DOES IT REALLY WORK?
The WH verdict on whether meditation apps can truly nix WFH anxiety
To say I spend a lot of time on my phone is like saying I like nut butter. My screen time stats could rival an influencer’s (and I’ve been known to finish a tub with a spoon). If my relationship with my phone was complicated before, it’s even more so now that it’s both a vital source of connection with the outside world and the bearer of alarming news alerts, notifications and ‘urgent’ emails. So I’m intrigued by the idea that it could also be an ally for my mind. Meditation – the ancient practice that focuses on training awareness, attention and compassion – has been given the
21st century treatment in recent years. Now, there are dozens of apps claiming to use mindfulness and other techniques to help you wind down, sleep better, heighten happiness and provide an allround digital tonic for the unrelenting pace of our plugged-in era. In 2019, 52million first-time users downloaded one of the top 10 most popular meditation apps – up 15.6% from the year before – and the psychological pressures of the past 12 months mean numbers will likely continue to climb.
Research has shown that a form of the practice called mindfulness meditation can have a positive impact on PTSD symptoms, as well as chronic pain and depression. One UCLA study discovered that meditation helps to preserve ageing brains, while another by Johns Hopkins University found that it can rival medication when it comes to reducing anxiety. Interestingly, the effects still stand when meditating using apps, with a study in the Journal Of Pediatric Nursing finding that it caused significant reductions in fatigue and burnout among nurses. In a bid to carve out some calm in my busy day, I decided to do my own experiment and downloaded three popular apps: Headspace, Insight Timer and Oak.
On the first day, I tried a 20-minute guided meditation on Headspace, but struggled to keep my head clear for so long, and the minutes seemed to drag into eternity. However, when I switched to a 10-minute meditation the next morning, I managed to quell most of my usual anxieties before breakfast
– a far cry from an ordinary working day. Over the next few days, I began to feel better with each practice.
Switching to Insight Timer, I initially found the quantity of available meditations – there are more than 60,000 to choose from – overwhelming, but I soon came to see the variety as a positive. No matter what mood I was in, there was a meditation to match it. A 16-minute ‘Healing Breath’ meditation by Sah D’simone eventually became my go-to, meeting the brief of making me feel calm while also fitting easily into my lunch break.
So when I switched to Oak, with just eight meditations to choose from, I thought I’d quickly get bored. But the repetition had the opposite effect. Listening to my favourite 10-minute guided meditation daily, I quickly learned what was coming next, which helped me to stay focused on my own thoughts. It helps that there are two narrators (male and female) to choose from, both voices deep and soothing.
After just seven days of app-based meditation, I’m something of a convert. Daily practice has made me more adept at staying in the moment, and it’s right there, at your fingertips, for the next time you have a free 10 minutes. While I admit that I found the longer sessions challenging
– I couldn’t help but think that my time could have been better spent doing a strength-training session or yoga – 10 minutes is both useful and achievable.
My verdict? I’ll be keeping Oak in my stay-calm arsenal. It’s convenient having fresh meditations all in one place on my phone (and without the decidedly un-zen interruption of Youtube adverts). Plus, it’s free. However, if you’re after more varied options, check out Insight Timer (also free) and Headspace, which, at £130 a year, costs far less than the average gym membership. And don’t we all know that investing in your mind is just as important as investing in your body.