5 Best Health Apps to use during Lockdown
Hi everyone, hope you’re enjoying this beautiful weather!
Here are 5 health apps or websites that I recommend to use during this Lockdown period - enjoy!
Calm
Calm is a meditation and sleep app that was developed for people with high stress and sleeping issues. It has 3 different sections - sleep stories, meditation, and music. The sleep stories and music generally work really well for troubles with sleeping, they have everything from a story read by Stephen Fry, to ASMR sounds of rain against windows. There really is an option for everyone.
Meditation is broken down into sections so you go through it as a process. There are longer and shorter sections, so if you are more limited for time, you could choose a shorter one. We tend to push meditation down to the bottom of the list, but really, there is no excuse! Looking after your mind and being able to relax and unwind, especially during this stressful time, is extremely important.
I use Calm more for sleeping, and I only listen to the music rather than the sleep stories. It does work for anyone as there are so many options on there.
The cost? Mine was £28.99 a year - really a bargain for the amount that you get on there! If you are unsure there is a 1 week free trial so you can try it before committing.
2. The Smiling Mind
This is a free app that was developed in Australia, aiming to look after mental health and stress/anxiety. The app provides 10 minutes of mindfulness and meditation exercises to do daily - this is PERFECT for those who are more limited on time, and better yet, it’s FREE!
3. Couch to 5K
We are currently allowed out for one lot of exercise per day (e.g. walking your dog, going for a cycle) - with this time and the gyms being closed, it is a perfect opportunity to take up running!
The Couch to 5K App allows you to track your run and your progress. You pick a trainer at the start to help coach you through the run, and you can compare older runs to see how you are improving. The aim of the app is, over the next 9 weeks, to get you to be able to do a 5K run without stopping.
It’s also, completely FREE!
4. Down Dog
I LOVE Down Dog, it is by far my favourite yoga app. It is great if you are either a yoga professional or a complete beginner, as it has everything from your first yoga session, to very advanced moves. You can alter the voice coach, the type of music, how long the warm up is, how long the overall session is, and focus the session on full practice, Hatha, Restorative, Quick Flow, etc.
You can also change the pace to match how comfortably and quickly you can move.
It usually costs a yearly sum - however due to Covid-19, the app is completely free for everyone to use until May, how amazing is that!?
5. Musculoskeletal MSK Self Care
This NHS App is completely free to use and provides stretches and exercises for the back, neck, upper and lower limb. It provides clinical guidance with video and further information on each stretch. It was developed for patients within Leicestershire so the directory has Leicester hospitals, but the exercises provided are useful for all people suffering from MSK conditions.
If you had any questions about the exercises provided on the app, you are welcome to ask myself or Chris.
Enjoy the apps!