Since the Covid-19 Pandemic started last year, people have been succumbing to a lot of pressures and stress in life. Around the globe, governments are taking Mental Health seriously by coming up with solutions to help individuals to deal the current situation.
Mental health is a collection of efforts that looks different for everyone. Everything from sufficient sleep, a support system of family and friends, stress-relieving hobbies, and accessible treatment for conditions like anxiety and depression plays a crucial role in caring for our minds and inner well-being.
Mental health apps provide a way to access meditation sessions and contact healthcare professionals to discuss the effects of life changes and environment on a person’s mental health. Most apps are free to download but may require a subscription to access all of the features.
In conjunction with Mental Health month this November, let’s explore how this apps help to relieve certain issues faced by individuals.
Breathe In: Meditation & Sleep
Known best for its sublime pastel visuals, Breathe In is a beautifully designed meditation app perfect for introducing a little bit of calm into every day. As the app’s name suggests, its central focus is on breath-work, with special routines for a number of categories including sleep, anxiety, productivity and inspiration. Led by mindfulness expert Karen Heshusius, each guided meditation session is effective, digestible and easy to fit into even the busiest of schedules. Don’t underestimate your breathing—something as simple as focusing on inhales of four seconds and longer exhales of six seconds can slow your heart rate and relieve tension from your body.
Mindfulness on Apple Watch
If you own an Apple watch you already know that the small but mighty gadget has long been a well-rounded and effective tool for overall wellness. Its latest operating system (watchOS 8) is taking Apple’s mental health efforts to the next level by revamping the existing breathe app into the Mindfulness app, which features an enhanced breath-work experience alongside a brand new session type, Reflect. Each Reflect session welcomes you with a unique, thoughtful notion to consider that invites a positive frame of mind, for example: “Reflect on one thing you’re grateful for and think about why you appreciate it so much.” Versatile and flexible, this new feature can be used on-the-go, in as little as a minute. If you’ve been looking for a bite-sized way to introduce mindfulness into your daily routine, this might just be it.
Happify
A self-improvement app from New York, Happify is all about using games to boost your mood, reduce stress, and ultimately, make you happier. With evidence-based programmes grounded in cognitive-behaviour therapy and mindfulness psychology, the app was developed by founders with backgrounds in online gaming. Their goal is to translate inaccessible mental wellness science into easy-to-understand activities that anyone can do from the comforts of their home, in a reasonably short amount of time.
Moodfit
Available on GooglePlay, Moodfit is a free mental health app whose tools and insight are meant to “shape up” your mood. Similar to the way you might decide to get into physical shape, this app is meant to help you get into mental shape.
Whether you’re looking to better understand your feelings, or you’re experiencing anxiety, depression, or high levels of stress, Moodfit is designed to help you feel better.
Here’s the gist of how it works: There’s a questionnaire that will help you determine the severity of the symptoms, as well as many articles and audio files that can help you better understand what you’re experiencing.
Moodfit also allows you to track your moods. Over time, you’ll better understand what types of things affect your feelings—like sleep, medication, and exercise. The app offers actionable insights into what affects your mood and provides strategies for feeling better.
Sanvello
Sanvello’s mission to “help people build the life skills they need, anytime, anywhere, in any way they choose.” It provides clinically validated techniques for dealing with stress, anxiety, and depression.
In a randomized study of 500 adults with mild to moderate anxiety and depression, the tools offered by Sanvello were shown to decrease symptoms. The effects lasted even after participants stopped using the app.
Sanvello provides users with cognitive behavioral therapy tools. They teach mindfulness skills and provide mood and health tracking tools that can be used to improve mental and physical health.
When you download Sanvello, you’ll be asked to track your mood on a daily basis. The app provides simple questions that help you label your emotions and identify patterns in your mood.
There are also guided journeys that may help you feel more in control of your life. The app will also help you build lifelong skills that can help you build confidence and feel better. There are also a variety of tools that can help you cope with specific issues, such as public speaking, test-taking, and morning dread.
The app provides progress assessments that can help you track where you are and set goals for the future.
