If the holiday season provokes more stress than excitement, take heart: You’re not alone.
In recent years, different studies have found that 68 percent of us find the festive season exhausting, and up to 37 percent of us will be so overwhelmed by that stress that we’ll actually cancel or delay our related travel plans. (Those visiting relatives who like to poke and prod with personal questions may—understandably—represent a large chunk of the latter group.)
This year, you can pack a therapist with you as you head out for the holidays. There’s been a surge in mindfulness and meditation apps and by the end of this year, there are expected to be nearly 3,500 different options for download on both Android and iPhone, up from about 1,750 in 2014.
All these meditation and mindfulness options represent a burgeoning global industry: In the first quarter of 2018, the top 10 grossing “self-care” apps reeled in $27 million in revenue, according to TechCrunch. That’s partially because most of these apps place much of their content behind a subscription-style paywall, and they can cost anywhere from $60 to $100 per year.
The sheer number of apps can make deciding which one to use too stressful to begin with. So we put Apple and Google’s best-performing, highest-rated apps to the test—along with some notable newcomers—starting with free versions and then moving into paid subscriptions. Here are the ones that’ll get you through the most wonderful time of the year, even if that’s not how you describe it at all.
If you’re a scientifically minded skeptic with politically charged relatives ...
The app 10% Happier, from ABC newscaster and New York Times best-selling author Dan Harris, leads you into what he calls “the next great public health revolution.” It’s not just tried-and-true meditation techniques—such as noting and naming your emotions to create distance from them—but also interviews and sessions led by a community of academic experts. They’re an impressive bunch, including Joseph Goldstein (co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society and preeminent Buddhism scholar) and George Mumford, who consults for athletes such as Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan.
What it costs: The initial download and seven “basics” lessons (i.e., “Clearing your Mind,” “Respond, not React,” and “Finding the Time”) are free. So is one daily piece of content that follows a broad theme, such as forgiveness; the rest of the 350-plus meditations cost $99 per year to access.
Why we like it: Like academic majors, “Courses” focus on big-picture skills such as focus or mindful eating by providing more than a dozen relevant lessons from a single expert, who acts like your professor. (The focus track, for instance, includes episodes like, “My Mind is Too Busy” and “Combatting Distraction.”) There are also individual, expert-led classes such as “Singles,” which offer quick fixes on common themes like stress and relationships. Two good Singles themes for the holidays: how to skillfully handle tough conversations and dealing with difficult people. They may come in handy when surrounded by your extended family.
What we’d change: Offline use comes only with the premium version
If you’re terrified of flying—and hate your co-workers ...
Despite the name, Buddhify has a straightforward, practical, and not-at-all spiritual approach to meditation: It categorizes meditations based on situations when you might need them, whether that’s on a plane or in the office.