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Life has inevitable bumps in the road you’ll need to overcome. One of the most helpful ways to cope with everything life throws your way is through meditation. The best free meditation apps can help you do it all, from reducing stress to boosting focus and concentration to getting a better night’s sleep. Here a few to try that can help you find your zen.
1. Calm
Calm is one of the most popular meditation apps of all time, with over 50 million downloads. It covers a vast range of topics and activities for any skill level or age. It’s one of the best free meditation apps because research actually shows it can effectively lower stress and promote positive mental well-being.
Calm lets you work through anxiety, stress and a lack of sleep with audio clips and bedtime stories. Set aside time during the day or at night to follow the guides and reach a state of relaxation. If you’d rather exercise, you can follow some stretches and unwind in a more active way.
Calm is free at the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
2. Aura
How are you feeling? Aura would like to know exactly how you’re doing so it can help you improve your mood or keep you in good spirits.
Are you anxious, stressed or sad? Are you feeling great, or are you just OK? Aura lets you select from a variety of moods so it can walk you through the following steps. Practicing mindfulness and managing stress through meditation now go hand-in-hand.
Whether it’s improving your focus or calming your worries, Aura helps you through it all. Download it today for iOS and Android devices.
Want to take your meditation practice to the next level? Check out this this meditation singing bowl on Amazon!
3. Mindfulness: Sleep Meditation
Calming and relaxing, Mindfulness: Sleep Meditation helps you find the right mental space for any time of day. Practice breathing exercises to unwind in just the right way. This form of meditation can get you ready for deep sleep or wake you up gently in the morning.
One of the key focuses of this app is getting into a deeper sleep. However, it also covers topics like self-care and waking up. Listen to bedtime stories, too. It has classics like “The Old Man and the Sea” and “The Great Gatsby.”
Download Mindfulness: Sleep Meditation for your Apple devices.
4. MyLife Meditation
From the developer Stop, Breathe & Think — which this app was formerly named — MyLife Meditation is an all-encompassing platform for centering yourself.
Here, you can focus on things like journaling. What do you feel good about? Is there anything that you’re proud of? What do you want to improve? Reflecting, recording and taking notes about your moods and emotions lets you pinpoint what you want to work on.
This app is about shifting your perspective through daily changes. It helps with depression, stress and anxiety, as well. People of all ages will benefit from it. However, the fact there’s a separate kids’ app available makes this one of the best free meditation apps for families.
MyLife Meditation is available for iOS and Android.
5. Petit BamBou
Petit BamBou is still a little new to the United States, but it brings unique perspectives to meditation. This app has striking animation to accompany its guides. Follow the sleep, meditation and relaxation activities while using visuals like a fireplace or rainstorm to calm down.
From burnout to insomnia, addiction to pain, this app covers all the bases in an engaging, relaxing way. Petit BamBou has a range of lessons, short and long, to fit any schedule. Its multi-language support makes it one of the best free meditation apps — you’ll find options in Spanish, French and German.
Download Petit BamBou today.
6. Pzizz
Are you someone who needs help with sleeping? Maybe napping is something you want to perfect so you don’t wake up as groggy, or perhaps you want to go in the opposite direction and finetune your focus. Whatever it is, Pzziz helps you through it with meditation.
The napping feature makes this app stand out, with customizations to make sure you get the right amount of sleep. Doing so can improve your focus and mood. Additionally, its cooldown features help you come back to your space after an activity.
If you’d like to download the Pzizz app, you can do so from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
7. Relax Now
You are now falling under a deep, restorative sleep. Well, that’s not exactly how hypnotherapy works, but with Relax Now, you can find out how it does. This interesting perspective lets you experience a clinical hypnotherapist’s approach to relaxation and meditation.
With eight different videos to get you started, you can feel immediate relief from whatever negative emotion is weighing you down. Then, move into the recordings and music whenever and wherever you need to. Waking up, sleeping, energizing and calming down is tranquil with Relax Now.
Get this app today from the Apple App Store.
8. Insight Timer
Insight Timer is one of the best free meditation apps because it features over 55,000 meditation and music tracks — few similar apps have that many options. It focuses on timing and making the sessions work for you.
You can work however long you need to through guided sessions. Then, track your stats and milestones throughout the day, week, month and year. You’ll earn badges as you progress, too, by marking everything in your log. It’s your personalized approach to meditation.
Download Insight Timer for Apple and Android devices today.
9. Ten Percent Happier
In 2014, Dan Harris came out with a book called “Ten Percent Happier.” It went on to be a New York Times bestseller. Today, that book has an accompanying app for all things meditation. If you’re a beginner or are skeptical of the benefits of meditation, this app is for you.
Work through guided meditations — some video and some audio. The straightforward approach of Ten Percent Happier is something newcomers will appreciate as they learn about meditation and relaxation.
Improve your relationships with other people and yourself with this app, available for download today.
10. Headspace
Headspace is one of the best free meditation apps available. Also, it’s one of the most popular. It claims it can improve your happiness by 16% in only 10 days — that’s something you can’t ignore.
Working with the audio sessions, sleeping aids and meditation guides will improve your focus and your mindfulness. From three minutes to hour-long options, Headspace fits into any schedule. If you feel like exercising, too, try the home workouts.
Getting into the right state of mind can be hard. With Headspace, though, you ease into a routine that improves your overall balance. Download the app today.
Choosing the Right Meditation App
These are the 10 best free meditation apps today. Choosing the right one may seem intimidating, but don’t worry. Since they’re all free, you can do test runs with each Try them out and find which ones fit your needs, goals and mindset.
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