Top Apps to De-Stress

Stress is an obstacle that almost all of us face on a daily basis and as such it’s important to have methods in place to help. Now, many of us will have been informed of the physical actions we can take to reduce stress – such as exercising, maintaining a balanced diet, and partaking in personal hobbies – however, you might not be aware that there are some fantastic mobile applications available to us at little, or no, cost.

These platforms can help you in a variety of ways, from scheduling techniques to mental health exercises and even introducing you to external contacts that can be a port of call when you’re feeling run down. Each of these features can help to boost our mood as well as alleviate stress – so we wanted to give you a complete rundown of our favourite applications for de-stressing!

Sleep Cycle – Sleep Better

Previously, we have discussed the importance of maintaining a balanced sleep schedule when reducing feelings of stress – however, we understand that this can often be easier said than done. That’s exactly why applications such as Sleep Cycle – Sleep Better’ can be so effective.

The platform has a number of features that are specifically designed to give you a better night’s sleep, including; sleep aids, sleep analysis, and snore detection. Each of these elements can help better our sleep schedules, but the most important feature might be the Smart Alarm.

Our sleep cycle can be separated into several categories, including light, deep and REM. Now, what the smart alarm does to better our sleeping patterns is wake us up when we’re in the ‘light’ stages. In doing this, we are less likely to wake up groggy or disorientated and instead feel refreshed and ready to tackle the day. Although a small step, this can greatly help to reduce stress within our lives – so why not give it a try!

Headspace

Headspace is a hugely popular platform at present and for good reason! The platform prompts individuals to take time out of their daily lives and actively reflect on successes, failures and any struggles they have come up against.

The platform encourages users to practice mindfulness and therefore reduce feelings of stress or exhaustion. To do so, we are introduced to numerous meditation practices to guide our journey – but don’t worry if you haven’t tried this before! Headspace offers guides at all different experience levels so that you can move along at your own pace and ensure that you are always in control.

What’s Up

What’s Up, dissimilar to WhatsApp, is a platform that provides individuals with a range of therapeutic and social tools to combat stress.

Firstly, users can access both Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and/or Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) from their device at any time of day and in any location. Not only does this remove the formality of physically visiting a medical professional, it offers outstanding availability – so that individuals are never without an informed medical resource.

Secondly, this application also has a social element by creating online forums that individuals can communicate within and consequently work through any problems together.

Take a Break

Again, this might seem a basic measure but it mustn’t be ignored. In fact, ¾ of individuals have admitted to checking their smartphone outside of working hours – emphasising the need for structured breaks within our daily routines. Take a Break prompts users to schedule breaks into their workday and furthermore provides efficient, 15-minute exercises to renew and refresh their mindset.

In doing so, individuals can separate themselves from work or education or personal obligations that might be placing pressure on them at any one time. These periods can break down any built-up tension and allow individuals to return with a fresh and positive outlook that may have been missing thus far.