This app was mentioned in 23 comments, with an average of 3.04 upvotes
I have only used Aware for mindfulness meditation till now and I am satisfied. They did a free giveaway sometime back where I picked it up, not sure how in-app purchases work with free version.
I use meditation. Focus on your breathing, learn to recognize when your mind wanders off, and gently return to your breathing.
It's easy to learn and works very well for me.
Here is a link to an app that can help teach you to do it.
From a glance, there appears to be a few exercises on relaxation techniques and it also features a tracker to help turn it into a habit.
You can find a more in-depth description on the app store. Links below.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mindfulness.aware try this. It has alot of free stuff and if you like it you can pay a bit to unlock much more, but I just use the free stuff, you know being a student and all.
I looked at Headspace but ended up starting with Aware: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mindfulness.aware
There's more free content, and the paid content is something like $4 for everything.
There are tons of apps out there that guide you through meditation. The one I'm currently using seems to be good for beginners - Aware
Just pop in your headphones and go to town.
I love Aware! I got premium for free during a promo though. I think a lifetime sub is $75 or so, but you can try it out for free to make sure you like it.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mindfulness.aware
I've been using this one, it's more basic than I really need (I don't really need Ann app anymore, I've been meditating for the last 27 years) but it's been a really good refresher for me to go back to the beginning. It's Android so don't know if you're Apple, but if not almost all the content is free and what isn't was cheap.
I've been trying Aware. The guy has a soft, Indian accent... Kinda like Deepak Chopra. Very soothing. Anyhow the first 7 sessions are free, then it's a 5$ charge to unlock the rest of the sessions. Overall I am impressed with the app.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mindfulness.aware
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Como já sofri de insônia por bastante tempo, eu empatizo com sua situação. Primeiro, use aplicativos no celular e computador para reduzir a luz azul. No windows tem o f.lux, no linux tem o redshift e nightlight e no android tem o twilight. Também evite tomar cafeína depois de meio-dia.
Para tentar dormir sem sono, há duas coisas que faço.
Ouvir um livro ou podcast de teatro de rádio. O librivox tem vários audio livros gratuitos. Há também canais no youtube, mas nada que faça você pensar demais, eu pessoalmente gosto de contos de terror do canal Chilling Tales for Dark Nights.
Se tudo isso falhar, meditação também é uma boa. Há aplicativos que ensinam a fazer uma meditação básica e nessas meditações é bem fácil dormir. Eu sugiro o aware do android, mas já ouvi falar que o headspace também é bom.
Uma outra coisa que evito fazer ao tentar dormir é me lembrar de coisas ou planejar o que fazer amanhã. Ficar recordando de coisas passadas e planejando geralmente impede o sono, tento tirar o foco de lembranças e fico imaginando coisas por mais absurdas que sejam e antes que você note você já vai estar sonhando.
boa sorte.
Don't want to come across all hippy but I'd defo recommend at least trying some mindfulness at times like these.
I'm naturally a very anxious person and used to get really bad panic attacks where I'd totally lose touch with reality, really unpleasant stuff. Took a while for me to realise I needed to do something about it but eventually went to my GP who temporarily put me on meds and recommended therapy (LifeLink Glasgow). Did some CBT and they recommended I practice some mindfulness between sessions which, once I got comfortable with it, was a total Eureka moment for controlling my anxiety. I used an app to guide me through it at first (Aware) but I'd recommend doing it without once you get the idea.
Just thought I'd mention it - would also recommend Breathing Space Scotland if you're feeling a bit overwhelmed and need a chat.
The best advice I can give you is don't start trying to do the big thing when the little thing will help you more. Start with 10-15 minutes of meditation and as you're able work up from there. 10 or 15 minutes done religiously will help you a lot more than an hour done sporadically. It will also help you become better at the practice.
I understand having a full house. I live with my 13 y/o son, my mom and my aunt, needless to say quiet time is in short supply. If you're really having trouble finding quiet time then overcome that by not using perfectly quiet time, try spa music, or I like Tibetan singing bowls, try out stuff on YouTube where it's free.
If you don't already have one and you can afford one, it's well worth the money to invest in in a Bluetooth speaker (doesn't even have to be a very good one). Or if you really have a lot of trouble finding quiet a good a nice pair of headphones is another option you can explore (I recommend headphones because I find them to be more comfortable than ear buds).
When my son was young (you didn't mention the age of your child) I used to lock myself in the bathroom, the one place mommy is slightly less likely to be disturbed. I'd place the bath mat against the wall, fold my towel over it for a little extra padding and put on my music. Just sit how you're comfortable. I can do lotus but mostly sit Indian style, so for now just sit however you're most comfortable, if you want to work on traditional positions like lotus or half lotus do that later.
I bought my son a digital timer when he was 3, I began setting it for 10 minutes, then moved up to 15. I would give him something to entertain himself with (usually the iPad, I'm a bad mother) then tell him he wasn't allowed to bother mommy until the timer went off, unless it was an emergency and if it wasn't a real emergency mommy would start her timer over. Watching the countdown alleviated his anxiety that I wasn't right there and since he could watch it count down, he knew when I'd be back.
