6 of the best Mindfulness Apps for menopause symptoms
Does mindfulness help menopause symptoms?
'Mindfulness' – is not just a trendy buzzword but an NHS-approved approach to help deal with anxiety, reduce blood pressure, improve sleep problems, and help fight fatigue.
There are phone-based apps plenty that provide accessible ways for you to test the zen waters of mindfulness and meditation. They're possibly worth a download if any of the above menopause symptoms are making your life a misery.
It’s important to remember though that the apps aren't designed to specifically deal with mental health issues and shouldn’t be used as a substitute for seeking professional help. Think of them as complementary, rather than a replacement for mental health services.
Many of us find it difficult to find the time or energy to take a class. These apps are designed to make it easier and accessible to do mindfulness almost anywhere.
We’ve selected apps for iPhone and Android based on user reviews. We’d love to hear from you if you have another preferred app?
Take a deep breath and delve into the techy-world of mindfulness to help find your inner zen.
A few Mindfulness App Options
The Mindfulness App
Price: Free with trial
This app does what it says on the tin! Packed full of features, it includes five-day guided meditation practice, including reminder functions for when it’s time to relax, plus additional offers based on your individual meditation routines. It boasts ‘world-renowned teachers’ (so they say?). You can integrate it with other health apps. If you want to be more mindful and fit regular meditation into the day, this app makes it easier to slot it into a busy time-strapped life.
Headspace
Price: Free with trial
This app is great for anyone just starting meditation. We like the colourful, light-hearted animations to help you understand the basics of mindfulness and meditation. The sessions are narrated by co-founder Andy Puddicombe. Included in the free trial are 10 exercises geared towards beginners, designed to help you learn more about meditation and how you can apply it to your life. The tone is straightforward. You could stick with this or pay the monthly subscription fee to unlock 550 hours of extra content: the format stays much the same (colourful animations and short voice-led meditations) but the topics become more focused, covering everything from productivity to pain management.
Calm
Calm offers an extensive range of guided meditations. Wasting no time getting started from the first click of the thumbnail, you hear the sound of the sea (this can be replaced with other soothing soundbites). Sessions range from 3-minute to 25-minute. Daily Calm is a 10-minute package you can practice at the start or end of your day. There’s a range of free voice-led meditation exercises, including a seven-day beginner’s programme covering the basics, such as mindful breathing, in short sessions usually no longer than five minutes. There’s a library of calming music and a selection of “sleep stories”, including some soothing tales by Stephen Fry. The subscription fee unlocks more of the same, plus more advanced programmes, such as the Calm “Masterclass” – detailed audio packages on specific topics such as sleep, relationships, and anxiety, all provided by relevant experts.
Breethe
Price: Free
Breethe, aimed at beginners, has mindfulness and meditation techniques to help you practice more regularly. The developers say it takes just 10 minutes a day to get into a meditation routine. The app brings you content for morning starts, sleep, and other tailored topics. You can use it for free forever or unlock all content with a premium subscription.
Stop, Breathe & Think
Price: Free
The first thing you do when you open this app is ‘check in’ with yourself: you record how you’re feeling (mentally and physically). Once your ‘emotional data’ has been collected, the app chooses the mindfulness exercise best suited to your mood. This meditation app boasts more than 55 options for guided meditation selections, so you’ll never get bored with your practice. It also divides exercises according to topics such as sleep, anxiety, and depression. You can tailor sounds to your preferences and record your daily meditation practice to track progress throughout the year. Upgrading to the premium package unlocks more than 70 exercises, including some yoga sessions and acupressure videos. The latter guides you in using pressure points on the body to aid relaxation and is a useful grounding for the beginner. A handy, written ‘Learn how to meditate’ guide makes this app ideal for first-timers.
Clarity
Price: Free
Clarity is a mindfulness and relaxation app designed especially for women over 40 – founded by Becks Armstrong, a professional women’s health specialist.
Clarity provides a range of mindfulness sessions with easy-to-follow techniques, to help you relax and breathe easier during specific menopause symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, anxiety and many more.
The short mindfulness sessions range from 1-20 minutes and include topics to help us all, such as:
Getting to sleep and getting back to sleep if you wake during the night
Stress-busting
Fatigue
Letting go of negative thoughts
And our favourite, an 'InstaCool' session that can give immediate relief when you're having a hot flush or night sweats.