7 free mental health apps to chill your body and mind
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic brings a lot of stress, whether it's concern over finances, friends, health, or a general uncertainty about what the future will look like. Social distancing can take away people's first options for stress relief — like hitting the gym or seeing friends — making it easy for us to get stuck in our own heads.
Luckily, there are resources you can access from your own home, many of which are currently free due to the ongoing crisis. So take some time to sit back and check in with yourself by using one of the many mental health and wellness apps below.
Simple Habit
Carving out more than ten minutes for meditation can be difficult. That's fine because Simple Habit offers five-minute meditation sessions. Through the end of April, anyone financially impacted by the ongoing pandemic can receive a free premium membership. Just email help@simplehabit.com.
Total Brain
If you're looking to reduce your anxiety levels, Total Brain's breathing exercises and other activities may be a good fit. The app is currently offering a free three-month subscription to its platform.
Headspace
On Headspace, you can access a free collection of meditations, sleep, and movement exercises called "Weathering the Store." The app is offering additional resources for healthcare professionals and K-12 teachers, school administrators, or other supporting staff.
Down Dog
Down Dog has made all of its Yoga for beginners, HIIT, Barre, and 7 Minute Workout content free until April 1. If you're a student or teacher, you can access the free school membership, which goes until July 1.
Calm
Calm put together a blog post with free meditation tracks and guided stretching videos. If you're looking for help entertaining kids at home, it also includes music playlists for them.
Liberate
Describing itself as the only meditation app by and for the Black and African diaspora, Liberate offers a free collection of guided meditations from people of color.
Moodpath
Coronavirus can exacerbate preexisting mental health issues. If that's true for you, Moodpath may be a good app to check out. It offers a mood journal, regular mental health reports, and more — plus, it was already free.
