As a nurse, you don’t always have time to schedule a therapy session or hit that 9 am yoga class. That’s why we found the best 10 apps to help even the busiest nurse find a moment to relax. Whether you work nights, days, or mids, these apps are designed to provide stress-relief on your time.
1. Calm
Calm is a scientifically-backed mindfulness app which specializes in providing stress-relieving exercises. Enjoy sleep stories voiced by celebrities, breathing techniques, guided meditations, mood trackers, music tracks, and even mindful movement. This app is great for those wanting to dabble in a little bit of everything… and for those who want to fall asleep to Harry Styles reading them a bedtime story.
2. Headspace
Headspace is another mindfulness app, designed to improve mental health by creating life-changing habits. Relax your mind, reduce stress, increase focus, and get a good night’s rest by using all the app has to offer – like meditation, breathing exercises, storytelling, and yoga. Recently partnered with Star Wars, it’s the perfect app for padawans figuring out what sort of relaxation tool works best for them.
3. Happify
Happify is an app created to do what the name says – make you happier. Backed by Cognitive Behavioral therapy and positive psychology skills, Happify leads you through journals, activities, and learning tracks, to help retrain your negative thinking. Since this app records your weekly happiness index, you can physically see your improvement – making it the perfect partner for those who like to visually mark their progress.
4. Moodnotes
Moodnotes is a journaling app which aims to improve your mood by challenging your thinking habits. Track your emotions, learn your “thinking traps,” and eliminate recurring negative thoughts. With this journal being digital, you don’t have to wait to get home and find your paper and pencil. Instead, you can immediately log your thoughts on your phone, making it super convenient – especially if you’re forgetful.
5. Personal Zen
Personal Zen is an app focused on reducing stress and anxiety by using a scientific method called, Attention Bias Modification Training (AMBT). Personal zen teaches users how to pay attention to their positive thoughts rather than pessimistic ones. These activities include attitude trackers, fun games, and journaling. If you struggle to concentrate while meditating, and find yourself falling out of a mental health routine, this app has you covered. The games are short and engaging, and will entice you to open the app again and again.
6. Colorfy
Who says coloring is just for kids? This study, done in 2020, shows that coloring actually helps to lower anxiety levels in adults. With Colorfy, paint mandalas, patterns, animals, and florals right on your phone to help calm down whenever works for you. Perfect for your inner artist, this app allows you to color until your heart’s content – without all the mess.
7. Mind Doc
Mind Doc is an app designed by psychologists to help you throughout your entire mental health journey. Mind Doc provides exercises which are tailored to you based on responses to it’s daily questions. Focusing on education about emotional health, this app provides over 70 courses to teach you how to reduce stress, achieve goals, and deal with your feelings. Partnering with Better Help, Mind Doc is a terrific app if you’re looking to stay vigilant about your wellbeing.
8. Better Help
Better Help is an app intended to provide you with professional therapy whenever and wherever works for you. Better Help therapists are all licensed, trained, and accredited with specialization in areas like depression, stress, relationships, and so much more. This app is great for the busy nurse who doesn’t have time to schedule sessions in a therapist’s office. Just text your therapist whenever, and get help when you need it.
9. Room Rage
If you’re the kind of person who pops your stress balls (you know who you are), then this app is for you. Take out your frustration with the Room Rage app. Virtually throw random objects all around the room and watch everything get destroyed – including your anger. You can’t deny that there is something about breaking a room apart that is just oh, so, satisfying.
10. Down Dog
Sometimes the best way to de-stress is to get your body moving. Down Dog is an app created to let you practice yoga on your time while still having access to great instructors. When you open the app, you’ll take a quick survey to pick your level of expertise, style, pace, and even a particular focus. This makes Down Dog the perfect app for those wanting yoga flows customized just for them.
These apps are designed to work around your busy life. Download one – or all ten – to see which works best for you. Whether your go-to stress relief is coloring, meditation, or journaling, you can find your zen on your time.
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