Being in a state of calm is something a lot of people wish they could experience more often. Despite your best efforts, it can be difficult to obtain when you’re struggling with anxiety or overwhelmed with life in general. As anxiety is on the rise across North America, many people are looking for easy ways to help them relax.
Luckily, calming yourself down can now be done with the help of your phone. There are now plenty of apps available to target anxiety and stress and incorporate more relaxation into your life. We have a list of what we think are some of the best apps to help you achieve this.
Read on to learn more about the apps and different calming methods available.
10 best calming apps to help with your anxiety
There are plenty of ways to calm yourself down whenever you’re struggling with anxiety. Here are 10 calming apps that we think can help.
1. Brain.fm
Download It Now: Android | iOS
Cost: Free, premium subscriptions available for $6.99 per month or $49.99 per year
Calming Method: Relaxing music
Brain.fm is one of the best calming apps with its AI-generated music. The app uses a person’s specific goals and situation to play music that will help soothe the listener. It recommends 15 minutes of listening to help with various situations including relaxation, focus, sleep, naps, and meditation.
2. MoodMission
Download It Now: Android | iOS
Cost: Free, in-app purchases available
Calming Method: Calming activities
MoodMission is one of the best apps for calming anxiety, as it helps users take control when they’re struggling to relax. The app will ask you to fill out questionnaires about your current state, which will help it tailor different missions to you. The missions are all easily attainable tasks that are proven to boost your mood once they’re successfully completed.
3. Panic Relief
Download It Now: Android | iOS
Cost: $0.99
Calming Method: Calming animations and exercises
Panic Relief is an app designed to help users overcome anxiety and panic the moment it arises. It offers tools that help instantly, including calming animations. The app is also very discreet, so you can overcome panic at any place and time without drawing attention (or causing yourself more stress).
4. BrainWave Tuner
Download It Now: iOS
Cost: $3.99
Calming Method: Calming sounds
BrainWave Tuner is a calming app that uses brainwaves and white noise to help users achieve their desired state. Users can customize the sounds to meet their specific needs and even adjust the strength to help themselves feel more relaxed. The app has many different programs to choose from, including relaxation, de-stress, meditation, memory boost, sleep induction, and more.
5. Breathe2Relax
Download It Now: Android | iOS
Cost: Free
Calming Method: Breathing exercises
Breathe2Relax is one of the best free calming apps, with its easy-to-follow breathing exercises. The app features an accessible design and clear instructions that help guide users through various breathing exercises when they find themselves in stressful situations. It’s a great app for those struggling with anxiety or needing help relaxing after a long day.
6. Stress Relief Adult Color Book
Download It Now: Android | iOS
Cost: Free
Calming Method: Coloring pages
Stress Relief Adult Color Book is one of the best free calming apps that lets users color beautiful images right on their phone. The app features a wide selection of imagery that you can fill with various color palettes. It’s a great app to have when you want an easy activity to help you relax on-the-go.
7. Happify
Download It Now: Android | iOS
Cost: Free, subscription upgrades available for $14.99/month, $139.99/year, or a $449.99 lifetime purchase
Calming Method: Calming games
Happify is one of the best calming game apps designed for managing anxiety and lowering stress levels. The app suggests activities and games that help users reduce their stress and combat negative ways of thinking. Many who’ve used the app have found that they feel much happier and relaxed after regular use.
8. Personal Zen
Download It Now: iOS
Cost: $1.99/month, $12.99/year
Calming Method: Calming game
Personal Zen is a science-based app that uses games to help calm your stress and anxiety. Recommended to be used for a few minutes every day, the app helps users to retrain their brain to be more resilient in stressful situations. It’s a great calming app that can easily be played at any time and anywhere during the day.
9. DARE
Download It Now: Android | iOS
Cost: $9.99/month, in-app purchases available
Calming Method: Calming audio
DARE is a popular anxiety app that makes use of evidence-based training programs in the form of audio to help users overcome the stresses they regularly experience. It is known to help with generalized anxiety, panic attacks, worries, and insomnia. The app is easy to use on the go, so users can access it whenever they find themselves in a situation that causes anxiety.
10. Anxiety Reliever
Download It Now: Android | iOS
Cost: Free, subscription upgrades available for $8.99/month or $48.99/year
Calming Method: Various calming tools
Anxiety Reliever is a helpful app created to help soothe users after periods of stress. It features several helpful tools, including audio recordings, guides, a tracker, a breathing tool, and messages to help relieve the anxieties that users face on a day-to-day basis. The app is great to have on hand for when users need it most.
That’s our list of some of the best calming apps available. Test them out and see which ones help you relax and unwind. We hope you find one that works for you. If you’d like to explore other apps available for mental health and well-being, check out the best chat apps for depression, or the best meditation apps and sites.
And remember, if you or someone you know is in crisis, call 911 immediately or go to your nearest emergency department.