The 5 Best Meditation Apps For 2021 | Men's Health Magazine Australia

5 Great Apps That Will Help You Learn to Meditate Like a Pro

There's never been a better time to take a moment for yourself.

Meditation may have been around for thousands of years, but it’s only recently become mainstream: Following the pandemic, which has had (and is still having) untold consequences on everyone, especially in the area of mental wellbeing, the amount of people suffering from sleep issues has risen from 16% pre-pandemic to 25% during lockdown.

Another study by hybrid mattress brand OTTY also uncovered the increasing sleep problems throughout lockdown: By comparing data from Google trends in January 2019 compared to January 2021, it was found that searches for sleep anxiety rose by 317%.

And while the motivation to get on the meditation bandwagon is definitely there, starting can be difficult—or even stressful for some.

When you come to meditate these apps will help guide you and stop the rushing thoughts of; How do I do it? How long do I do it for and when should I be meditating?

“My top tip would be to start with the end in mind. What is your intention for meditating? What do you want to be different as a result of sitting down for a short while to meditate? The term mindfulness and meditation are often used interchangeably but they are not the same thing,” explains workplace mindfulness expert Juliet Adams. “The aim of mindfulness-based meditations is not relaxation, but to observe and manage your mind. That being said, many people do feel calm and relaxed after practicing mindfulness but it certainly isn’t the aim. There are many forms of meditations. If you want to relax and escape you might choose a guided visualisation meditation. If you are angry or anxious and want to calm down, you might choose a meditation where you control your breath by breathing in for several counts and out for a number of count. If you want to relax and fall asleep there are meditations designed to do this, or you might like nature sounds based meditation. Picking the right meditation for you at any given moment in time is the first step to relaxation.”

These 5 apps can help you get started with your practice.

Headspace

iPhone rating: 5 stars / Android rating: 4.6 stars

Price: Free with optional in-app purchases

Headspace is an everyday guide to mindfulness that sits comfortably in your life. Filled with world-class experts including Headspace co-founder Andy Puddicombe, Headspace will teach you the art of meditation and mindfulness.

Try the app during your bedtime routine, where you will be taken through a guided meditation for sleep, including nature soundscapes, music and storytelling sleep casts. You can build the app to suit your needs for a more personalised experience.

Download iPhone app here

Download Android app here

Whil

iPhone rating: 4.8 stars / Android rating: 4.4 stars

Price: Free with optional in-app purchases

Whil has been developed specifically for busybodies who are too busy to meditate. The app offers meditation courses that last as little as five minutes. Made to help reduce stress, tension, anxiety and much more. Designed with teens and young adults in mind, it has been created to help the younger generation to learn about how stress and pressure can affect not only their mental health but also physical.

Download iPhone app here

Download Android app here

Meditation Studio

iPhone rating: 4.8 stars / Android rating: 4.8 stars

Price: Free with optional in-app purchases

When it comes to meditation, there are a variety of areas where we want to target, from health to happiness, the Meditation Studio app can help you achieve your personal goals. The app contains monthly featured collections on opening your heart to kickstarting your creativity. You can also create your own meditation plan if you want a little bit of everything.

Download iPhone app here

Download Android app here

Calm

iPhone rating: 4.7 stars / Android rating: 4.1 stars

Price: Free with optional in-app purchases

This award-winning app has a variety of exercises and breathing techniques to help you relax. Their guided meditations range from three to 25 minutes long. They have a feature called Sleep Stories which hosts a great mix of voice talent such as Matthew McConaughey to help lull you to sleep. If you own an Apple Watch you have access to new breathing exercises, calming exercises and even mindful walking meditation.

Download iPhone app here

Download Android app here

Happy Not Perfect

iPhone rating: 4.7 stars / Android rating: 4.4 stars

Price: Free with optional in-app purchases

You may not notice all of your surrounding stressors, this app allows you to enter your current mood and gives you specific meditation tips. From stress, anxiety and feelings of pressure on yourself, this app can help you centre yourself. Featuring courses and tips that can help you release any endless negative thoughts cycle. Happy Not Perfect can help you develop a positive mindset that can help you deal with unexpected life stress and anxiety.

Download iPhone app here

Download Android app here

By Nikolina Ilic

Nikolina is the former Digital Editor at Men's Health Australia, responsible for all things social media and .com. A lover of boxing, she has written for Women's Health, esquire, GQ and Vogue magazine.

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