If you’re anything like us, your screen time notifications on your phone might be looking a little insane lately (or you may have just started ignoring them altogether…). While Tik Tok and Netflix might be an endless time-waster (and much appreciated while we’re stuck inside all the time), you might be feeling a little stressed and unsettled too. Why not use your screen time to help calm down and take a deep breath during your day? Here’s 10 of the best free wellbeing apps that have been helping us relax lately.
Calm
You’ve probably heard of Calm, one of the best wellbeing and meditation apps available. It offers meditations for dozens of topics as well as new daily meditations, plus sleep stories, breathing exercises, stretches and more. It’s a great way to help you calm down and reduce anxiety, whether you have a few minutes or a lot longer. It’s free to download and access the basics, then you can subscribe if you want to access the full content.
Headspace
If you want to practice being more mindful and a bit less stressed, Headspace is another great app for you. It’s one of the best free wellbeing apps because it has literally hundreds of guided meditations on just about everything. There’s something for everyone—no matter what’s stressing you out. Use their sleep meditations to fall asleep easier, start your day on the right foot with their morning sessions and more. Plus, you can track your mood and progress, add friends and more. Free to download with the option to upgrade to a subscription for more content.
Nike Training Club
If you want to get moving but need some guidance or accountability, Nike Training Club is the perfect app for you. With expert workouts, challenges and programs for all levels, you’ll definitely find something that’ll help up your at-home workout game. From 15-minute quick cardio workouts to nearly hour-long yoga sessions, you’ll have plenty of options. Plus, from now until further notice, Nike has made Premium access free for everyone!
Download for iOS and Android.
5 Minute Yoga
If you’re looking for a super-quick way to integrate a bit of movement into your quarantine routine, then 5-Minute Yoga is a great place to start. The app is just what it sounds like. It pulls from a library of dozens of yoga poses so there will be a new combination of five basic poses in every workout. Follow the prompts on screen, hold each pose for a minute and your five-minute yoga session is done. Plus, it’s totally free.
Daily Yoga
If you’re really looking to practice yoga more seriously, get this app. There’s literally hundreds of guided yoga, pilates and meditation sessions. Plus, there’s dozens of yoga programs you can follow to grow your abilities. Get coached, track your progress, join communities to stay accountable and more. Get the 7-day free trial and then upgrade if you’re loving it.
Reflectly
Finding life a tad bit overwhelming? Reflectly can help you take a few minutes each day to slow down, reflect on how you’re feeling and feel less stressed. It’s a self-care journal driven by AI that’ll give you personalized daily prompts to help you keep journaling and reflecting. Use the basics for free or upgrade to a Premium subscription for $3.99.
Kitchen Stories
Making yourself some good food instead of just heating up ramen for every meal can make a world of difference in helping you feel better! If you’re not an expert in the kitchen (yet), you can learn with this awesome app. Search for new recipes on Kitchen Stories based on your ingredients, then sort by prep time, type of food, diet and more. Watch videos and how-to’s that’ll guide you through every step of the recipe (with pictures and videos!), save your favorites for later and more. Plus, it’s totally free. Bon Appetit!
Habit
Want to focus on creating some good habits? Even simple things, like drinking more water, doing a bit of yoga or going for a quick walk each day can have big benefits. This is one of the best free wellbeing apps to help you track all of your habits. It’ll even create streaks to encourage you to keep going and focus on all the self-care you need! Plus, it’s totally free and doesn’t have any ads.
Download for iOS.
Sleep Cycle
If you’re having trouble sleeping lately, this app might help. Sleep Cycle helps you track your sleeping patterns and analyzes them to help you find new ways to sleep better. Plus, it also has sleep stories to help you fall asleep more easily. It can even can track when you’re in a lighter sleep and wake you up gently to leave you feeling more alert in the mornings. It’s free to use and you can upgrade to Premium for more features.
Grateful
Science has shown that keeping track of what you’re grateful for can reduce stress and make you feel all-around happier. It gives you a simple prompt like “What made you smile today?” to help you get started, then you can write as much or as little as you like. You can come back at any time to look back on all the things you have to be grateful for. Also, it includes a 15-day free trial, then you can upgrade to the unlimited version. (Plus, if you like this app, the same company also makes more cool apps for tracking your mood, habits and more.)
Download on iOS.
