The Best Relaxation Apps for Wellness

Are you feeling overwhelmed or having a hard time sleeping? Just the stress of daily life can severely impact your health and well-being. Did you know that apps can work to change that? These top relaxation apps will help you wind down and relax for a better night’s sleep or just add a bit of mindfulness to your day.

Relaxation Apps and Sleep

Many of these techniques are proven to reduce anxiety and stress levels as well as improve sleep quality. These apps are easy-to-use and great for everyone-from experienced meditators to the most skeptical beginners. Check out these recommendations for easy, guided relaxation!

Headspace

Launched in 2010 by a former Buddhist monk named Andy Puddicombe, Headspace brings a demystified approach to mindfulness. This meditation app is my personal favorite because it includes a wide variety of in-app features. Headspace has everything! You can find articles on relaxation science and guided meditations to reduce stress levels. You can also listen to sleep casts that provide the perfect ambiance for restful sleep. They even have mini-courses as short as one-minute; even when you’re crunched for time, you can infuse a bit of mindfulness into your day.

Headspace offers both a free access and paid premium version, depending on your preferences. The premium version is ad-free, however, and allows you access to more content. Some companies even offer free subscriptions for their employees, including my own, Teach for America. Try out their free basics on their multi-day meditation program that works in 5-minute increments to help you meditate for longer periods of time. The meditation timers help me keep track of time and anchor my practice.

Once you’re hooked (I promise you will be), you can subscribe to Headspace to gain access to all of their relaxation content. You’ll be able to use their easy-to-follow guided meditations that progressively increase in difficulty based on your progress. Their user-friendly interface is exactly what I needed to make meditation a simple habit.

Headspace Sleep Stories

My favorite aspect of the app is their Sleep Stories, which feature different voice actors that read soothing story experiences coupled with coordinating calming ambiance sounds. Many have a nature-based component, like a lagoon at midnight or a rainforest dripping with fresh rain. Each Sleep Story contains a breathing exercise, allowing you to slow and control your breathing for sleep. These Sleep Stories always calm my anxiety from the day and allow me to drift peacefully off to sleep.

Join the millions of users who are sleeping better and feeling more grounded using Headspace today and download on your Apple App Store!

Calm

This award-winning app will surely bring some peace to your nighttime routine! Calm is packed full of in-app experiences, including guided meditations, exclusive music to assist with sleep and focus, and relaxing nature sequences. Calm also offers video lessons on stretching exercises that promote mindfulness and masterclass programs by experts on the art of mindfulness. Daily Calm even notifies you every day when it’s time to infuse some relaxation into your day, whether it’s just five minutes or up to an hour.

Founded by Alex Tew and Michael Acton Smith, Calm is all about promoting mental fitness and overall wellness. Every aspect of the app is cultivated to bring about a relaxing experience that leads to more restful sleep for you. I especially enjoy the exercise classes focused on gentle movements rather than high-intensity workouts. Yoga is a great example! I find this type of exercise couples well with meditation. It also allows me to feel fully prepared for a rejuvenating night’s sleep.

Try out the free trial of Calm to see if it works for you. The free in-app features include introductions to meditation and a few sample sleep sounds. However, to gain access to everything Calm has to offer, you’ll need to add a premium subscription. Then, you’ll be able to utilize all of the meditation masterclasses, fitness routines, and all the nature-based sleep sounds.

Mindfulness promotes a balanced lifestyle and health, and wellness is well worth the monthly or yearly subscription cost for the app!

MindBody

This one is different than other relaxation apps; it’s all about total wellness, including physical, emotional, intellectual, social, environmental, and spiritual. MindBody is a complete lifestyle app that connects you to local businesses that promote your wellbeing on every level.

Its easy-to-use format allows you to search for a variety of experiences using filters to find exactly what you’re looking for. On the app, you can find a new yoga studio recommended by the community or book a barre class with your friends. You can also see the best spa for massages in your area or find an acupuncturist. You’ll be able to support local businesses and do some self-care at the same time!

You can also find virtual fitness classes in the app if you are looking to be socially-distant. With a MindBody Flex membership, you’ll have access to thousands of virtual fitness classes from premier studios across the country. You can do a wide variety of workouts from the comfort of your home (including yoga and pilates), all for one monthly cost.

The Best Meditation and Relaxation Apps

Want to find more meditation and relaxation apps? Check out this article on the 10 Best Meditation Apps!

Have you tried meditation or relaxation techniques before? Do you have favorite relaxing fitness classes? Have you used any of these Relaxation Apps to guide you? Share this article to let your friends and family know!