Meditation Apps: For Sleep, Anxiety, & More

By Justine Saavedra, M.S.
Reviewed by Tchiki Davis, M.A., Ph.D.

Discover the physical and mental well-being benefits of using meditation apps. Browse meditation apps for sleep, anxiety, pregnancy, and more.

*This page may include affiliate links; that means we earn from qualifying purchases of products.

Do you feel stressed, overworked, or overwhelmed? Taking time to slow down and focus on your mental well-being might help alleviate some of these negative feelings. It may seem like adding another task to your to-do list isn’t possible, but making the space for even just 5-10 minutes of meditation per day can help improve your physical and mental health.

Meditation has been practiced for centuries and recent scientific studies have shown many associated benefits. Seeing how meditation can improve your life may motivate you to try it. Consider the following physical and mental benefits of meditation.

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Physical and Psychological Benefits of Meditation:

Decreased heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormone levels
Increased self-compassion and mindfulness
Improved memory and attention
Brain changes in areas related to emotional regulation (Pascoe et al., 2021)

What Are Meditation Apps? (A Definition)

Most people have a phone, tablet, or another electronic device to access the internet. Sometimes the internet can distract us from our goals if we get stuck mindlessly scrolling. However, technology can be a powerful tool for your wellness goals if used responsibly and mindfully. Meditation apps are centralized portals to different meditation practices and programs available at the touch of your fingertips. These apps can help you focus on developing and deepening your relationship with meditation.

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Are Meditation Apps Worth It?

Numerous studies have shown the positive effects that meditation apps can have on various aspects of physical and mental health. One study used an app designed for mindfulness training which “includes a variety of contemplative practices aimed at promoting intentional awareness of experience, coupled with attitudes of nonjudgment and curiosity” (Walsh et al., 2019). After just three weeks of practice, participants noticed a multitude of benefits.

Benefits of mindfulness app training:

Improved mood
Reduced stress
Improvements in attentional control
Greater self-acceptance (Walsh et al., 2019)

Another study looked at a meditation app called the Healthy Minds Program which was delivered to participants via smartphone. This self-guided, 8-week program emphasized mindfulness, connection, and insight. In a randomized controlled trial, people who interacted with the app saw several benefits compared to people who were not given access to the app. These benefits included reduced distress and increased social connectedness (Goldberg et al., 2020).

Meditation, and even meditation apps in particular, has been shown to have many physical and mental benefits. Beginning a meditation practice could be as easy as pushing the download button on your phone. However, this brings up a problem—which app out of the thousands available should you choose? This article will highlight apps that are catered to what you want to achieve, such as reducing anxiety or getting better sleep. There are also meditation apps designed to be used through pregnancy or for journaling. Keep reading to find the meditation app that best fits your goals.

Best Meditation Apps

You have likely seen or heard advertisements for some of the more popular meditation apps including Calm and Headspace. While these apps may be the most popular, they won’t necessarily be the “best” app for everyone. Both of these apps have free trial periods but do require payment to access most of the content after that period is up. Calm and Headspace currently cost 12.99 USD per month or 69.99 USD per year.

Download Calm from the Apple Store or from the Google Play Store.
Download Headspace from the Apple Store or from the Google Play Store.

Both apps have been scientifically studied for efficacy, though Headspace has been more thoroughly investigated. A review of studies found that out of 14 studies on the efficacy of Headspace, it did help improve symptoms of depression though results were mixed for outcomes related to mindfulness, well-being, stress, and anxiety. There has only been one study for Calm and therefore there is not as much evidence on how well it works to alleviate symptoms of psychological distress (O'Daffer et al., 2022).

Video: Best Meditation App Review 2022 | Calm, Headspace, & More

Free Meditation Apps

Free apps are a great place to start if you aren’t sure what you want in your meditation practice just yet. This gives you the chance to try different things without the financial commitment of a subscription. There are some really good free options, discussed in more detail below.

Aura is a free, personalized mental well-being platform. They offer a multitude of resources including breathwork, coaching, and guided meditation. You take a quiz when you download the app and they will tailor their recommendations based on your goals. The app states that it has over 13,000 wellness tracks and over 30,000 5-star reviews.

Download Aura from the Apple Store or from the Google Play Store.

Transcendental Meditation is a type of meditation practice that focuses on repeating a single, simple mantra to yourself. This type of meditation is practiced twice a day for twenty minutes and can help alleviate symptoms of stress and anxiety and improve negative moods (Ren et al., 2013). The free transcendental meditation app has helpful features such as a meditation log to help keep you motivated in your practice.

Download Transcendental Meditation from the Apple Store or from the Google Play Store.

Video: The Best Free Meditation Apps

Meditation Apps for Sleep

Getting adequate amounts of sleep is an essential piece to your overall well-being. Getting 7-8 hours of restful sleep per night has many beneficial functions for your body including enhancing learning and memory, strengthening physical health, and clearing inflammatory neurochemicals that lead to cognitive decline (Z Assefa et al., 2015). Meditation Nest is an app that has a dedicated section for sleep resources. These resources include meditation sessions, bedtime stories, and nature sounds to help you drift off to sleep.

Download Meditation Nest from the Apple Store. Not currently available on the Google Play Store.

Pzizz is an app customized with three themes: sleep, nap, and focus. The nap setting is helpful because it provides spoken instructions along with sounds and music to help you get some rest. The focus mode plays music designed to boost productivity. The app learns what your preferences are over time and can personalize playlists accordingly.

Download Pzizz from the Apple Store or from the Google Play Store.

