Do you sometimes just need a BREAK in the middle of the workday? Turns out, many people do. Meditation has been shown, by like, a whole lot of studies, to reduce stress, improve health and reduce blood pressure, increase concentration, and kind of generally, to make people nicer. Well, at least more compassionate. That’s a good start to helping you have a better day.

There are many different kinds of meditation, like “mindfulness”, which just means paying attention to feelings and thoughts in a non-judgmental way; this kind of meditation is good for improving memory and attention span, as well as reducing stress. Another form of meditation is guided or mantra meditations. These are easier to follow and don’t rely so much on your brain to keep itself in line. They are better for relaxation of the mind and can be well-suited to people with Type A personalities. Breathing exercises are great to soothe the nervous system and reduce stress and anxiety, as well as reduce depression. Meditations on love and kindness work toward developing feelings of warmth, goodwill and kindness towards others. This kind of meditation can improve feelings of well-being and relieve illness, and the compassion and empathy you develop through it can improve health and increase longevity.

Well now, there’s an app for that! Lots of them, in fact. Here is a list of some of the most highly recommended meditation or mindfulness apps so you can get your “Om” on at work and recover your equilibrium during a stressful day:

  1. Headspace – This app helps you to learn how to meditate in 10 minutes a day. It contains meditations to help you get to sleep quickly and easily, how to reduce stress during your commute, and more. It has reminders, and allows you to keep track of your progress. Introductory app is free, the premium subscription comes at a price.

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  2. Sattva – A comprehensive and advances meditation app that offers a wide variety of guided meditations led by experts, and includes a timer, heart rate monitor, mood tracker, and gives you challenges and trophies to help you keep track of reaching your goals and the meditation’s impact on your state of well-being. The app is free of charge.

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  3. Buddhify – Besides having the best name, this app is easy to use and provides several guided meditation tracks for different activities, like eating, traveling, and working. This app is specifically designed for busy people who still want to take care of their minds. This app comes at a fee.

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  4. Stop, Breathe & Think – This app prompts you to check in with how you are feeling– mentally, physically and emotionally, and then provides meditations to go with, or improve, your current mood. You can track your progress, as well as learn about how meditation works and how it helps you. There are many different meditation topics such as: kindness, equanimity, compassion, gratitude, and more.

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  5. The Mindfulness App – This one features guided meditations from various teachers, as well as reminders and timers for meditation. The app comes at a fee.

Check these (and others) out to help improve your day, and your life!

Sources here and here