11 Apps You Can Use To Boost Your Mental Health Right Now
- David Wills
- Aug 24, 2023
- 9 min read
Disclaimer: I am not a mental health professional, and the contents of this article are no replacement for a diagnosis from a doctor or licensed therapist.
If you're someone who struggles with mental health, you're not alone. Mental health disorders such as depression are on the rise, not to mention those of us who often just feel overwhelmed or stressed by everyday life.
Regardless of where you fall on this spectrum, we all need a mental health boost here and there, and luckily there are tons of apps anyone can download that research shows can help give your mental health a boost. In this article, we're going to talk about 11 categories of apps that can help address different aspects of mental health as well as my personal picks in each category. Let's get into it.
Meditation App (Waking Up)
The first category of app I always recommend is a meditation app. Studies point to meditation as being a powerful way of reducing anxiety and stress and increasing self-awareness and overall well-being.
I personally do a mindfulness meditation for 10 minutes every day which is focused on noticing the world around me. This has done wonders for my own mental health, as it's trained my brain to notice my emotions as they arise, allowing me to let go of those emotions and simply be. And if there's a time when I'm feeling like there's too much going on in my head, I'll sit down and meditate.
I could make a thousand articles on meditation, but all I know is that my meditation practice has had one of the most powerful effects on my positive well-being, and I encourage everyone to at least give it a serious shot.
The app I always go back to is the Waking Up app, as it takes out a lot of the guesswork by providing daily 10 and 20-minute meditations. I'm also a fan of the myriad "theory" sections in the app that go deeper into the science and philosophy behind mindfulness meditation.
Waking Up also has a fantastic beginner course for beginners that does a fantastic job of easing you into the different areas of meditation. And the best part of Waking Up is that if you cannot afford its annual price, you can email them at supporte@wakingup.com and they'll hook you up with a subscription for a subsidized or free price.
Workout Tracker (Hevy)
The second category of app I recommend is a workout tracker. Countless studies show that exercise has a hugely positive impact on your overall mental health, and while your workout tracker won't actually run those miles or lift those weights for you, it does make the process a whole lot more fun.
Since I personally lift weights, I use the Hevy app, which tracks my sets, reps, and weight for all of my lifts and compares them with previous sessions. I can then use this data to look at charts and graphs, which ultimately makes the whole process feel more like a game where I want to constantly improve.
I do also use the built-in Workouts iOS app for cardio, which syncs to my Apple Watch. But I endorse any app that allows you to gamify your exercise, regardless of what your exercise of choice might be.
Journal App (Day One)
The third category of app I recommend for boosting your mental health is a journaling app. I can't tell you how important journaling has been for my own well-being. I've gone through some seriously tough, isolating times, and the one solace I had was putting my thoughts down on the page. There are several studies that show that reflective journaling for 20 minutes per day can help reduce stress and manage anxiety and depression, and I can speak to this firsthand.
My personal journaling app of choice is Day One. This app gives you a beautiful UI that does a great job resurfacing old journal entries, giving you a snapshot of who you once were which can often help put your current problems into perspective.
One of the features I love the most about Day One is the ability to create audio journals. I will often dictate my journals more than I write them because I can sometimes articulate my thoughts more fluidly when I'm speaking as opposed to when I'm writing them out, and Day One gives me a great interface to do this with. It will even transcribe my audio diaries once I'm done with them.
You can pay a little bit per month for features like syncing and multiple journals, but in a pinch you're probably fine with the free version.
Music App (Apple Music)
The fourth category of apps I want to talk about is a music app. Music has an unquestionable ability to shift our mindset, regardless of what mood we're in. When we're exercising and want to feel more energized, we'll put on some high BPM music. When we're sad and want to lean into the sadness, we put on some ballads and cry our hearts out.
Music invokes an emotion that makes us feel like somebody understands what we're going through. When we hear lyrics that feel like they apply to our lives, it makes us feel slightly less alone and like we can point to something that captures our complex web of emotions, even if only slightly. Music that we've heard before also gives us a sense of comfort and familiarity
If you're looking for a mental health boost, put on some music. I personally use Apple Music because it has more features that I personally care about, but I've used Spotify and Tidal and those are great as well.
I also personally recommend making playlists that act as a gateway to a certain emotion. For instance, when I'm feeling down on myself, I put on my "You Got This" playlist which is full of inspirational bangers. When I want to lean into my sadness, I put on a "Everybody Feels Sad Sometimes" playlist. When I just want to relax and mellow out, I put on my "Easy Listening" playlist.
Make playlists with your favorite songs dedicated to certain moods you face over and over. If you're not into making playlists, find a playlist on Apple Music or Spotify with something you enjoy.
Socializing App (FaceTime)
This one may feel obvious, but I'm going to say it anyway: you need apps that help you connect with people, and there's no better app than FaceTime, Zoom, or any other video-calling apps. Studies show that we feel much better when we talk to people, and FaceTime provides a much better medium than texting or even phone calls because we can read visual cues and connect with people on a deeper level. Yes, messaging your friends or family is easier, but if you're feeling down on yourself, the easy way isn't necessarily going to cut it.
Start a video call with your friends. If you trust them, be honest and vulnerable with them. I know from personal experience that I don't always want to talk on the phone with people, but whenever I do I always feel much better than before, especially if I share things I'd been bottling up inside. Your friends want what's best for you, and more often then not you're going to feel a lot better just talking to someone about what you're going through instead of bottling it up inside.
