DEEP DIVE
Beat stress with meditation
Do you find that trying to relax is actually horribly stressful? We all have different stresses, and different approaches will suit particular worries. To help you find your own happy place, we’ve broken down the details of a few top apps.
Embrace the ancient
Oak focuses on three key areas – meditation, breathing and sleep – eventually leading you to unguided meditation. Choose your preferred duration (and an optional background sound, such as soft rain water or a crackling fire), and you’re ready to start learning centuries-old techniques.
With Insight Timer, traditional bell tones accompany your timed meditations to add structure to your solitude. For those that need more direction, the app also offers guided meditations that draw on traditions from around the world.
Find your niche
Browse the collections of Meditation Studio to find calming practices. There are options specific to people of all professions, ages and stages such as mums, teens, students, entrepreneurs, military veterans, those who work in the emergency services and much more.
Shine makes daily routines more mindful, showing you how turn washing up or brushing teeth into meditative practices. Alternatively, use the app to address bigger issues such as dealing with jealousy or learning to speak up for your needs.
Head to happy
Back in 2004, US TV presenter Dan Harris had a panic attack on national television. A skeptic of meditation at the time, Harris set out on a quest to solve his stress issues, and became an evangelist for a stigma-free brand of meditation and mindfulness.
His app, Ten Percent Happier, espouses just that – drawing on the wisdom of experts such as Jon Kabat-Zinn, the founder of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts, and author and meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg.
Happy Not Perfect was founded on the premise that embracing our less conventional feelings is what makes life worth living (we’re all human, after all). While the app helps you meditate, it includes lots of other activities to keep you mindful – from journaling to sending good vibes to friends. Learn to let go by lighting a match (digital, of course) to your worries and anxieties.
Make it daily
Both Calm and Headspace have vast libraries of meditations to tackle everything from challenges at work to difficulty falling asleep. Calm takes a tranquil approach with brilliant nature photography, while Headspace features playful, illustrated characters to keep things light.
Whichever approach works for you, the apps back up their enticing visuals with comprehensive collections of guided meditations and soothing practices, to tackle your daily dilemmas.