The Calm Meditation App - A Meditation Routine in Your Pocket

I am a BIG FAN of the Calm app. The mental and physical health benefits of meditation have been researched and proven, yet it is so so very hard for many people to get used to the idea of meditating or, gasp, create a regular routine of meditation as part of their self-care practice. Make way for the Calm app. Yes, it costs money ($59.99 annually after the option of a free 7 day trial) but, for that price, you get a pretty awesome app that makes meditating very accessible. There is a new meditation available each day, there are guided body scans and “emergency calm” meditations where listeners can pick the length

One of my favorite parts of the Calm app is the collection of series. There are series for Managing Stress, Managing Anxiety, Breaking Habits, the Relationship with Self, Relationships with Others and Mindful Eating. The app keeps track of your “streaks” (how many days in a row you meditated) and just seeing those metrics and getting that encouragement really is motivational to keep it up! What is more motivational is how good the meditating feels and how it truly does get easier with practice.

Calm provides guided meditations mostly narrated by the peaceful voice of Tamara Levitt, and many of them provide education about the topic at hand (anxiety, stress, etc.). This helps me stay focused and helps break up the just “quiet” time that one thinks of when they think of meditation.

The other tools in the app that others might find helpful are the Sleep Stories, which are actual stories told to you (some are even told by Matthew McConaughey) to help you fall asleep. They recently added a “Calm Body” that includes stretching and movement that helps the body, and therefore the mind, relax.

The bottom line is that if you are looking for a way to create or strengthen a meditation routine and want convenience, motivation, an intuitive and lovely interface and added perks like Sleep Stories and meditation music, I think the Calm App is a great choice. There are many options, both structured and free-form and, since they come out with new features and meditations so frequently, there are always new things to help you continue to care for yourself. Go start your streak!