Are mindfulness apps worth it?

Mindfulness is a great practice to bring you closer to your present experience through noticing emotions, thoughts, and sensations, nonjudgmentally.  Resources for mindfulness can be found on Youtube, mindfulness-based websites, and apps.  Because people gravitate to apps as a convenience, many apps have become available specifically for mindfulness practice.

One of the most popular apps for mindfulness is called Calm.  Its free version provides the user with soundscapes, a few mindfulness-guided exercises, and breathing practices.  Its full version allows users to choose from many meditations, sleep stories, and music made for distinct settings or situations.  Having a variety of options can be beneficial as sometimes we need to focus on breathing, sometimes we want that calming background noise, and other times we need help falling asleep.  Calm also gives the user options to track their use and log moods before and after certain features.

Headspace is another popular mindfulness app that has both free and paid versions.  It offers nearly the same features as Calm and movement-based techniques to recenter yourself or reduce anxiety.  As with the Calm app, there are many different options for meditation and mindfulness to choose from, including those focused on distinct emotions, situations, and goals for the day.  They have practices suited for people at different levels of meditation, making it an app that can provide for your individual needs.

The great thing about apps is that you can usually set reminders to use their features.  This can help keep people on track with mindfulness goals and provides ease of access as the only thing you need is your phone.  Another benefit here is that if you don’t connect with one app, there are plenty more to choose from that may fit your needs better.   It may take some trial and error, but it only takes one to find the right fit!

For some people, apps aren’t helpful, or premium versions are not affordable.  Other options include www.mindfulnessexercises.com, www.mindful.org, and other sites specific to the practice.  Finding what works for you is an important and necessary part of meeting your own needs!