The Christmas period is certainly a hectic period, and for those who are suffering with their mental health, it can be difficult.
More and more people are suffering these days, with one in four of us suffering from some form of mental health issue each year, while the likes of depression and addiction are all on the rise.
For people who suffer from alcohol addiction especially it can be a difficult time of year, with temptation at its peak, alongside the stress of Christmas. Coping techniques are hugely important, and sticking to a routine can really help. Many experts and rehabs recommend this, with meditation especially advised.
It’s something you can do anytime, anywhere, and can have incredibly calming and stress-relieving effects. What’s more, there are some brilliant apps currently out there that can guide you through sessions.
So, if you’re struggling and need some meditation to ease the stress, then here are five excellent meditation apps you should download to your smartphone…
Headspace
Headspace is perhaps the number one out there and certainly the most popular having been on the market for a couple of years. It’s incredibly user-friendly, free to download, and offers a wealth of different options within it, including guided meditation.
There are also sleep exercises and SOS sessions. These are when stress comes out of nowhere and you need that quick calming, something which can come in incredibly valuable over the Christmas period.
Calm
Similarly, Calm is another that has been on the market for some time and uses calming music and sleep stories to help you rest easy. It has a huge library of meditation sessions to run through, and it’s the perfect app to get your day started.
In fact, they even have their own Daily Calm sessions, which you can pick up each day. There’s also a wealth of other features, some of which you do have to pay a small fee for.
Insight Timer
This app has a rather different approach to meditation, with it more of a community than the apps above. There are social features integrated into the app, with group meditations available to enjoy, as well as communicating through the app.
However, there are also individual sessions, with guided meditation from experts from all over the world.
There are also some other great features within it, offering tons of flexibility for users.
Simple Habit
If you’re looking for short sessions, then Simple Habit could well be the app for you. It specialises in short sharp bursts that you can fit into your everyday life. What’s more, it has an ‘On-the-Go’ feature which offers plenty of quick exercises for you to fit in whenever you need them.
That could be ideal for the Christmas period, especially if family time does start to get a little too much.
Breethe
Finally, Breethe is an app that offers a range of features, especially good for the evenings when you’re heading to bed. That includes softening, ambient music, bedtime stories, and a range of breathing exercises that can have you falling asleep in an instant rather than staring at the ceiling.
Guided meditations are also available, and are great for reducing stress, while they are also customisable so you can create your perfect routine for escaping the stress and ensuring you remain calm across the Christmas period.
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