It’s important to remember though, that serious mental health issues always require clinical intervention from a medical professional, so you should always consult with your doctor as a first step. However, whether it’s meditation or mood, sleep tracking or sound therapy – all the below can be highly useful tools in maintaining positive mental health from a lifestyle point of view.
Endel
Our modern day lives are busy − and noisy. Endel is a sound app that is scientifically proven to ‘improve focus and lower stress’, using personalised soundscapes that adapt depending on your movement, the time of day, the weather, your heart rate, location and other factors. Max*, age 45, says that Endel has improved the quality of his sleep and helped him focus at work. “I am quite sensory, so this app has been life changing in helping me quieten my mind,” he says. Endel is headquartered in Berlin and has over 1 million active users monthly, and you can use the free version first to see if it suits you – before you commit.
Moodfit
The key to making positive changes to your mental health lies in being able to identify where there are issues, and so recording any changes in your mood can be hugely helpful. For example, when you felt terrible yesterday, was it because you were nervous, envious, disappointed or sad? And did it start after you scrolled through social media for an hour? Or because you slept really badly? Mood tracking apps like Moodfit help you notice your moods more actively, and then link them to certain internal and external triggers. By using tools such as mood journaling, breathwork and mindfulness, you can become more self-aware, which can be hugely beneficial on your mental health journey.
Panda
Not everyone has the funds to access medically approved mental health resources and that’s what makes the Panda app so remarkable: they’ve made mental health support more accessible and affordable for the everyday person. But it goes even deeper – through various channels like their Bamboo Forest, where you can engage with peers who are going through similar experiences to you – Panda provides opportunities for community and connection, making people feel less alone. You can also complete screening assessments, make an appointment with a mental health expert and have the consultation directly through the app. Panda is provided free to all Fedhealth medical aid members, as part of their holistic wellness offering.
Insight Timer
Not a new meditation app but certainly a popular one – Insight Timer has a free and paid for version, providing meditations for a variety of situations. Whether you’re feeling stressed, having trouble falling asleep, or just need something healing and restorative, Insight also has meditations for kids, teens and young adults, providing a wide spectrum of solutions to boost your mental health. Pamela*, age 28, says she loves that the feed customises her situation and regularly asks for feedback to ascertain how she’s doing. Plus, “their library of resources is amazing, and the majority are free and on a donation basis,” she says.
App limits & downtime
Are you proactive about monitoring and limiting time spent on your phone, or do you let your phone control you? This isn’t an app itself, but rather a strategy for managing your personal app use, and a recommendation to use this functionality so that your phone doesn’t have a negative effect on your mental health. Linda*, age 32, says that she’s set a time limit of one hour across all social media platforms and that all apps turn off at 8pm and then only on again at 6am. “It sounds crazy, but I almost feel relieved when I get the notification that my limit has been reached. It’s like I’m being given permission to step away from social media for the day,” she says.
Try some of these steps in 2024 if you want to get your mental health on the right track for the year, one in which you can hopefully prioritise happiness, wellness and progress towards the future you want and deserve.
*names have been changed