As for you SO you need to explain to them how important this is to you for your mental health and hygiene. That there are oodles of studies showing how much it helps with stress and anxiety and how that can improve mood symptoms. You're together, they personally know you and your struggles. I'm sure they want you to feel better, I'm also sure that they must respect you enough to want you to have that for yourself, and that it's something you want to have not just for you but for everyone around you, most of all for all those you love.
I don't usually push products but if you're on an Android phone I highly recommend this app. It started me over from the beginning, with a lot of stuff I knew already but it's been a really good refresher for me so would probably be a good start for a beginner.
Aware - Mindfulness Meditation
There are probably similar things for other platforms I just don't know about them. So Apple phones may either heave the very same app or something similar, or something similar for PC or iOS if you tried to hunt them down. I just don't know because I found this one and it's perfect for my purposes, so I've had no need to look for another (also I don't own Apple anything).
Some of this I repeated in a comment below because I thought it was you but some of it bears repeating for you.
You haven't failed, you just haven't found a method that works for you yet. Honestly I've read dozens of books over the years and I'd stay away from those that are only on mediation and instead look into books on Buddhism that feature meditation (classic Buddhism, not this quasi new age Buddhism).
I have found over the years that the Buddhists (though I personally am an atheist) have a more relaxed way of explaining and talking about meditation. Often referring to it as sitting, without expectation that you'll be any good at it at first because you followed some magic formula. Their only magic formula is profoundly simple "when you find yourself becoming distracted, always return to the breath" over time it becomes easier to let the thoughts go, to empty your mind, but it's a practice and it has no ending.
The best advice I can give you is don't start trying to do the big thing when the little thing will help you more. Start with 10-15 minutes of meditation and as you're able work up from there. 10 or 15 minutes done religiously will help you a lot more than an hour done sporadically. It will also help you become better at the practice.
Don't expect to pick it up and do an hour, that's not how it works. Meditation is a practice of sitting more than anything. Just being with yourself, letting the thoughts come, and letting them go instead of holding on to them like we do in our everyday lives. I like to visualize a river and all my thoughts flow away down the river without me needing to acknowledge them.
When you find yourself becoming distracted, caught in those thoughts, you bring your focus back to your breathing, concentrating fully on your breath. The sensation off the air coming into for lungs, the way it fills you up, expands you're belly and chest. Then the sensation of it leaving your lungs, the sound of it coming out, the feeling of it emptying your lungs, how it seems to take the stress with it.
This is where if you have any experience with box breathing it will help you. Box breathing is breathing in for example to the count of 3, holding for 3, releasing on 3 and holding your lungs empty for 3 (rinse, repeat). It's a method often used to control anxiety, fun fact it's also used by snipers.
Sit how you're comfortable. I can do lotus but mostly sit Indian style, so for now just sit however you're most comfortable, if you want to work on traditional positions like lotus or half lotus do that later.
Never forget: Mediation is not a state if no thought, it is a state of let go thought
I don't usually push products (and now I've done it in two posts, shame on me) but if you're on an Android phone I highly recommend this app. It started me over from the beginning, with a lot of stuff I knew already but it's been a really good refresher for me so would probably be a good start for a beginner.
Aware - Mindfulness Meditation
There are probably similar things for other platforms I just don't know about them. So Apple phones may either have the very same app or something similar, or there may be something similar for PC or iOS if you tried to hunt them down. I just don't know because I found this one and it's perfect for my purposes, so I've had no need to look for another (also I don't own Apple anything).
Aware is a mindfulness & meditation app that helps you to shape a healthier and a happier life. It is one of the highest rated apps on Google Playstore & Apple Appstore.
THE APP IS IN ENGLISH ONLY.
Get unlimited access to Aware Premium for lifetime, worth $75.
Promo Code: ATWDVF-74N1VC-5E99YW
How to redeem:
Give Aware a try and trust me, it will make a positive difference in your life.
Android: Aware Meditation App iOS: Aware Meditation App
You're quite a trooper.
She may benefit from attending a local support group coordinated by GROW or Aware.
She may appreciate GROW for it's holistic and spiritual approach. Aware meetings are generally alot less structured in comparison, but both offer an opportunity to speak out and seek advice from other people facing similar challenges. If she feels she can't go alone, you are very welcome to tag along to support her. I've previously attended the Young Adult programmes of both, but I'll do my best to answer any questions either of you may have.
Your local health centre is also a valuable resource for this kind of thing. While it's amazing that you're supporting your mother through this, make sure you don't neglect your own mental health.
I shared this mindfulness app before. I'm not sure if this still works, but...
>Free lifetime subscription for Meditation & Mindfulness App - @awaremindful > >Visit the redeem page > >Sign-up with your email > >Enter promo code: ATWDVF-74N1VC-5E99YW > >Android > >IOS
I really love Aware. I'm not sure how much is accessible for free though, since I have premium.
Please use below link Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mindfulness.aware iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/in/app/aware-meditation-app/id1159708931?mt=8
Give Aware a try. I have personally found it very effective. I think it is the only app out there that doesn't compromise with the practice of mindfulness & meditation at all & provides a very personalised experience.
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mindfulness.aware
I think it is also available on Apple Appstore.