Exercise
7 Wellness Apps to Help You Deal with the Winter Blues
Eloise Edington | 15 Feb 2021
Our friends at The Handbook recently listed the top seven wellness apps to help you deal with the winter blues. As we well know, when you’re trying to conceive / having fertility treatment it’s an incredibly stressful time, especially during a global pandemic. So, read on to find out which wellness apps are worth checking out and how they might help you.
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Words by The Handbook
Oh winter, how us Londoners loathe you! As soon as the clock strikes 4pm, it’s pitch-black outside and makes us want to crawl under the covers and not resurface until spring, when the birds begin chirping and the sun stays out a little longer. It comes as no surprise that many of us suffer from the winter blues as soon as December hits, which is why we’re looking to wellness apps to help us tackle the winter hands-on.
From mindfulness and meditation tips, to the fitness app that transports you away from reality and into a world of alien invasions (just you wait), turn on your SAD lamp, plug in your headphones and let these seven apps guide you on your new wellness journey.
Headspace
The king of wellness apps, Headspace provides a safe sanctuary for those looking for tips, tricks and techniques for mindfulness, visualisation and meditation.
First launched in 2010 by Andy Puddicombe and Rich Pierson, Headspace offers an online space for those looking really to explore and reap the benefits of meditation anytime, anywhere. Users are then guided through meditations, animations, articles and videos. It’s said that the likes of Emma Watson and Gwyneth Paltrow use this one to help them relax after a stressful day at the grind. There’s a free Basics course for those intrigued to try it out themselves.
Related Article – Infertility Man: The Seven Mindsets of Infertility
Sleep Cycle
Bad night’s sleep? Not feeling so fresh this morning? You need Sleep Cycle, the app that helps you track your sleep throughout the night. Using sound and movement, the app helps to track and analyse your sleeping patterns and wakes you up when you’re during your lightest sleep phase, without the fear of your 7am alarm.
It’s said the average person needs between seven to nine hours of sleep per night and, if you’re one of those who struggles with their regular sleeping pattern or needs an extra push to help them sleep better at night, Sleep Cycle will help you track your sleeping progress.
Related Article – Fertility Blog: Can Insomnia Affect Your Fertility?
Calm
With a wealth of over 700k five-star reviews and 50 million downloads, it quickly becomes obvious why Calm is the number one app for all things sleep, meditation and relaxation related. Users fill out a short form which helps tailor the app to you and your needs.
The app itself is split into categories, from meditate to sleep, music to body, and masterclasses to scenes, all helping to calm and relax you. There’s a new selection of Sleep Stories that have been recently uploaded, including ‘Kingdom of the Sky’, narrated by the one and only Idris Elba. Sleep dreamily with his chirpy voice guiding you into a sleeping abyss.
Related Article – Feel Comfy During IVF and Lockdown
Apocalypse Survival Training
Don’t let the name scare you off. After the year we’ve had, we’re all in need of a little light relief and the new fitness training app, Apocalypse Survival Training, provides all that, plus a side of alien invasion…
An apocalypse fitness app might not fall under your typical ‘wellness’ umbrella, but trust us when we say you’ll forget all of your worries and woes as soon as you plug your headphones in and open up the app. Available on Google Play and the App Store, the app fuses fitness and storytelling together for an immersive action-packed experience. Guided by audio, this apocalyptic app places you and your workout at the centre of an original storyline, set in an alien-invaded London, which after what 2020 has thrown at us, doesn’t sound too far off reality. The app boasts three workout types: Speed (running), Strength (body-weight circuits) and Control (stretch and core). Pop in your headphones and prepare to be guided on one hell of an adventure.
Related Article – Fertility Help: How, When & Why Exercise is Beneficial for Conception
My Possible Self
Designed to help reduce stress, anxiety and low mood, My Possible Self is a free mobile app that builds your own personalised self-improvement plan so you can track your progress over the months.
Users will fill out a guided self-assessment questionnaire, before being given their own personalised plan in which they can track their mood, understand themselves better, look back over their progress and move forward to a brighter, more relaxed future.
Down Dog
Helping you on your own personalised yogi journey is Down Dog, the fitness app that allows you to build strength and mix up your exercise routine every day. The app is home to over 60,000 different configurations, meaning you’ll never grow tired of your workout because they’ll bring you a new yoga practice every time. Choose from yoga, meditation, barre, workout and prenatal yoga and start your fitness journey today.
Related Article – Yoga for Fertility: Beyond the Mat
All Trails
Often the best remedy for tackling the winter blues is heading out into the open and soaking up some much needed fresh air. All Trails is an app that helps you to locate the best local walks, hikes and trails near you. The app boasts over 100,000 trails and will provide you with hours of fun as you uncover new areas.
Just remember to wrap up warm, bring a flask of hot tea and enjoy. Of course it’s important to remember to follow the current government guidelines surrounding social distancing.
