Calm: Sleep & Meditation
Live a happier, healthier life by focusing on rest and relaxation
Free; Premium subscription £14.99/month; £39.99/year
FROM calm.com NEEDS iOS/iPadOS 16 or later, tvOS 11.2 or later, watchOS 8.3 or later
Self-help apps are very popular on the App Store, with hundreds of offerings to help shape your life and control your stress. One app, however, stands out above the rest: Calm: Sleep & Meditation. Calm is a gorgeous app available for iPhone, Apple TV and Apple Watch, but it especially shines on the iPad. With a wide range of meditation offerings for those looking to try meditating for the first time or those who have been practising for years, it’s the quintessential app for a healthier, happier life.
Calm’s defining feature is its Sleep Stories, carefully curated bedtime stories to help you get a deep and restful slumber. With over 100 stories to choose from narrated by iconic voices, such as Stephen Fry, Matthew McConaughey, Cillian Murphy, and Harry Styles, there is a Sleep Story for everyone.
This kind of sleep meditation is the easiest way to get started, as you don’t need to concentrate on the process, and you can allow your mind to relax and switch off. After a couple of restful nights, it’s likely that you’ll want to incorporate meditation sessions into your morning routine as well.
Calm is especially stunning to navigate on the iPad, thanks to the full-screen scene options that play relaxing background noises and animate wallpapers, such as Blue Gold, which represents the blue lavender fields of France and oozes serenity. The built-in programmes are easy to follow and encourage you to return thanks to daily notifications. With what feels like an endless number of options, which include playlists, courses and soundscapes, you’re bound to find a mindfulness session to suit — and the quick five-minute energising sessions make it easy to incorporate into your daily routine.
Your go-to companion
Calm is your go-to companion from the moment you open your eyes to the moment you go to sleep, with resources to support you every step of the way. If you’ve been looking to try an application like this, Calm goes above and beyond similar apps on the market and will likely become an essential tool on your iPad.
While the premium subscription (costing £14.99/month or £39.99/year) undoubtedly gives you more options, the free version enables you to reap the benefits of starting good relaxation habits without paying up.
In such a fast-paced and increasingly frenetic world, it’s easy to forget to take a step back and breathe; Calm is the antidote. It’ll help you create contemplative oases throughout your day, so helping you to rest and recharge. John-Anthony Disotto