5 Apps That Help You Develop Meditation Habits

It’s no secret meditation has an incredible array of benefits, from lowering stress to curing insomnia to helping you find a sense of inner peace. But if you’ve tried to build a meditation practice, you already know it can be a challenge. Clearing your mind sounds so easy when you read about it, but as soon as you sit down, those intrusive thoughts creep in – and before you know it, you’re thinking about what you’re going to make for dinner instead of focusing on your breath.

If you’ve ever gotten frustrated by your lack of success in building a daily meditation practice, the good news is that there are apps to help you. If you are ready to bring a better balance and perspective to your life through meditation, here are five of the best apps to help you achieve that goal.

1. Calm

You may have learned about Calm from seeing their instantly soothing “Do Nothing for 30 Seconds” TV commercial, or perhaps you became familiar with this app after hearing that Apple named Calm its 2017 App of the Year. Calm is effective because it comes with a range of meditation lengths, as well as seven- and 21-day programs for people who need help developing a healthy habit. For users with insomnia, Calm offers “adult bedtime stories” that will relax you off to dreamland in no time.

2. Headspace

Headspace likens itself to having “a gym membership for your brain.” Its easy-to-follow guided meditations are categorized by theme, but there are also one-off meditations you can do whenever you need a quick break. Going through an especially rough patch in your day? The “SOS” meditation option is ideal for anyone who needs to prevent a mental meltdown. Headspace also offers meditation geared toward kids.

3. Buddhify

If you struggle with anxiety, you might want to install the Buddhify app on your iOS or Android device. Buzzfeed rated this beautifully designed app as their top meditation app to ease anxious thoughts. Buddhify differs from other apps in that its meditations are structured to fit into a busy lifestyle. With Buddhify, you can meditate on the go, no matter where you are. Even if you only have four minutes to squeeze in a meditation session, Buddhify is there for you. Choose your meditation based on what you are doing or feeling at a specific moment. Buddhify also allows you to share the good vibes by sending a meditation to brighten a friend’s day.

4. Stop, Breathe & Think

Available for both iOS and Android devices, Stop, Breathe & Think teaches users to check in with what they are doing and encourages them to take short breaks. After you tell the app where you are mentally, it will provide you with a recommended list of tailored meditations you can try. The app can also provide motivation that keeps you on track with developing your meditation habits by allowing you to view your progress.

5. 10% Happier

If you’ve been curious about meditation, but have found yourself skeptical about its benefits, 10% Happier is the app for you. An offshoot of journalist Dan Harris’ bestselling book of the same name, the app presents the facts about meditation so you can learn how to apply it in your life. This app offers guided audio meditations for coping with stress and anxiety, as well as for specific daily activities like walking and falling asleep.

Your Path to Inner Peace

At Complete Harmony, we have integrated holistic healing treatments like meditation into our hybrid addiction treatment model. Our California drug and alcohol rehab facility offers an integrated approach for clients who wish to undergo healing in a therapeutic setting that treats them as a whole person and allows them to address the roots of their addiction from a mind-body-spirit perspective. Contact us to learn more about beginning your recovery journey.

Are You Making These Meditation Mistakes?

By now you likely know the numerous benefits of meditation for people in recovery from a substance use disorder. To recap: It will help you stay focused on drug-free healing; enhance self-awareness; improve impulse control; quell anxiety; push away thoughts of self-criticism and blame; find a deeper spiritual connection; and more!

Still, especially when first starting out, many people struggle with some meditation mistakes. Here are four common ones:

• You’re doing the wrong kind of meditation: Just like no two recovery paths are alike nor are two minds. This is why it's important to find a meditation style that works for you. For example, you might benefit from transcendental meditation over guided visualization or mindfulness over Qi Gong. The best way to find out is to experiment and see which technique best helps you meet your meditation goals.
• You’re not giving it enough time. Meditation is a lifelong practice and you may need a little practice to make it work for you. Don’t give up: Take a week and schedule it into your every day and you’ll likely start reaping some of the many benefits.
• You’re expecting to completely clear your mind. Unfortunately, you can stop thoughts from coming to your mind, but you can learn to not react to them. Think of yourself as an air traffic controller, say experts. The goal is to learn how to choose what you focus on and what you let go of in order to stay mentally healthy.
• You’re not convinced that meditation really works. We said it once and we'll say it again: Meditation is really good for your recovery. Give it a chance and let it work its magic for you!

Finding Holistic Treatment 

At Complete Harmony, we specialize in different cutting-edge techniques to help patients recover from addiction, including meditation, yoga, massage therapy and acupuncture. To learn more about our programs and rehab facility, call today: 866-930-4673.