5 Wellness Apps Burning Up My Phone
Like many, the pandemic propelled my wellness journey into hyperdrive. Having forced downtime, coming face-to-face with the grief and trauma of having my business come to a complete stop, coupled with the inability to book an in-person wellness class (my pre-pandemic go to) I turned to the digital space seeking to further develop my wellness toolbox.
It’s no surprise that skyrocketing growth has defined the last 18-months when it comes to available wellness apps. According to the Global Wellness Institute, meditation and mindfulness, the smallest identified sector of mental wellness, grew the fastest at 25% during the pandemic and the industry itself is set to reach a $210 Billion valuation in the next four years.
Here are the top 5 wellness apps that are burning up my phone after months of use:
Mindlabs
This UK-based mindfulness app was made available in the US last year during their beta testing and I was quickly hooked. Rooted in neuroscience, classes are offered both live and on-demand and run anywhere from 5 to 18 mins. Their unintimidating approach to mindfulness allows you to pop in to a quick lunchtime mindful reset, hum your way to feeling more connection with your body or learning how to slow down your brain waves to overcome moments of anxiety. In addition to the content, the English accents and a diverse set of instructors makes this app stand out in a crowded field. Having successfully launched in Europe, now is the time to sign up for their mailing list to be the first to know when they release the app across the pond.
Think Instagram Live for spiritual enlightenment. Billed as the world’s first emotional network, Mine’d brings community together to jam about topics from Money Mindset and Motherhood as a Spiritual Practice to Finding your Why and Aligning with Purpose. With Mine’d I’ve found myself drawn to participating in the 25-minute live sessions as the chat feature makes for interactive and lively discussions. Instructors, based throughout North America, host sessions based around a theme. The most recent class I attended had over 200 members live allowing the instructor to tailor the discussion toward what was being live posted in the chat. Not only does this interaction allow you to feel seen and have your questions addressed, it allows the community members to rally around you in support.
Described as enterTRAINment, where fitness feels like a party, this Brooklyn-based app is one of the first I downloaded during the pandemic. Discovered via Instagram as my favorite former NYC boutique fitness instructors where their first hires, Obe allowed them to showcase their love for the fun, kitschy workouts they were leading. Twenty classes a day take place in ‘the box’, an LED studio where colored lights pulse and change with the music, so there will always be multiple opportunities to drop-in live. If you’re like me and prefer the on-demand library with over 8,000 classes, you’ll never be bored. I’ve found my groove by either going hard for 28-minutes of sculpt or barre or by stacking 10-minute classes: cardio boxing, core focus, and lower body resistance bands for a fully customized experience.
While operating as a digital only app during the pandemic, Open has expanded their modern mindfulness mission into a hybrid model by adding in-person events in Venice Beach, where the company is based, as well as a handful of events around the U.S. I was drawn to the app by their dreamy marketing and have stayed as the breathwork, meditation, and yoga classes are grounded in a full experience of your senses. Using music, sound, breath, and movement to interrupt the chatter in the mind and anchor you in the present moment, I’m most drawn to the 10 - 20 minute classes that have names like Glimmer of Peace and Release Expectations. Oftentimes I’ll stack an Open class between my fitness workout and my journaling.
Relationships take work no matter if you’re celebrating 1 month or 10 years. And while couples therapy has lost a lot of its stigma over the last decade, it’s unaffordable to many. I discovered Relish, which uses games and quizzes that get you connecting and communicating with your partner daily. Start by choosing your area of focus: improve communication, build connection, better sex, resolve conflict, and more, then you’re off on a journey via short daily sessions to change your behavior, knowing attitude and emotion will follow suit. The track I chose, feeling playful, started by asking me to reminisce about the first time I met my partner and come up with 3 things I noticed about him. Then to make his day, I texted him my answers as a love note. From suggesting playful activities for us to do together—a beach bike ride—to insight into my money story to gratitude in everyday interactions, Relish takes a fun approach to remembering why we work so well together in the first place.
The digital wellness revolution is here to stay. But as people begin to eBay their Peloton’s in favor of in-person fitness and wellness experiences, I’ll be keeping my eye on which apps are able to make their mark both on and offline.
