5 apps that manage stress and promote mental wellness

Mar 19 2020, 5:04 pm

In uncertain times, the best thing you can do for yourself is make mental wellness a priority.

Here are five apps to help guide you, ease stress, and contribute to a daily wellness routine while hunkering down at home.

Headspace

Free, with optional in-app purchases

One of the most popular and long-running apps available, Headspace is a guided meditation app focused on promoting mental stillness and well-being. Given the worldwide pandemic, Headspace has released some of its meditations from behind their paywall to help people cope with stress.

Available on the web, Android, and iOS

Insight Timer

Free, with optional in-app purchases

One of the world’s largest library of guided meditations, Insight Timer has over 30,000 recordings available to its members. Topics range from relationships to stress and anxiety relief to recovery and healing from grief. Some features are behind a yearly paywall like pausing, rewinding, and fast-forwarding, but the library as a whole is free to use when you register for an account.

Available on the web, Android, and iOS

Booster Buddy

Free

An all-over mental wellness app developed by researchers at the Victoria-based Island Health, Booster Buddy lets you choose from three cartoon buddies to check in with every day. The app includes tips for developing coping skills, calendars to track appointments and medication, and checklists to establish a self-care routine in times of stress. You earn coins from achieving tasks, checking in, and maintaining a routine, which can be used to buy virtual clothes for your buddy.

Available on Android and iOS

Daily Workouts

Free ($18.89 for the full version)

Exercise is great for the body and the mind, and Daily Workouts is a great free option to get moving at home. Most exercises can be done without equipment, which is great for at home workouts. The workouts are randomized, and you have to pay $18.89 for the full version to unlock more, but for beginners, it’s not a bad option. For those who do pay up, it’s a one-time fee.

Available on Android, iOS, and Amazon Apps

FitOn

Free

An actual free to use, no paywall, no subscription, no fee needed, workout app? Yes, please! FitOn does have a premium feature, but that just allows you to download workouts. You can connect with friends on the app to take classes together and track each other’s progress. You can also customize your experience according to your favourite classes you’ve taken and the areas you want to focus on — all for free!

Available on Android and iOS

With coronavirus on the rise, Health Canada is reminding individuals who attend events and large gatherings to monitor their health for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. And if you’re not feeling well, they recommend staying home at this time. Also, due to unexpected cancellations, please check the event you plan to attend is still taking place. Keep up with COVID-19 news here.

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