Author: Dr. Alexandria Salerno

Many of us may agree that this year has created an incredible rise in our use of technology. We’ve been asked to shift most of our lives to a virtual platform without many options to do otherwise. While I’m hopeful that we are becoming more creative in how we tend to ourselves and our wellbeing away from screens, it’s true that many of the apps offered for our devices have the potential to provide easily accessible support from the increasing stress of our day-to-day lives (pandemic or no pandemic).

Here are a handful of applications you can access on most devices in order to best meet your emotional health and wellness needs:

Mood Support

There may be days, or weeks, where we need a little extra support nearby. Whether we’re working with a therapist or not, sometimes it’s helpful to have a readily available outlet in our back pocket (literally). These apps offer mental health support through mood tracking, journaling, self-care suggestions, and other ideas around emotional wellbeing.

1. Happify (Subscription for full-access; Free trial offered) – Rooted in positive psychology, mindfulness, and various therapeutic approaches, Happify offers activities and games to improve your mental wellness. You will find mood and habit trackers, coping skill suggestions, self-esteem improvement resources, and mindfulness exercises.
2. Moodfit (Free) – Geared toward aiding in “good mental health,” Moodfit provides features like mood tracking, daily healthy goal-setting, and tracking, as well as tips for sleep and exercise, breathing techniques, and mindfulness practices.
3. Shine (Subscription for full-access; Free trial offered) – Developed by two women of color, Shine offers inclusive and representative emotional well-being and self-care support. This app emphasizes creating daily routines involving meditation, reflective journaling exercises, and community connections for a wider circle of support.

Mindfulness & Meditation

Research continues to provide evidence for the numerous benefits of mindfulness practices and meditation for our emotional wellness. The following apps are popular go-to’s for easily accessible guided meditations, sleep support, and other daily mindfulness exercises.

1. Calm (Subscription for full-access; Free trial offered)- Features a library of meditations, music, and audio stories to support sleep, relaxation, and “mental fitness”. The Calm website also offers free mindfulness resources and a blog centering around mindfulness and meditation.
2. Headspace (Subscription for full-access; Free trial offered)- Headspace’s mission is to “improve the health and happiness of the world” through easily accessible meditations, videos, and articles. Headspace was created by a Buddhist monk who has worked to bring mindfulness and meditation to all places and people.
3. Ten Percent Happier Meditation (Subscription for full-access; Free trial offered)- This app follows Dan Harris’ book 10% Happier and uses a variety of meditation offerings to best support health and wellbeing. The same company hosts a podcast “Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris” and a newsletter that shares insightful articles to encourage mindful thinking and self-awareness.

Activities & Games

Sometimes we need activities that are out-of-our-heads and require less mental effort in order to relieve experiences of overwhelm, sadness, fear, anger, and beyond. One of these apps is offered as an effort to move us away from our screens and outside of our homes, while the other is more of a creative outlet.

1. AllTrails (Free) – It’s no secret that nature and the outdoors aides us in relieving our experiences of stress, anxiety, and depression. This app provides maps of walking/hiking trails near you or in new areas (forest preserves, parks, etc). Although the winter months make it more difficult to get outside and we are being more mindful in the way we spend time outdoors, AllTrails offers specific trails to check-out if you’re looking to safely and respectfully spend time in nature.
2. Lake: Coloring Books (Subscription for full-access; Free trial offered)- If you enjoy coloring and are looking to use a digital platform with already-made coloring pages, you may enjoy Lake. Featuring artwork from various independent artists, you can spend time unwinding by tapping into your creative brain and coloring with this app.

Truthfully, an astonishing amount of apps exist that are focused on health, happiness, and mental wellness. These are just a few. If any of the apps mentioned above seem like a possible good fit, give it a try! Otherwise, take time to research other apps that are available and find what works best for you and your needs. While apps can provide varying ways of easing our emotional responses to our daily lives, be mindful of when you might be needing more; this may include professional support by a licensed clinician. Remember, it is just as important to find different routes of meeting our needs- ones involving family, friends, new and old hobbies, fresh air, and time away from technology.

This post is not sponsored.