Apps for meditation: free, for anxiety, for better sleep

As human beings alive in the 21st century, it's probably no news to you that our rapid pace of life can be very stressful, filled with constant emails, non-stop messages and phone calls, social media pressures, and of course, an inundation of news (mostly negative) from around the globe. We need to disconnect, re-center, and prioritize well-being. Here are the best apps to help you switch off, meditate and add some zen to your life.

Calm

For better sleep and stress relieve

Developed by the Center for Humane Technology, Calm is an award-winning mindfulness app aimed at those interested in meditation, wanting to relax and switch off, and helping reduce anxiety and sleep better. The app has a series of programs from guided meditations (each varying between 3 and 25 minutes) to sleep stories, breathing programs, masterclasses, relaxing music, and relaxation guides. Unlike other meditation apps, its free version has a fairly extensive catalog of practices - and no ads!

Calm is available for both Android and iOS here.

Insight Timer

Guided meditation practices

Insight Timer is without a doubt, our favorite meditation app. TIME Magazine and Women’s Health ‘Apps of the Year’ winner, this app has more than a hundred guided practices totally free. It caters to everybody and if you’re more of a freelancer it offers numerous customizable features including a timer section to set how long you would like to meditate, your preference of ambient sound, and what sound you would like to mark both the beginning and end of your practice and more.

In addition, the Insight Timer has evolved over time into a social network where you can share experiences with others interested in meditation. Download this app for Android or iOS.

Headspace

Learn how to concentrate and relax

Headspace is the perfect meditation app for those who have no experience with meditation or really know what it is. Using simple and fun videos, it explains how your brain works and what effects mindfulness has on and teaches you to concentrate, breathe, and meditate to relieve all kinds of problems related to everyday stress, including insomnia, anxiety, lack of concentration, and more.

The app offers you the first ten sessions for free in the form of a training plan but after that, if you want to continue using it, you will have to pay. You can download Headspace for Android and iOS here.

ENSŌ

Meditation Timer & Bell

ENSŌ is a good app for those who are familiar with meditation and already have some experience as it does not contain guided practices. The app which has a minimalist and elegant design actually serves as a timer that will help you control your sessions and improve them, thanks to different visual and audio signals to keep you present during the exercise. You can then also record your progress.

ENSŌ is free and available for iOS.

Serenity: Meditation

Various types of relaxation and meditation practices

This app is the ideal all-rounder and even caters to children. Serenity: Meditation offers easy-to-follow guided meditations for mindfulness, sleep, and relaxation. It aims to equip you with a variety of mindfulness and mediation techniques to bring a sense of peace and calm to your everyday life. The application includes a free, 7-day audio course, sleep guides, mini-meditation sessions for those short on time, kids meditations, basic sessions for regular practice, and more. There is no log-in or sign-up required and although the app offers in-app purchases, it is free to download for Android and iOS.

Meditation & Relaxation

Improve focus and get better sleep

Meditation & Relaxation aims to better your life by helping you to center yourself, relax, focus easily, and sleep better. A hugely popular app in both the Google Play Store and the app store, it focuses on meditation programs lasting between 7 and 14 days. The sessions of varying lengths have different focuses including improving concentration and focus, better sleep, body scans, forgiveness, self-love, and self-esteem.

Download Meditation & Relaxation for iOS or Android.