E-Reader (Readwise Reader)
Let's face it: we all use our phones to kill time. It's simply the nature of the beast. So instead of trying to fight it, I recommend that you embrace it with a healthier alternative: reading an e-book.
And look, I get it. Not everyone is a reader. Some people prefer to watch a show or play a video game to unwind, and I completely understand. But when it comes to boosting your mental health, these activities fall short because of how easy they are to abuse and lose track of time while using. And because they hyper-stimulate your brain, they're not always as relaxing as you think they are. That's not to say they can't be relaxing, but it really just depends on a lot of factors.
Reading, on the other hand, has been shown to reduce stress levels, improve brain connectivity, and increase empathy. Depending on what you read, it can also help you learn something too. I personally mostly read nonfiction, but fiction works just as effectively. And just speaking from personal experience, reading a little bit before bed also makes me sleep much better, which can also have a very positive effect on your well-being.
I personally use Readwise Reader as my all-purpose e-book reader and read-it-later app. However for this tip, I recommend only resorting to e-books instead of the news. News is important to being an informed citizen of the world, which we should all strive to be, but when I'm looking for a mental health boost, the last place I want to go is the front page of the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal because I'm mostly going to see negative news. And just as TV and games can be easy to abuse, so too can it be easy to fall into the rabbit hole of news (often referred to as "doomscrolling").
Instead of watching videos, playing games, scrolling social media, or looking at the news, pick out a book that you want to digest and read it. You may not think you're a reader, but really all reading is engaging with someone's thoughts, imaginary or otherwise. You can even listen to an audiobook if you'd prefer.
Sleeping Aid App (Calm)
Sleep plays a critical role in the function of pretty much every organ in our body, so if you're going through a rough time, it's crucial that you get plenty of sleep. I'm fortunate enough to have a consistent sleeping schedule and to be able to fall asleep fairly easily, however I know not everyone has that same luxury.
If you find yourself losing out on sleep, I would first carve out at least 8 hours every day for sleep, preferably with at least an additional hour prior to sleeping with minimal screen usage in order to help you wind down.
Then if you're still struggling to sleep, I recommend downloading Calm, as they have some excellent bed time meditations and stories that can help guide you to sleep.
It's hard to overstate how important sleep is to maintaining positive mental health, so if you're not getting enough sleep, I recommend making that one of your top priorities.
Creativity App (Garageband)
Creative hobbies have been found to help people develop better coping strategies, enhance self-esteem, and improve overall well-being. It makes sense, right? When you create something and put it out into the world, you not only get the innate satisfaction of having made something, but you also channel your emotions into your creation, which can help you process whatever emotions you're feeling. That's why I highly recommend downloading an app that allows you to channel your inner creativity.
I personally enjoy playing piano and making music, so I have the Garageband app on my phone (along with a plethora of synth apps and plug-ins, but that's another article for another time). It's fun to just hop in and put together a chord progression on my phone if I'm not at my piano, and it uses a part of my brain that ultimately makes me feel good afterward.
Of course, everyone's creative pursuits are different. You may prefer graphic design, music, writing, art, dance, or any number of creative outlets. But whatever your outlet is, get an app that allows you to express yourself in that way.
Outdoorsy App (AllTrails)
Sometimes we all just need to get out of our apartment, our house, or our office. Just as exercise can provide benefits for your mental health, so too can being outdoors. You can fulfill this just by going out for a walk, however if you're near someplace with hikes or walking trails, I highly recommend using AllTrails to find the best trails.
There's something about a hike in nature that helps you forget about your troubles, if only for a little bit, and just appreciate the majesty of the world around us. While I don't go on as many hikes as I used to, I still find hiking to be an incredibly therapeutic way to clear my head and get some exercise in the process.
Therapy (BetterHelp)
If all else fails, seek out a therapist. I'm a huge proponent of therapy in general, and while I'm cautious of text-based therapy solutions, I am a fan of any therapy app that connects people with therapists via phone or webcam.
While I haven't personally used an app for this purpose, I know people who swear by BetterHelp. It's an app that connects patients to therapists, streamlining the process and making it easier than ever to talk to a mental health professional.
Bonus: Time-Tracking App (Screen Time)
This one isn't as much an app as it is a setting, but I'm still including it because it's important. Use a time-tracking app like Screen Time and actually monitor how you're spending your time.
It's easy to lose track of where you're spending your time, which in turn can lead to the feeling that you're not doing enough or could be doing more. With apps like Screen Time, you can see exactly what you're doing and for how long. This can serve two purposes. You can a) use it to see where you might be losing time you don't actually want to lose, and b) use it to see just how much you've actually been working and give yourself a break.
However, fair warning on this: you may look at where you're spending your time and be mortified at how much time you're spending. That's okay. The point is that you're catching yourself, which allows you to make the necessary adjustments so you can
You need to know what the problem is before you can learn to fix it, and knowing I'm getting ahold of the problem usually makes me feel better about the problem.
Conclusion
These apps may seem simple and obvious, but that doesn't make them any less powerful in giving you a mental health boost when you need it. Ultimately each of these apps works as a hotfix, but none of them will be the end-all-be-all solution because mental health isn't something that operates on quick fixes. It operates on identifying problems and addressing them steadily yet consistently. You get what you put into these apps, which is what makes them so powerful in building a strong foundation for mental health. Trust me: it's worth the investment.
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