n an era when we all feel that we have little time for self-care, having an app on our smartphone - that we carry all the time - that tells us: “stop and take a deep breath”, or that guides us through a 10-minute meditation session, can be a good thing, no doubt. Mainly because well-being and health need a daily commitment, persistent actions that become regular habits. Only by doing this is it possible to create the desired change, improve to reach the best version of ourselves and, above all, ensure our well-being.
With the beginning of the new year, and the usual establishment of new goals, we gathered in this article the seven mental health apps that we think can help you reach your wellness goals. There are apps that will support you in implementing new habits, others that will help you to practice yoga or simply remind you to drink water.
Get to know each one of them and choose the ones you'll download to your phone.
1. Headspace
Considered one of the best apps for meditation, Headspace promises to make your life happier through, for example, providing ways to relieve stress, to sleep better or to focus. This app was created by Tibetan Buddhist monk Andy Puddicombe, who is also the voice that guides all meditation sessions. The success of Headspace, created in 2006 with the goal of fighting the difficulty young people face in getting mental health support, has been such that it has already given rise to a series on Netflix.
2. Sanity & Self
“You are beautiful, boss babe”. This is one of the reminders that can reach you, at any time of day, with Sanity & Self. But the app can also remind you to drink water, that it's time to go to bed or that you should listen to one of the app's own sessions, which have a wide range of themes, from personal growth to self-love or dependence on social networks. In addition, Sanity & Self has an online community and a diary that invites you to reflect on your day.
3. 29K
Most recently launched, 29K is the app developed by Fundação José Neves, which believes that personal development has the power to change the world. The lack of meaning in life can cause anxiety, loneliness and a feeling of alienation from reality. That's how 29K was created, to put this growth within everyone's reach, free of charge and secure. The application features meditation sessions, exercises and personal development courses, in video format, guided by ambassadors and scientifically validated, covering topics ranging from stress and anxiety to relationships and values.
4. Grateful
This is the digital diary that invites you to reflect on your day and record all those moments you didn't pay much attention to, but which were small things that somehow brought you happiness. In addition to describing that moment or just writing a reflection, you can also add images and tags. And if you don't feel like writing anything about your day, you can use Grateful to write about someone and share that same letter with that person. Maybe that's going to make their day.
5. Daily Yoga
2022 is just starting, and if you want to take the chance to develop a healthier routine and get into the habit of exercising, you can start downloading Daily Yoga now. With different difficulty levels, this app will be your personal yoga plan. It features sessions for beginners or more advanced practitioners, new classes weekly and challenges every day. This app promises to bring health benefits to all users, not only for the body, but also for the mind. And there are no excuses: it only takes ten minutes of your lunch break.
6. Stop, Breathe & Think
The main purpose of this app is to do a check-up before we proceed to any task or place. Whenever you access Stop, Breathe & Think, the app will ask you to describe how you feel at that moment, both physically and emotionally. After this screening, the app will recommend the best guided meditation or yoga session, depending on the diagnosis it made of you. Give yourself time to think about how you feel, and to take care of yourself.
7. Fabulous
This is not just the app where you'll record habits, it's the app that will help you create them in order to reach your goals. Fabulous promises to be the motivation that users need to achieve their goals. Losing weight, getting better quality sleep, creating a morning routine, improving productivity, increasing energy during the day or controlling anxiety are just some of the reasons you can use this app.
