If every college student can agree on one thing, it’s that college is stressful. Statistically, within the past five years college students have been experiencing increasing levels of anxiety, and this trend doesn’t appear to be stopping anytime soon. So, to celebrate the beginning of midterm season, here are three anxiety-reducing apps that are easy enough to use just about anywhere–including your daily walk to the library.
1. Headspace
Headspace is a free app that leads you through guided three or five-minute meditations at any point of your day. Other features can be locked unless you subscribe to a monthly subscription, but without paying you still have access to the beginning stages of meditation. The voice accompanied with the app is soothing enough to calm the worst anxiety attacks, and they have animated videos to explain the process of anxiety throughout the meditation series. It’s easy to use anywhere, even if you’re just beginning!
2. Pacifica
Pacifica is also a free app but is a little less straightforward than Headspace. Pacifica allows you to track how you’re feeling each day, and even checks in with you throughout the day. Although you do have to pay to unlock some of the features, every day a different locked feature is made available to free users. Pacifica also takes you through guided meditations, ranging from one minute to 10 minutes. It can also be synced with your iPhone’s health and sleep apps, so it can track all of your healthy habits in one place! Although it’s a little more complicated than Headspace, don’t worry–it can still be used between classes.
3. Calm
Calm, which is also free on the app store, combines meditation practices with healthy sleep habits. Calm offers meditations that range from two to ten minutes long, and also comes equipped with a variety of nature sounds if you just need to sit down and focus. Calm also offers stories to play to help you fall asleep at night, because even in the middle of midterms week, sleep really is important.
With all of these apps available to help you manage your anxiety, anything is possible–even midterms.