When it comes to mental health, people often deem it fit to ignore the symptoms and move on with their life. However, similar to your physical health, if these symptoms are ignored, your mental health can take a huge toll on your overall wellbeing. There are multiple studies that talk about the negative effects of poor mental health and how it may lead to chronic health conditions like depression. To raise more awareness about this, let us share the best mental health apps of 2024 — so you can take control of your life and enjoy the precious moments!
Why is mental health important?
Before we jump into the best apps for maintaining your mental health, let us first understand why mental health is important. Mental health is not only about your emotions and how you feel. It governs your actions, thought processes and thinking, which further influences your choices. Thinking of mental health as the foundation of your overall wellbeing will make it easy for you to manage it.
Let’s put things in perspective; imagine if you had a physical injury like a fractured leg. With this injury it will come as no surprise that walking, jumping and running around will be extremely challenging. Each movement will cause unnecessary strain on your leg, which would result in pain. Your mental health operates the same way as physical health. If you neglect you mental health, simple tasks like decision-making, communication with others and enjoying things that you love, will be more of a challenge.
In fact, research found that in the UK alone, mental health problems cost the economy at least £118 billion every year. That is a shocking number! According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), 12.5% of the men in England suffer from one of the common mental health disorders. This may include disorders such as bipolar, depression, anxiety, and PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). The ONS also reports that 75% of people who take their own lives due to mental health issues are men, which is even more concerning.
These numbers not only provide insight into the mental state of the current population, but also shine a light on the need for improved mental health awareness. Thankfully, the month of May is recognised as Mental Health Awareness Month across the globe which helps to educate people about the importance of mental wellbeing and sharing of valuable resources – helping to break the stigma surrounding mental health problems.
So how can you get started?
Best health apps for mental health: 2024
It is no surprise that our mobile devices have become a huge part of our lives. Although excessive mobile phone use can impact our mental health, what if we told you that you could use this to your advantage? Continue reading to discover the best phone apps for mental health so you can begin to prioritise your mental health take charge of your mental wellbeing.
1. Headspace
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An app that made mindfulness accessible and easy for millions of people, Headspace has been around the market for a decade now. This minimalist app provides guided meditation, easy-to-follow mindfulness exercises, personalised coaching and sleep sounds so you can fall asleep with ease. What’s more, this app provides insightful blog reads, inspiring videos and workouts so you can take care of your overall wellbeing.
Cost: Free (Contains in-app purchases and subscriptions)
Platform: Android, iOS
2. Calm
Another solid app available in Android and iOS app stores, Calm is an app that helps you unwind your mind and relax your body. The app provides research-based tools that help you fall asleep to promote better sleep. They have over 250+ sleep stories, sleep meditation guidance, and breathing exercises. This app also contains specific guided workouts for people struggling with stressful jobs and are feeling burnt out.
Cost: Free (Contains in-app purchases and subscriptions)
Platform: Android, iOS
3. Wysa
Launched on World Mental Health Day in 2016, Wysa quickly became the people’s favourite app to deal with anxiety, stress and daily life mental health problems. The app contains a mood tracker that can interpret your state of the mind and provides guided coaching to overcome the roadblocks. This app is also known for it chatbotes-que design, which gives it a more human-like feel. The app also contains depression and anxiety tests alongside proper mental health assessments, so you know if you are keeping mentally fit or require some help.
Cost: Free (Contains in-app purchases and subscriptions)
Platform: Android, iOS
Changing your lifestyle
With our ever changing lives and stressful jobs, our mental health is bound to be tossed to the side. And while these mental health apps can come in handy, combining these with minor changes in lifestyle can be even more beneficial. Don’t worry, we don’t mean switching to extreme veganism or running iron man marathons. Simply replacing 30-minute Instagram reel scrolls with 10-minute walks in the great outdoors can do wonders for your mental health. Moving around not only has physical benefits such as staying fit but studies have shown that walking can alleviate the symptoms of anxiety and depression in adults. In addition to this, moderate to intense walking also reduced instances of high blood pressure problems and decreased negative emotions, thereby improving overall mental wellbeing.
Similarly, another great tip you can utilise is to practise breathing techniques. Having control over your breathing can calm your mind and body. This can be particularly effective when you face situations with extreme stress or feel that you may explode with anger or frustration. According to the NHS, breathing exercises can help reduce occurrences of panic attacks and anxiety – and they can be done anywhere. Deep breathing relaxes your muscles and calms your mind, so you can feel less stressed in minutes.
Your mental health is in your hands
Mental health apps make keeping a check on your wellbeing easy. Feeling of depression, anxiety, burn out, and mental fatigue can all take a huge toll on your health, but with the right set of tools, you can optimise your daily routine and include time to prioritise yourself. A simple jog in the park, some breathing exercises, meditation and a good diet can go a long way. Remember, your mental health is vitally important to your overall wellbeing.
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