Apps for breathing techniques, guided breathing and meditations are great if you are new to the process of learning to bring down your anxiety and stress. Most are easy to use and talk you through the process. If you find the first one doesn’t work, try another. Peoples voices or music can make a difference, trying several guided sessions or apps means you can find one that feels right for you, which is really important for success. It takes time and practice to feel comfortable with doing these things but it’s also important not to think you have ‘failed’ if it is too hard or not working in the way you need at the moment, if it doesn’t work, that’s ok too. Everyone is different. In the end the basic breathing is just as useful as an app but might be more boring! So here are some recommendations to try:

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Headspace

iPhone rating: 5 stars
Android rating: 4 stars
Price: Free with optional in-app purchases

Find calmness, wellness, and balance in your life with this app’s guided meditation and mindfulness techniques for daytime use. Before bed, try any of its 10 new sleep music tracks or 16 nature soundscapes. The app builds personalised plans based on a little input from you, so you can learn the essentials of meditation and build from there.

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Calm

iPhone rating: 5 stars
Android rating: 5 stars
Price: Free with optional in-app purchases

This award-winning app has calming exercises, breathing techniques to help you relax.

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Insight Timer

iPhone rating: 5 stars

Android rating: 5 stars
Price: Free with optional in-app purchases

More meditation is practiced on Insight Timer than anywhere else, and the app has 10 or more free guided meditations added every day. Browse thousands of guided meditations to begin building a simple daily habit and use the music tracks and ambient sounds to calm the mind and promote sleep.