Struggling with Stress(2020)? Best Meditation Apps for Beginners to Get You Started with a Healthier Lifestyle

Struggling with Stress(2020)? Best Meditation Apps for Beginners to Get You Started with a Healthier Lifestyle

Our constantly hustling lifestyles have taken a toll on our mental health, and that is what has made apps related to managing stress and mediation not only popular but also extremely important. This article is your guide on how, to begin with, meditation.

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Importance of Meditation

When someone talks about meditation most of us picture them sitting on green grass and shutting the world down but meditation is all about mindfulness and awareness which can be done anywhere. The art of meditation has been around for millennia and people have been benefiting from it in so many different ways. Meditation is a simple technique to help you relax by proper breathing exercises, walking, touching natural objects, chanting a mantra, or even listening to calm music.

There is no right or wrong way to do it, you simply have to give time to your inner self and practice it daily to see the results. Most people think to meditate one has to be religious which is not true. Meditation is followed by people from different religions and beliefs and it is gaining its popularity day by day due to the stress-laden life people follow these days. Here is a list of some of the benefits you can gain from meditation regularly.

  • Meditation helps in reducing our stress level. If you are stressed about your financial problems, which most of us are during the spread of Covid -19, or are worried about family issues or simply feel anxious about every little thing then meditation can help you relax and take away your stress in no time.

  • It also helps in slowing down your aging process. It was observed in several studies that people who meditate regularly live longer in comparison to people who don't.

  • When you are stress-free you feel happier. Meditation helps in producing positive emotions in people. It calms your nerves and keeps you relaxed. Spending 20 minutes of your day in meditation can bring a lot of joy to your life.

  • Our immune system works like an army to protect us from infections and meditation makes it stronger. It helps it to function better and protect our body effectively buy increasing the levels of antibodies in our system.

  • Being able to fall asleep is a big issue with people these days and most of us are going through it due to either stress or health problems. Lack of sleep turns into insomnia and gets worse. Meditation is found to relax a body to an extent that some people fall asleep while meditating.

8 Apps to Help You Meditate

Calm - Meditate, Sleep, Relax

When you look for apps on meditation Calm is probably the first one to pop up. It is a great app to help you get started with meditation. Earlier the app was free but now you have to pay an annual fee of Rs. 3,600 to use it. It has various features that guide you and relax you. You can listen to meditation classes, soothing music, and sounds during your meditation process. There are several recordings in the app which helps you fall asleep, you can listen to bedtime stories and time it so that it turns off when you fall asleep.

The app also offers different sessions for children for them to take time out from an over-energized body. You can download it for free and use some of the features but will have to pay to access all the features of the app. You can download it from Google Play and start using it when you feel the need for it.

Headspace: Meditation & Sleep

If you are looking for an app to help you start meditation you can check out Headspace. Spending a few hours with the app will help you get rid of stress and anxiety and improve the quality of your life. It has a great guided meditation session which teaches you the right technique of breathing. It offers you relaxing music to calm yourself and helps you get back to your sleep cycle.

You can download it and use it anywhere you want and benefit from it. It also has relaxing workouts for you to loosen your muscles and feel fresh. The app also offers wonderful motivational stories to help you encourage you to spend your day positively. It also has a section dedicated to kids for them to learn to pay attention and calm themselves before going to bed. You can start by using a free trial and then upgrade later. It can be downloaded from here.

ThinkRight.Me: Meditate, Think Positive & Succeed

Another good app for beginners is ThinkRight. This is a powerful app with tons of tools to help you relax and give you a healthier lifestyle. It offers a daily journal where you can keep track of your session, you can access guided meditation sessions, and use the mood tracker to analyze yourself daily. It also reminds you to come back to it to avoid missing out on your session. People using the app have shared that it has helped them in managing their stress and anxiety levels, helped them to sleep better, and overcome addictions. You can read and share inspiring quotes through the app and help others as well. You will have to pay a subscription fee to access all the features of the app. Download it from Play Store.

Prana Breath: Calm & Meditate

Knowing the correct way of breathing can help in removing many health issues and Prana Breath does exactly that. This app is being used by millions of people around the world and has learned the art of correct breathing. The app helps in improving your brain activity and concentration removes anxiety and stress, improves your immune system, and helps you fall asleep better. It is exceptionally good for divers and singers who need to learn the art of breathing to be good at what they do. It has 8 different breathing patterns and you can create your own patterns through it. It also has an inbuilt progress chart and a training log for you to keep track of your improvements. It has a free version and a paid version for you to choose from and can be downloaded from Google Play Store.

Simple Habit: Meditation, Sleep

Simple Habit is also a great app for people who want to start meditation. The app is recommended by several psychologists and health experts and is being used by millions of people. It has some very good wellness and sleeps therapy sessions taught by experts. The app helps in improving your life by removing stress and helps you focus more on your work. Other features in the app are motivational talk, tracking your day-to-day progress. It has two auto-renewing subscriptions which you can turn off anytime you want. You can also use some features free during the trial period. You can download the app from Play Store.

Meditation Music – Relax, Yoga

You can also look into the Meditation Music app which again teaches you the right breathing techniques and help you relax. The app has a great selection of HD meditation music to calm you down. It has music for practicing yoga, meditating, or for a peaceful sleep. You can choose from a different style of music or create your own, you can also listen to the soothing sounds of rain, mystic temple music, etc to calm your nerves. You can easily download it from Play Store and enjoy its features.

Zen: Relax, Meditate & Sleep

Zen is a good app to start meditation with. It helps you attain a healthier and balanced emotional life with its guided meditations for relaxation, falling asleep, reduce stress and anxiety, and help you focus on your work. It has a set of audios and videos that guide you through your meditation process. It also has binaural beats therapy to indulge in healthier sex life, chakra healing, and mood elevation. You will have to pay a subscription fee to avail of the app but it is worth the money. It can be downloaded from Play Store.

Insight Timer

If you are looking for an app to help you meditate you can check out the Insight timer. This is a great app with lets you pick the kind of meditation and the methods you want to use as per your need. It also tracks your progress and you can earn badges to motivate. The app offers you deep sleep therapy, music therapy, and guided workouts to keep you fit and happy. It is free of cost and can be downloaded from https://insighttimer.com/



Common Concerns on Meditation and Respective Solutions

Q. Do you have to be still to meditate? Can you do it while running or doing other work?

A. You can meditate whenever and however you want as long as you pay attention to what you’re doing and create an awareness of the things you feel.

Q.How can I start meditating and how long does it take to show results?

A. There are three ways of starting meditation 1. You can start it any day you want if you are ready to make some changes in your lifestyle. You can start with just giving one minute a day and extend it later. 2. Don't have expectations from meditation. It is like taking a shower or sleeping. You might see some results immediately or some may take time. 3. Don't put a lot of energy into it in the beginning or you'll feel discouraged. Give it time and be committed because practice makes perfect.

Q. Which time is good for meditation?

A. The best time for meditation is said to me in the morning before eating breakfast but you can start it any time you want as long as you are able to keep it up.

Q. What if I feel sleepy during meditation?

A. A lot of people feel sleepy because they feel relaxed but if it happens more often you need to take time off and nap rather than meditating at that point.

Q. How will I know if I am doing it right?

A. There is no right or wrong way of doing it. You won't see instant results but you will start to feel signs of relaxation and calmness within you.
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Take a Moment to Pause Every Now and Then

Catering to yourself should be your utmost priority, and even if that means pausing for a minute, taking a break, you should go for it as there is nothing more important than one's mental health and peace of mind. The Apps listed above is also a great starting point and may help you with a perspective you probably had been looking for.