In the hectic world of veterinary medicine, taking care of your own wellbeing is just as important as caring for your patients.
Thankfully, there are a bunch of free apps that are specifically designed to help you cultivate a healthier and more mindful lifestyle. Here are nine of our favorites.
Note: While the apps below offer free versions, some may offer premium subscriptions with additional features if you decide to upgrade in the future. Additionally, the availability and features of these apps may change over time, so it's a good idea to check their respective websites or app stores for the most up-to-date information!
1. Presently
Presently is a gratitude journaling app designed to help you foster a positive mindset. It allows you to reflect on your daily experiences and express gratitude for the things you appreciate. The app provides prompts, reminders, and a private space to document and reflect on positive aspects of life, which can be especially beneficial in high-stress professions like veterinary medicine.
Available on Android.
2. Sleep Cycle
Sleep Cycle is a sleep tracking app that monitors your sleep patterns and provides insights to help improve your sleep quality. The app uses sound or motion analysis to track your sleep stages and wakes you up during your lightest sleep phase, promoting a more refreshed wake-up experience. Sleep Cycle offers sleep statistics, sleep trends, and personalized recommendations to enhance your sleep habits.
3. Yoga for Beginners Mind + Body
Yoga for Beginners Mind + Body is an app that provides guided yoga sessions and programs tailored to beginners. It offers a variety of yoga routines, ranging from gentle stretches to more advanced poses, along with breathing exercises and meditation. The app aims to improve flexibility, strength, and mindfulness through step-by-step instructions and video demonstrations, making yoga more accessible and enjoyable for beginners.
4. Habitica
Habitica is a unique productivity and habit-building app that gamifies your daily tasks and habits. It turns your goals and habits into a role-playing game, where you create a virtual character and earn rewards for completing tasks and building positive habits. The app allows you to set goals, create to-do lists, track your progress, and collaborate with others in a supportive community.
5. Headspace
Headspace is a popular mindfulness and meditation app that aims to help you cultivate mindfulness. The app offers a variety of guided meditation sessions that cater to different goals, such as reducing stress, improving sleep, enhancing focus, and increasing happiness. Headspace provides techniques for mindfulness and relaxation, along with educational content on mental health topics.
6. Mealime
Mealime is a meal planning and recipe app that simplifies the process of meal preparation. It offers customizable meal plans based on your dietary preferences, as well as recipes complete with step-by-step instructions, photos, and nutritional information. It generates shopping lists based on selected recipes and allows for customization and scaling of recipes. Mealime aims to help you save time and support healthier eating habits, and is available for iOS and Android with both free and premium subscription options.
7. Runtastic
Runtastic is a fitness tracking app designed to help you monitor your physical activity and reach your fitness goals. The app uses GPS to track running, jogging, cycling, and other outdoor exercises, providing detailed statistics such as distance, duration, pace, and calories burned. Runtastic offers personalized training plans, audio coaching, and integration with other fitness apps and devices to support you in your fitness journey.
8. Sanvello
Sanvello is an app designed to support mental health and well-being. It provides resources and tools for managing stress, anxiety, and depression. The app offers a range of features, including mood tracking, guided meditations, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques, and a supportive community. Sanvello aims to help develop healthy coping mechanisms, build resilience, and improve overall mental wellbeing.
9. Waterllama
Staying adequately hydrated is important for mental and physical performance. However, remembering to drink enough water throughout the day is sometimes easier said than done. Waterllama helps build healthy hydration habits by calculating how much water you need to consume, reminding you when it’s time to take a drink, and tracking your daily water consumption.
Available on iOS.
Takeaway
Investing in your wellbeing is essential. These free health and mindfulness apps offer valuable tools and resources to support your mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing. Incorporate them into your daily routine and discover the positive impact they can have on your personal and professional life!
Need more mindfulness in your life? Check out Mindful May, an ezyVet initiative dedicated to promoting wellbeing and self-care in the veterinary industry.