We live in a society in which technology is developing fast. Our social lives are increasingly played out online and we fall into patterns of constant distraction — we rely on devices, apps and social media platforms which pull us out of the present moment and create a growing sense of disconnect.
But a growing movement of wellbeing companies and innovative thinkers is exploring the ways that new technology could be used to enhance wellbeing. If we’re all spending more and more time each day looking at screens, couldn’t some of that time be good for us?
At Growth Journal we are embracing the potential of tech to make people feel better; bridging the gap between online engagement and offline health and fulfilment. So here, we look at how other companies are doing the same.
Here are four wellbeing apps and devices that we think are making positive waves in the world today.
InsightTimer
This free meditation app is top rated on Android and iOS, and offers over 14,000 guided meditations in 25 languages for users to choose from. That may sound a little overwhelming — but InsightTimer’s browse function allows you to easily find practices that suit you. You can search by benefit (for example, meditations which help with body image or pain management); by teacher; by origin (the library includes practices rooted in Christianity, Bhakti and Buddhism, among many others); or even by soundscape.
Collectively, InsightTimer’s users spend over 1 million hours each month meditating with the app. That’s amazing in a culture where being busy is valued more highly than being present. And you can personalise the app with preset practices to access with just one tap, which means less time scrolling and more time just being.
InsightTimer is an open, easily available platform for genuine peace and inner connection. It’s a brilliant example of people using technology to improve everyday lives.
Oura Ring
Wearable technology has been developing within the fashion and fitness industries in recent years, but it is just beginning to gain traction in the field of holistic wellbeing. The Oura Ring is just that — a ring which you wear on your finger to subtly track movement and sleep. This lightweight and minimal smart ring houses a number of sensors — including a 3D accelerometer, gyroscope, body temperature sensor and infrared pulse measurement. Its accompanying app gathers the data it collects and offers detailed but easily digestible information in three areas: Readiness, Sleep and Activity.
The Readiness feature is unusual and insightful; it gives you a score of between 0 and 100 which claims to tell you how ready you are for the day ahead. This draws on data about how well you’ve been sleeping recently, the balance of rest and activity in the previous day, body temperature and resting heart rate. You can go further into your Readiness score by looking at the precise data which informed it — so you can get a sense of the areas in which you need to create more balance.
Whether or not the Readiness score is always accurate is difficult to say — but acknowledging that certain physiological factors contribute to your productivity, mood and energy levels promotes a holistic approach to personal wellbeing.
The Oura Ring’s sleep tracker is excellent, providing detailed information which not only tells you you if you haven’t slept well, but also allows you to figure out why. It gives an overall sleep score and an individual score for several areas including how long it took you to fall asleep; how often you woke up during the night; timing; and the length of REM and deep sleep. Good quality sleep is vital for physical and mental health, and this device gives you the power to take control of your sleep.
Colorfy
Smart phones mean that visual technology is more readily available than ever before — we carry complex programs in our pockets. Mindfulness colouring app Colorfy is making the most of this with its anti-anxiety toolkit.
Available on iOS and Android, it includes thousands of designs to choose from — and then colour in. There’s also the option for the artists among you to create your own designs.
A study published in the Creative Research Journal in 2017 showed that colouring can reduce depressive symptoms and anxiety in adults. This has been reflected in the boom of adult colouring books available on the shelves over the last two years, but Colorfy suggests that the benefits can be felt by colouring on-screen, too.
MoodKit
Moodkit has been named as one of the best apps for depression by Healthline. As a complete ‘kit’, it includes a range of tools to help you understand and lift your mood — based on techniques from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
These tools include a Thought Checker, which allows you to identify and then change thoughts which have a negative impact on your mood; a Mood Tracker to track mood over time; a number of MoodKit Activities designed to lift your mood; and a Journal feature.
Created by two clinical psychologists, this app can be used by individuals independently, or with the support of a mental health professional. It draws personal development and professional therapeutic techniques together to help you establish positive thought patterns in your life.
reMarkable
This paper tablet is a digital device that feels like…well, paper! And it could be revolutionary for those who like to keep long-form or handwritten journals to support personal growth. You can write straight onto it with its accompanying pen, and your handwriting can immediately appear on another device and be saved as a document. You can keep the nuances of your unique penmanship in a digital format, and you can also convert your handwriting into print text.
This means that you can journal anywhere — without having to carry a heavy notebook around — and save your thoughts on any device and in a range of digital formats. Imagine being able to look back through your old journals using keyword searches! If you wanted to reflect on a particular time in your life or a set of intentions you know you wrote down, you can access them with ease.
Muse
This EEG headset is designed specifically to support your meditation practice. It gives you real time feedback on your brain activity during meditation, using advanced signal processing to understand what’s happening in your head, and guide you into a nourishing practice. This might sound intrusive — but you won’t hear a voice telling you what’s going on while you’re in meditation. Instead, when your mind is calm and focused you’ll hear the sounds of peaceful weather. When your focus wavers the weather sounds turn stormy, reminding you to come back to conscious awareness.
The data collected by the headset is stored using the Muse Meditation app which allows you to view and track your practice over time. As well as 7 EEG sensors, the device includes PPG and pulse oximetry breath and heart sensors, and gyroscope and accelerometer sensors. This technology offers a unique picture of your meditative experience.
coach.me
This life coaching app offers a range of packages, from its Habit Tracker — which is free — to its Leadership Coaching option at $249 per month. With 700 professional coaches on board and ready to support users immediately and conveniently, it’s coaching and personal development support for busy people; or people who want access to this kind of support any time, and anywhere.
The habit tracker is simple but it focuses on one important thing: the fact that positive habits and behavioural patterns are easier to keep up when you can chart your progress and see a direct translation from action to result. The habit tracker also gives you access to coach.me’s online community of coaches — so you can ask questions and seek advice when you’re not sure what habit you want to build, or how to go about it.
A Few of Many
These are just a few of many apps and devices that challenge the notion that technology is only bad for us. It’s clear that tech is here to stay, and will continue to develop over the years to come. So it’s hugely important that innovators in wellbeing continue to explore ways that technology can make us feel better — physically, mentally and emotionally. And if you haven’t already, we hope you’ll also try out our journalling app.
And the potential is exciting! Right now new ideas are coming into the public space. Virtual Reality (VR) tech holds particular interest for wellbeing and mental health. A new VR meditation app allows users to step into a completely new environment in order to combat stress and anxiety; and research suggests that VR therapy could become an effective form of pain relief.
We encourage you to draw technology towards you in a way that supports your growth and your health. By recognising that you have choices in how you use and view tech, social media and online interaction, you can shape your own experience and use the tools available to you to alter your world for the better.
