has to go through. In order to be aware of yourself as well as the world and the people around you, you need to meditate. Meditation can bring about a sense of inner calm, peace and contentment.
Practicing meditation has significant physical and mental health benefits. However, this practice is not simple and it can be very challenging if you are just starting out. But the tech-world has made meditation easier with the availability of applications that feature various mindfulness techniques. If you are looking for a great meditation app, outlined below are the top five applications that you can use for daily meditation.
1. Headspace
This is a spoken-word application that should be used for about 10 minutes daily. Headspace contains short meditations exercises as well as SOS meditations which can be useful in times of crisis. The app claims to be the mind’s gym. It contains a 10-day guide of meditation exercises for beginners in addition to 550 hours of premium content. Headspace’s main goal is to help users have a better understanding of the mind and the world in general. It cultivates compassion and self–awareness.
Price: Free download with $95.88 annually
Available for Android and iOS.
2. Aura
For those who need short bursts of daily meditation, then Aura is the best app to go for. It contains “micro” meditations which last for just 3 minutes. Aura is a great meditation app that’s suitable for easing anxiety and stress. It’s designed with a simple and intuitive interface. The technologically-advanced app can be customized to meet your daily needs. Aura allows you to track moods, listen to various sounds of nature, and keep a gratitude journal. It makes meditation easy and you can level up as you take part in various challenges. If you have a demanding schedule or you’re always on the move, this is one of the best apps that you can use to meditate.
Price: Free download with in-app purchases
Available for iOS and Android
3. The Mindfulness App
It’s one of the most accessible mindfulness applications. The Mindfulness App has a great catalog of amazing meditations tracks which range from 3 minutes up to 30 minutes. Without any narrator, this meditation app comes with various series for beginners to help you get started. It’s packed with unique and user-friendly meditation features which include a 5-day meditation practice guide as well as reminders. The Mindfulness app can be personalized to meet an individual’s habit and you can integrate it with various health applications.
Price: Free download with an annual fee of $95.99 for in-app purchases
Available for iOS and Android
4. Buddhify
Buddhify is one of the top-rated meditation apps currently that is considered slick. The app’s design features a colorful disk (wheel) which is divided into various segments. Buddhify allows you to organize your meditation sessions by themes depending on where you’re in your day. Each segment on the wheel features meditation and mindfulness exercises that you’d like to go through. Buddhify exercises are usually spoken sessions which last for a few minutes and you can slot them into your daily activities. They are themed as “work break, “walking”, “eating”, “waking up”, “traveling”, etc. Overall, this app allows you to keep your daily meditations short and simple.
Price: free download with in-app purchases that cost $30.00 annually.
Available for Android and iOS
5. Calm
Rated in 2017 by Apple as the app of the year, this mindful app gets you straight into meditation once you open it. Calm features a variety of voice-led mindfulness exercises which includes a 7-day free program for beginners to help you get started. Calm has about 25 free basic mindfulness exercises with varying sit-sessions between 3 minutes and 30 minutes. Besides that, the app has a library of soothing music as well as a cool selection of bedtime takes i.e. sleep stories. This meditation app is helpful if you are feeling like your mind is rushing or overwhelmed. It helps you feel at ease and peaceful by providing a sense of clarity. It makes the meditation process more enjoyable and soothing by providing a relaxing background sound of rain falling.