Mental Health apps: Our review
By: Pure Planet Blog
Tags: Wellbeing, UN, Sdgs, Mindfulness, Apps

Mental Health apps: Our review

Mental health is a topic that we take very seriously at Pure Planet — we care about each others’ well-being. After all, people are a third of our triple bottom line.

So when we had the chance to sign up for the UN Global Compact to work towards the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — it was a no brainer. Much like switching to clean, green renewables with Pure Planet — get a quote here.

We aim to work towards one goal per month. This month — we are focusing on goal three: Good Health and Well-being. We’ve already conducted meditation sessions right here in our office, and have started weekly yoga sessions too.

Find out why the SDGs are such a big deal to us here.

As Britain’s first app-based energy supplier, we have a soft spot for any organisation that operates solely through the medium of the beloved smartphone.

So, we want to share our thoughts on some of the great mental health apps out there. Take a look at what our team thinks of our three favourite well-being apps — Headspace, Breethe and Calm.

Headspace

Maddie, Digital Service Adviser

Maddie

“I use Headspace quite a lot. I find it really good, and I always feel in a much better frame of mind after I’ve done a guided meditation.

“I love the way the app is laid out as well. If you get the annual subscription you can access loads of different courses on topics like managing anxiety, sleep or self esteem.

“There are SOS courses too. These are around three minutes long and are for lots of different (and more extreme) ‘in the moment’ feelings which seems good although I have never used those.

“It basically just has a lot of variety (if you pay — that’s the only downside — you get limited access for free) and I love it!”

Connor, Data Scientist

Connor

“I’ve been a Headspace subscriber for about a year or so now, and have found it to be a great way of incorporating mindfulness techniques into my everyday life.

“There’s loads of topics to choose from, from basic meditation and breathing techniques, through to very specialised use cases such as preparing for interviews or working with technology in a more mindful way.

“For me, the sessions I find most useful are those for helping to get to sleep. I listen to these most nights, and find the guiding voice brilliant at helping my brain to “switch off” from even the most stressful of days.

“There’s even a session dedicated to falling back to sleep, recognising that there are better techniques to help us fall back to sleep after waking, versus when we’re trying to settle down before going to bed. If you’ve never tried mindfulness before, Headspace is a great app to introduce you.

“You don’t have to dive in with a paid subscription, and can follow their 10-day “Basics” course for free. Give it a go!”

Breethe

Hannah, Digital Service Adviser

Hannah

“I downloaded the Breethe app last year after hearing great feedback about it. For the free version, it offers you sessions on guided meditation, inspirational talks, two-minute stress reliever and breathing exercises.

“I work a busy lifestyle where I’m out and about with clients photographing and then editing a lot at a laptop screen — so it helps you switch off from the world and allow your brain to do a battery reset. I like how this is handy to have on the go too.

“My favourite component is the meditation, as it allows me to reset mentally and physically. As I suffer from back and neck pain, the sessions teach me how to relax muscles that may be tense or strained.

“A really fab app that I’d highly recommend if you are looking to learn more about self-care and tuning into your energy.”

Calm

Carol, Business Analyst

Carol

“Calm is great when you need to take a break on the go.

“Whether it be checking emails, responding to texts or even placing an online shopping order, I have found a nice feature in the Calm app. It allows you to select a soundtrack which it plays in the background on your phone while you’re doing other things.

“The soundtracks include nature sounds and instrumentals and are available without a subscription. I find it helps me to tune out distractions so I get through mundane tasks much more quickly.

“I’d recommend both these apps if you want to be able to fit guided meditations and relaxation into your daily life.”