Oftentimes, we can’t find enough time to meditate, and if you consider that the majority of us have to balance between work and personal life, it’s easy to understand why meditation can be difficult to get into.
Even a short break for 15 minutes of mindfulness sometimes feels impossible, and most people give up on trying the moment they realize their life is just a bit too hectic to make room for meditation.
However, the benefits of meditating at least 15 minutes a day aren’t to be overlooked, and you should give it your all if you believe it could relieve you of some stress.
Thankfully, the internet age has downsized our personal computers into devices that fit into a pocket, and meditation enthusiasts have created more than a few apps to help the average Joe get started with their meditation practice.
Headspace
If you’re just starting out with meditation and are still confused about how it’s supposed to work, Headspace may just be the app for you.
With different meditation practices for different purposes, Headspace can teach you how to unwind, get more sleep or simply be more productive at work with just a few small changes to how you approach the world.
The app offers a wide variety of guided meditation practices, sleep sounds, and even meditative strategies for emergencies, all of it paired up with some high-quality animations and diagrams to really help you understand how and why meditation works.
Lindsey Elmore, a former pharmacist who’s now a wellness expert recommends the app to anyone who’s new to meditation and is just looking to try something new.
However, all good things come at a price, and a yearly membership for Headspace will set you back around $70, whereas a monthly fee is $12.99.
Insight Timer
While some may like getting a colorful entry into the world of meditation, others appreciate a hands-on approach, and Insight Timer will provide you with just that.
Many experts will refer you to the app simply because it’s considered to be the pinnacle of meditation apps currently on the market, and it’s got a vast amount of qualified mindfulness mentors available at the ready.
This will allow you to pick one that’s best suited for what you need at the moment, or you could just set a timer and meditate without anyone’s guidance.
The app’s strengths come from its flexibility, and it offers far more than just guided meditation, as you’ll also be able to track your progress, earn badges for successful meditation sessions, and many other things that’ll keep you going.
Despite being this advanced, it’s actually a cheaper alternative to Headspace, and it’ll cost you only $60 a year or $9.99 every month.
Sattva
There’s a lot more to meditation than just sitting in silence and imagining beautiful things happening to you and those around you.
Meditation has been an integral part of the Vedic religion, and it’s one of the things that shaped Hinduism into what it is today.
The culture and heritage of meditative practices is an infinite well of knowledge for you to explore, and Sattva gives the average history buff an experience of a lifetime.
Apart from the six-minute-long guided meditations, users can also listen to a number of different sacred sounds from Vedic rituals as well as learn more about the culture that’s tied to meditation and other related practices.
Sattva is a great way to learn more about how meditation works and what it truly entails, making it a staple for anyone looking to start their own practice.
Unlike the previous two, this app offers the option of paying for a lifetime subscription, which will set you back $400, whereas the yearly fee is $49.99.
Glo
Finally, we’ve got Glo, a somewhat modern take on a practice as ancient as meditation.
Glo combines, yoga and meditation with a standard workout, making this somewhat frowned-upon practice something approachable for anyone who’s looking to preserve and improve the overall health of their body.
Another benefit of Glo is that the workouts are fully customizable, meaning that you can choose the length, intensity, and level of difficulty.
On top of this, you can select which meditation goals you’ll want to be focusing on during the workout, making it an incredible app for both experienced and first-time meditators.
After a 7-day free trial, the monthly fee for Glo is $23.99, which can become costly for extended periods.
Final word
Meditation is far more complex than you’d imagine, and finding enough time for proper practice every day can be difficult for someone juggling between work and family.
15 minutes may sound like nothing, but when you’ve had a hectic day at work, all you’re looking for is a way to wind down and send yourself off to bed as soon as possible.
With the help of meditation apps, you may finally be able to find the time and motivation to practice every day, and with enough experience, you may even start your own practice one day.