Many of us struggle daily with our mental health. These days, technology has made it so that mental health resources are available on our phones. There are a plethora of apps we can download that are geared towards helping to manage our mental health. These apps offer resources and techniques that are effective and affordable. After doing research and trying out different apps, I created a roundup of 8 of the best mental health apps.
- Sanvello (Formerly known as Pacifica) – Sanvello is an app I’ve been using since 2015. It’s one of those apps that has followed me throughout the years. It’s a safe space for people who struggle with conditions such as depression and anxiety. It has a daily mood tracker which comes in handy for me since I have bipolar disorder. There’s also a health section where you can keep track of habits like the amount of sleep you’re getting, your water intake, exercise, meditation, medication, and more. Sanvello offers a library of meditations, some that are free and some that are only available to premium users. One of the app’s greatest features is the community tab where there are different communities for topics like gratitude, work stress, anxiety, and quotes.
- Insight Timer – The Insight Timer app is compiled of thousands of free guided meditations. It’s the perfect app for those who are looking to practice meditation but don’t know where to begin. There are guided meditations on the app that focus on topics such as healing and forgiveness, relationships, stress, and anxiety. There’s also a feature where you can meditate with a timer and your choice of ambient music. Insight Timer also offers live yoga sessions as well as courses available to members who pay for a subscription. I’ve been meditating consistently for a few years and this is an app I highly recommend.
- Relax Melodies – We all know how crucial good quality sleep is for our mental health. Relax Melodies is dedicated to helping people sleep better. You can create different sounds to play during bedtime. Some of the sounds you can choose are rain sounds, white noise, waterfall, and birds. The app also has meditations for relaxation and bedtime stories.
- Talkspace – Therapy is great for managing your mental health. Talkspace brings therapy to your phone. It claims to be an affordable alternative to traditional therapy. Once you purchase a subscription, you’ll be matched with a licensed therapist with who you can message, send audio, and video chat.
- Shine – Shine is a daily self-care app. It encourages users to make self-care a priority through meditation and practicing daily gratitude. There are free features like daily meditations and motivational messages but becoming a Shine premium member gives you access to over 800 meditations, calming sounds as well as bedtime stories.
- Headspace – Headspace is a well-known meditation app that is dedicated to helping users practice mindfulness. With Headspace Plus, you’ll get access to all the apps meditation, fitness, and sleep content.
- Notebook – Diary, Journal – I frequently discuss the benefits of journaling. I’ve kept a journal since I was 5 or 6 and it has transformed my life. The Notebook app is perfect for those who want to start journaling but don’t care for the traditional notebook and pen method. It’s a simple app that allows you to create entries and even gives you the option of protecting your memos with a passcode.
- Jour – Jour is another journaling app with a more guided approach. The premium feature gives you access to guided journals and guided breathing sessions. There are numerous journals for work, relationships, stress, anxiety, sleep, and more.
Whether you’re currently struggling with your mental health, looking to start meditating, or just in need of some encouragement, all of these apps have something to offer.
Photo by William Hook on Unsplash
ItsJaiMarie 