Sometimes, it can feel as though technology, in solving certain problems, inadvertently ends up creating a whole set of new ones. Social media, for example, is an appreciably far cry from the days of keeping in touch with friends by letter, Jane Austen-style; however, it also contributes to anxiety, depression and insomnia.
It might seem ironic, then, that your phone could also prove your mental health saviour, thanks to the following apps. All of the apps below are available for both iPhones and Android handsets, so give this software a whirl; peace of mind could be just a download away.
Clementine
A stressful lifestyle can evidence itself in difficulty getting to sleep. Music journalist Laura Barton has admitted in an article for The Guardian that, though she has attempted various methods, like taking long walks, trying hot drinks and giving up caffeine, “still sleep eludes me, for weeks at a time.”
These experiences led her to try Clementine, an app aimed at helping women to overcome sleep problems. The app consists of a succession of meditations and mantras, which you could follow to ease not only those sleep issues but stress and lack of confidence as well.
Headspace
Even if you are not currently in the habit of meditating, there must be something in it, judging from the popularity of Headspace. In using this app, you could feel soothed even just by the English accent of the trained Buddhist monk who narrates this app.
The app is a treasure trove of guided meditation tracks, with specific instructions like “feel your body relax, the weight of your arms and legs release”, as Cosmopolitan attests. The app offers sessions for specific situations, such as cleaning your place or taking a walk in the city.
Smiling Mind
Though “mindfulness” might seem like an irritating buzzword at times, perhaps the real problem is that you just aren’t certain exactly how to be mindful. Fortunately, you could teach yourself by using Smiling Mind, an app courtesy of an Australian not-for-profit organisation.
Even children can tap into the value of Smiling Mind, thanks to its provision of plentiful programs meant just for them. However, if you’re feeling adventurous as an adult, you can embark on a series of 42 mindfulness sessions under the app’s guidance.
Though sessions on the app vary in length, they tend not to last longer than five or ten minutes; some are even as short as one to three minutes.
MyPrescriptions
If you rely on regular prescriptions, having to remember to keep managing those could add to your mental anguish. However, if your pharmacy is part of the website network managed by The Pharmacy Centre, as Medicinechest Ltd is otherwise known, an app could help you yet again!
We’re referring here to the MyPrescriptions app, through which prescription services of over 1,500 pharmacies can be utilised. You could, for example, download the app to use the online prescription service by Lawsat Pharm, a family-run chain of pharmacies with locations around Kent and Sussex.