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Meditation Apps for Anxiety

The Healthy Minds Program is a free app that, with consistent use, has been shown to have benefits such as reduced distress and increased social connectedness (Goldberg et al., 2020). The program was developed by a neuroscientist in conjunction with the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The program features meditations as well as podcast-style programs to help you develop a healthy mindset.

Download The Healthy Minds Program from the Apple Store or from the Google Play Store.

Sometimes easing feelings of anxiety can start with trying to actively relax your mind and body. Smiling Mind is a completely free app that has dedicated programs for a variety of goals such as mindful eating, getting more sleep, or reducing stress. This is also a useful resource if you are a parent as the app has dedicated mindfulness and meditation programs for adults as well as children.

Download Smiling Mind from the Apple Store or from the Google Play Store.

Video: How to Reduce Stress and Anxiety with Meditation Apps

Meditation Apps for Beginners

Meditation & Relaxation Pro is a great app for people who aren’t sure where to get started. This app offers a free 7-day trial which is a perfect opportunity to try one of their week-long guided programs. The programs focus on topics such as self-love and stress relief. The 7-day introduction to mindfulness techniques is a good place to start.

Download Meditation & Relaxation Pro from the Apple Store or from the Google Play Store.

Buddhify is another app that is helpful for beginners. The meditation sessions on this app are as short as 3 minutes and are designed to fit into a busy day. There are themed meditations on a variety of topics to help you face your life more mindfully. For example, one meditation session on how to face stressful situations is a practical way to incorporate more mindfulness into your everyday life. Try choosing a meditation that will help bring you closer to your goals.

Download Buddhify from the Apple Store or from the Google Play Store.

Meditation Apps for Kids

Practicing meditation habits while children are still young may help them carry those habits into adulthood. It is never too early to start learning skills on how to regulate and manage your own emotions. When children practice meditation, they learn to take deep breaths, reflect before responding, and calm themselves in high-stimulus situations. Practicing meditation with your child is an opportunity for your to model healthy habits as well as spend some quality time together.

Dreamy Kid is an app that is used for children by families and schools across the world. The app provides resources such as age-appropriate meditations, affirmations, and sleep stories. Try using the app with your child and you may see some benefits as well.

Download Dreamy Kid from the Apple Store. Not currently available from the Google Play Store.

Meditation Journal Apps

Journaling about your meditation can be a helpful tool to motivate you to keep practicing. The 5 Minute Journal app is a quick and easy tool to track how your meditation is making you feel. This app uses elements of positive psychology to help boost your mood. You can even track your “mindful minutes” in the app as well. Journaling is a beautiful opportunity to look back and see how far you’ve come. Try journaling for the first month of your meditation practice and see if you notice a difference in how you feel.

Download The 5 Minute Journal from the Apple Store or from the Google Play Store.

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Meditation Visualization Apps

While most meditation practices call for you to close your eyes, you can also practice visual meditation. Mesmerize is an app that has guided meditations for a variety of topics such as increasing focus, enhancing self-awareness, and relieving stress. The audio meditation guides are accompanied by beautiful visuals that you can watch on your phone. The background music is a bit psychedelic making this app a unique experience.

Download Mesmerize from the Apple Store or from the Google Play Store.

Which Meditation App Is Best for Me?

The only way to know which meditation app is best for you is to give a few different options a try. There are many different types of meditation practice, such as guided or transcendental meditation. Different people will prefer different types of practices. If you find that you just don’t like the first app you try, give another one a shot. With time and patience, you will find the app that works best for your lifestyle and goals.

Video: Meditation Apps: Which is the Best for You? An Honest Review From a Meditation Teacher

Articles Related to Meditation Apps

Want to learn more? Check out these articles:

Books Related to Meditation Apps

If you’d like to keep learning more, here are a few books that you might be interested in.

Final Thoughts on Meditation Apps

Meditation apps have been shown to have many benefits including improved mood, reduced stress, improvements in attentional control, and greater self-acceptance (Walsh et al., 2019). There are a variety of apps targeted toward different needs such as reducing anxiety, helping with sleep, or guiding women through their pregnancies. With time and patience, you can find an app that helps propel you toward your goals. With regular practice, you could experience many of the benefits meditation apps offer.

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References

Pascoe, M. C., de Manincor, M., Tseberja, J., Hallgren, M., Baldwin, P. A., & Parker, A. G. (2021). Psychobiological mechanisms underlying the mood benefits of meditation: A narrative review. Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology, 6, 100037.
Goldberg, S. B., Imhoff-Smith, T., Bolt, D. M., Wilson-Mendenhall, C. D., Dahl, C. J., Davidson, R. J., & Rosenkranz, M. A. (2020). Testing the efficacy of a multicomponent, self-guided, smartphone-based meditation app: Three-armed randomized controlled trial. JMIR Mental Health, 7(11). https://doi.org/10.2196/23825
O'Daffer, A., Colt, S. F., Wasil, A. R., & Lau, N. (2022). Efficacy and conflicts of interest in randomized controlled trials evaluating headspace and calm apps: Systematic review. JMIR Mental Health, 9(9). https://doi.org/10.2196/40924
Ren, J., Huang, L., & Zhang, Z.-X. (2013). Meditation makes a peaceful state of mind: People’s positive and negative emotional response can be reduced by meditation training. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 44(10), 1339–1348. https://doi.org/10.3724/sp.j.1041.2012.01339
Walsh, K. M., Saab, B. J., & Farb, N. A. S. (2019). Effects of a mindfulness meditation app on subjective well-being: Active randomized controlled trial and experience sampling study. JMIR Mental Health, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.2196/10844
Z Assefa, S., Diaz-Abad, M., M Wickwire, E., & M Scharf, S. (2015). The Functions of Sleep. AIMS Neuroscience, 2(3), 155–171.