It’s been an unconventional [see: literary term–understatement] few months. May is always Mental Health Month, but due to the stresses and uncertainties a lot of us are facing, it seems particularly important this year.
There are lots of ways to attend to your own mental health needs and for many, meditation and yoga or other mindfulness practices may be beneficial.
Check out some of the free (or temporarily free) apps that you can use to practice these skills.
Note: Some of these apps offer paid versions and in-app purchases.
Smiling Mind
This app features hundreds of meditations, organized into thematic programs like mindful foundations, sleep, relationships, and workplace, but you can choose where to start and to easily go between programs. Most meditations are in the five- to fifteen-minute range.
Down Dog
This yoga app features 300,000 different workouts and several different instructors. They are currently offering free access until January 1st, 2021 for all students and teachers (K-12 and college).
Stop, Breathe, & Think
A helpful section called Learn to Meditate explains what mindfulness is and why it’s beneficial, including some of the neuroscience behind it. This app features around 30 free sessions. Most of the meditations are short, around 10 minutes, and feature simple introductory practices. You can also set a timer and sit in silence, learn different breathing techniques, or listen to relaxing sounds. There’s also a kid’s version (the blue logo).
This app offers a really giant library of content: over 25,000 guided meditations taught by different teachers on topics like stress, relationships, creativity, and more. Once you find a teacher you enjoy, you can follow them to make sure you don’t miss any new content. You can also tune in to free talks and podcasts for life advice and inspiration, and music tracks to calm your mind or help you sleep.
5 Minute Yoga (Apple and Android)
If you’re looking for an app for short, spontaneous yoga or a few stretches before bed, this free app is great. Each session is no longer than five minutes, which means you can fit it in whenever you have time. Each pose has clear images and detailed instructions making it ideal for beginners as well as experienced yoga practitioners.
Calm
Calm is a paid app (with a free trial), but has a blog with free meditations, sleep stories, movement exercises, and music, and additional free resources for this uncertain time.
We may not be together, but we’re here to help. Remember that Durham Tech has counseling resources available for both staff and students.