5 tried and tested meditation apps — The Soothe Approved
Find your inner zen wherever you are with these well-loved guided mindful apps
Text: Tiff H
While meditation and their apps are now a global phenomenon, the age-old tradition has its roots close to home. Some believe that it originated in India, where references to Dhyāna or Jhāna appeared in written records from around 1500 BCE. Other sources suggest that early forms of meditation emerged in China during 600 to 400 BCE and were linked to Laozi, an ancient Chinese philosopher.
A tradition swathed in such a rich, longstanding history surely has no place in our fast-paced modern society, right? Wrong. Between 200 to 500 million people are believed to practice purifying their mind through mental awareness as a bid to achieve a balanced state of mind.
Indeed, some of the most successful people make time for it, including Jeff Weiner (CEO of LinkedIn), Ariana Huffington (CEO of Huffington Post) and Bill Gates (Founder of Microsoft). On top of helping individuals achieve higher levels of success, meditation has also been proven to provide numerous benefits for an individual’s mental health, including reducing symptoms of insomnia, increasing attention span, promoting calmness and enabling relaxation.
Paradoxically, it’s technology, the symbol of modernity, that has made the practice all the more accessible and easy to slot into our busy schedules. Meditation apps have been on the rise, with more than 2,500 meditation mobile applications launched since 2015, according to AppInventiv — a global app development firm — and searches for meditation apps increasing by 65% year on year.
The Soothe team decided to explore finding their zen by testing out a selection of apps. Here’s our verdict:
Best for: Story-Loving Soothers | Calm | Annual subscription: SGD 99, lifetime subscription: SGD 567
No meditation list would be complete without the award-winning app. Aptly named, Calm’s mission is to make the world a happier and healthier place with over 100 guided meditations, video lessons on mindful movement and stretching, audio programme masterclasses and nature scenes and sounds. We love the library of Sleep Stories, narrated by the dulcet tones of talents such as Leona Lewis Stephen Fry, Matthew McConaughey and of course, the sleep playlist to get us ready for bed.
Best for: Fidgety Sceptics | 10% Happier | Monthly subscription: SGD 16.26, annual subscription: SGD 108.48
A refreshingly practical take on mental awareness, 10% Happier is ideal for those for whom anything remotely ‘hippie’ automatically triggers an eye roll. Guiding you through the basics, you’ll be learning from some of the world’s top mindfulness experts through courses, with the option to toggle between the ‘learn’ and ‘meditate’ option, or through their featured meditations. Current relevant topics include ‘Coronavirus Sanity’ to cope with the chaotic times and ‘Relating to Race’, which attends to the fires of racism.
Best for: Soothers Supporting Local | Intellect.co | Free
This Singapore-based start-up translates cognitive behavioural therapy techniques into approachable self-guided exercises accessible via their app. Conceptualised in a culture that generally considers mental health as taboo, Intellect seeks to normalise addressing mental health issues. Its features include guided journaling, behavioural exercises and rescue sessions with topics such as procrastination, insecurity and sleep. We found the learning path for indecisiveness, conflict management and cooperation particularly useful. The start-up plans to launch Mandarin and Bahasa Indonesian versions with localised versions of each exercise. Talk about inclusivity!
Best for: A Holistic Approach | Headspace | Monthly subscription: SGD 17.72, annual subscription: SGD 95.45
Offering an all-in-one approach, super-popular Headspace’s techniques include breathing exercises, body scans, focused attention, non-judgment of one's experience, visualisation and sitting meditation. For those who need a soundtrack to accompany their focus sessions, the app has a selection of Focus music and artists, curated by John Legend himself — so you know you’re in good hands. We also love the move section which offers guided exercises including a confidence-boosting move course and mindful cardio.
Best for: Swamped Soothers | 3 Minute Mindfulness | Free with in-app purchases
Perfect for minimalists, 3 Minute Mindfulness is the epitome of short and sweet. You just have to set aside three minutes of your day to stop, pause and reset. The app includes breathing exercises, a collection of meditation guides, as well as short courses on mental awareness, meditation, sleeping and more. We love the 4 –7 –8 breathing technique which puts us right to sleep, as well as the square breathing technique for when you’re looking to focus.
