FROM THE EDITORS
Make Way for Your Mental Health
It’s always the right time to nourish your well-being. These apps help you find supportive networks, build positive routines, and carve out moments for reflection.
Find your form of self-care
Created in partnership with Duke University’s Center for Advanced Hindsight, Fabulous suggests ways to form lasting healthy habits, whether that means sleeping more soundly, staying focused, or simply appreciating who you are. Activities are based on the latest behavioral science and are designed to be really easy to do.
Who would’ve guessed an adorable virtual pet would be the trick to making healthy habits stick? The more you care for yourself in whatever way feels right to you, the more the bird buddies in Finch’s menagerie will thrive. And don’t miss the app’s breathing exercises, focus timers, soothing soundscapes, and other tools.
Focus on your breath
Breathwrk teaches you how to “breathe with your belly” as a way to calm your nervous system. Try its interactive exercises that incorporate subtle animations, tranquil sounds, and haptic feedback (exhale slowly through your mouth as your iPhone vibrates).
In addition to an elegant meditation timer, Open offers a range of meditation, yoga, and Pilates videos to help you move with mindfulness—or try a live class to practice alongside the community.
This encyclopedic meditation app has sessions geared to just about everything—stress reduction, relationship building, self-care, and more. You can also join workshops and live events hosted by Insight Timer’s mindfulness experts.
Let the music move you
In addition to meditations and inspiring guided audio, Calm features a huge library of relaxing tunes and tales to help banish the day’s anxieties. Try a Sleep Story narrated by superstars Camila Cabello and Harry Styles. Or doze off to Sleep Remixes of songs by Ariana Grande, Kacey Musgraves, and Post Malone.
Headspace has original music by John Legend and film composer Hans Zimmer to help you find focus. To let sonic tranquility wash over you, try the nature-inspired soundscapes on the Music tab.
The generative music app Endel composes an endless soundscape for you in real time, tailored to where you are and your activity level. Try James Blake’s Wind Down, the perfect accompaniment to your bedtime routine.
Explore expert help
Talkspace lowers the barrier to talk therapy and makes it easy to fit sessions into even the busiest schedule. The app pairs you with a licensed therapist you can write to or share an audio or video message with whenever you like. Live video chats are also available.
In the Dalai Lama’s Guide to Happiness course, the Nobel Peace Prize winner shares his secrets in 10 enlightening (and lighthearted) video sessions. Available for free, the course also offers guided meditations to help you apply that wisdom in your daily life.
Write out your feelings
Day One is a powerful journaling app that goes beyond basic “Dear diary” entries: Your reflections can include photos, audio, sketches, and other digital ephemera. If you’re looking for more guidance, try the prompts from Clearful. Or bookend your days with stoic., which suggests daily reflections for your morning and evening routines.
Created in partnership with the Yale School of Medicine’s Center for Emotional Intelligence, How We Feel helps you uncover the true answer to the question: How are you? Tap into a sea of icons to pinpoint a specific feeling you’re experiencing—maybe “chill,” “supported,” or “blessed.” Add notes, photos, or voice memos to your snapshot, and log who you’re with and how well you’ve slept to get a holistic picture of how your habits impact your mood.
Move through difficult times
Connect with others who understand your experience in Untangle’s community—or browse the app’s resources that help you understand how grief impacts us physically and emotionally.
Rootd helps you handle anxiety and panic attacks as they happen. Just tap the big red button to be guided through calming mindfulness exercises. The Breathr tool offers daily deep-breathing exercises to help you self-soothe when you’re stressed.
Head outdoors
Nothing quiets the mind like a stroll in nature. With its crowdsourced and expertly annotated maps, AllTrails helps you discover over 200,000 hiking trails, bike paths, and parks. (One might be closer than you think.)
Sometimes we need an extra push to get out into nature. When you share your location data with NatureDose, the app tallies your time outside—and encourages you to get more when you fall short of your goals.