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Can Meditation Apps Help Improve Mental Health

On October 10, World Mental Health Day was celebrated. It is observed annually to raise awareness about mental health issues and to show support for one another.

Each person has a different story. We do not know what a person is battling every day. When we were still children, we fought those scary thoughts by hearing bedtime stories. But as people grow older, many factors can trouble an individual’s mind. It can be stress from work, family issues, inferiority, or traumatic experiences. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of people around the world with mental illness has increased. That is why this year’s celebration theme is “Make mental health for all a global priority.” It shows the importance of validating one’s emotional state and helping one another to improve their state.

Studies show that to be mentally healthy, you need to maintain social connections so you would not feel alone. Talking to someone can help you at least release some heavy thoughts. Another way is to have a healthy diet which is beneficial to both your body and your brain. But the most effective way to reduce stress is to practice meditation. This relaxation practice is now attainable despite your busy schedules. There is an existing and growing number of the best meditation apps that you can download to help you.

What is Meditation?

The history of meditation originated from 1,5000 BCE. The first countries that said to start the meditation practice were China and India. They used to bring meditation offerings as part of their religious tradition. But today, from a worldly view, meditation is a practice of training your mind to have a sense of calmness, balance, and peace. The method diverts your attention to something- like a thought, activity, or things that revive your inner peace.

Some techniques in mindfulness practices to achieve mental awareness are practicing deep breathing exercises, listening to sleep stories and soothing music, using essential oils, or doing a movement meditation. People who practice meditation are said to have a different view of things during stressful situations. It helps them to overcome addiction and manage unhealthy habits. It can reduce symptoms of stress and even regulate blood pressure.

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What is Meditation

Is Meditation Effective for Mental Health?

It is believed that Hindus first practiced meditation. It used to be a spiritual and cultural tradition, then later became civilized. Regardless of one’s religion, people meditate to seek serenity. Doing meditation has proven to have a lot of scientific benefits. In a research study by JAMA Internal Medicine, patients suffering from anxiety and depression reported that they experienced lesser symptoms during the two months of meditating.

Read more: 7 benefits of meditation

For some, it may take a short or long session of meditation before they finally learn how to regulate and manage their thoughts. The process also varies depending on the things that help them best. It could be through breathing techniques, listening to soothing music, and other relieving methods.

While others might find it hard to go out and visit the nearest meditation studio or seek personal, professional help, meditation is now accessible and doable through your electronic devices. Meditation apps of 2022 are here to the rescue!

Is Meditation Effective for Mental Health

Can Meditation Apps Help Mental Health?

Mindfulness and meditation apps have been found to be helpful in several studies. Unlike face-to-face guided meditations, meditation apps give a focused need to the user. It also gives instant access and is available in the comfort of your home.

Can Meditation Apps Help Mental Health

In a study, it says regardless of the time spent on meditation, these apps can reduce the symptoms of anxiety and stimulates salivary oxytocin- which is a hormone related to empathy and social bonds. Aside from the hormones, a structure of the brain that leads to an increase in grey matter concentration is found to be helpful with one’s regulation of learning, memorization, and emotion.

One of the symptoms of mental trouble is having trouble sleeping. People who practice mindfulness through many meditation apps have reported having better and more consistent sleep. It is important to have a good quality of sleep because it also helps with enhancing memory and protects your body from other health risks like flu, high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack, etc.

5 Best Meditation Apps:

These top Meditation apps have different meditation techniques that target various mental health problems. While other meditation apps are worth the price for a subscription, remember that these things give the priceless benefit of tranquility and comfort. We have listed the apps together with the app features and app offers. See how this meditation apps work:

1. Calm

Calm is the number 1 app for guided meditations and sleeps stories. It was founded in 2012 and was named the “world’s happiest app” by the Centre for Humane Technology. It has free trials, and once it ends, the yearly subscription is about $70.

The application is passionate about giving the best exercises and ways to help improve mental fitness, calmness, and sound sleep. It gives a unique way of meditation as they believe every morning should be refreshing. Its feature includes exclusive music to help with focusing. The app features background sounds, nature sounds, and sleep music aiming to give a feeling of relaxation while working, studying, or even as you sleep. The app also offers videos of short meditations and lessons about mindfulness exercises.

2. Headspace

Headspace application is called the everyday app for feeling better. It can be availed through a premium subscription but also has a seven-day free trial and a two-week free trial. Also, some meditation videos are available on Netflix and YouTube. Despite its price, is it worth the cost?

Definitely! Reviews from the app say that the meditation courses are easy to use, and it gives a gradual introduction to new meditation techniques which are beneficial for beginners. The app offers four areas to focus on well-being, sexual and physical health, work support, and drug services. The in-app purchases include unlimited background sounds, unlimited downloads of unguided meditations, and access to exclusive meditation programs.

3. Insight Timer

This third meditation app is completely free and accessible! The app provides a huge number of guided meditations by over 10,000 coaches. Their topics most likely tackle relationships, inner healing, stress, creativity, sleep, and many more.

It is a worldwide community of meditators. On the app’s home screen, you can see the people meditating with you and the chart of what most people like listening to. Insight Timer also has a real-time interaction where you can join other users on their daily meditation. If you have liked the meditation coach, you can follow them on the app so you will be updated about their latest content. From the app title itself, it has another unique feature when you prefer silent meditation. You can set a meditation timer and meditate on calming music, bells, and relaxing surround noise.

If you want more upgraded features, you can subscribe to Insight Timer’s yearly offer for $60 and a 30-day free trial. You can have your meditation coach download guided meditation courses so you can play them offline.

4. UCLA Mindful

This meditation app is developed by the Mindful Awareness Research Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, or UCLA. Its features include learning breathing techniques and working on difficult emotions. The meditation sessions range from 3 minutes to 19 minutes.

If you are a beginner to mindfulness, they have a section named ‘Getting Started’- it briefly explains what mindfulness is, choosing the right meditation that is perfect for your need and interest, and postures while practicing meditation. They also have free meditations and podcasts, which take about half an hour to record. The speakers talk about their testimonies about the simple habit of meditating. The application’s mindfulness tools include lessons about postures and deep breathing. The greatest thing about this meditation app? It’s completely free!

5. Smiling Mind

Among all the meditation apps, this one is called to be the sweetest of them all. It was not named Smiling mind without reason. The developers’ objective is to put a “smile on your mind”, and here are some reasons to believe them:

They offer this application with free content and are not-for-profit. They have different guided sessions inside programs like building Mindful Foundations, Sleep, Digital Detox, and Stress Management. They have long and short meditations that help with calming anxiety through life coaching. This could be the best meditation app for all ages because it is not limited to adults only; kids, youth, and elders can find the best meditation practices for them.

Practice Mindfulness with the Best Meditation Apps in Brittany

Life may be a series of rollercoaster rides, there will be a lot of ups and downs. There can be overwhelming anxious thoughts and restless sleep.

Do you know what gives a more peaceful life while having mindfulness education and consistent meditation? It’s surrounding yourself with a serene environment. You can have a more restful sleep and practice breathing exercises in Brittany’s homes and properties. Enjoy the most beautiful houses in the Philippines and experience luxury living. The views and spaces give a positive and relaxing energy that can help you improve your mental health and decrease the symptoms of anxiety or depression.

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