June 2014
In this busy world, it can be easy to get caught up in the constant “on the go” pace! Between caring for the important areas in your life, such as family time and work, taking time to invest in your physical and mental health can often get placed last on the list. How many times have you thought about the types of activities you SHOULD be doing or how important it is to get R & R time? Many individuals know the important changes they need to make, but they keep putting them off. Every day, clients tell me that they will take better care of themselves once they have completed their “To Do List,” but the list is never complete. You are not alone. According to the Tampa Bay Times, Florida is ranked #1 on the list of most stressed out states!! With all the outdoor beauty that Florida has to offer it is quite surprising that our state is ranked so high!
In order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, it is important for you to find easy access to reminders that help build in regular self-care time. This doesn’t mean devoting time to managing your stress has to take hours upon hours. Who really has time for that these days?! Apps on your phone can be an easy way to break free from an overloaded and high stress pattern in your life that contributes to an unhealthy lifestyle. Check out these helpful apps to get moving in a positive direction toward placing yourself higher on the “important to take care of” list! Remember, in order to help others, you must take care of yourself!
iPhone Apps:
Moody Me Mood Diary –
http://www.medhelp.org/land/mood-diary-app
Have more happy days! Track your moods and keep a diary with the Moody Me app to find out what makes you feel good. Take pictures of what makes you happy and play them back for an instant lift. See what makes you sad, angry or anxious so you can better manage your moods.
Health Month–
http://healthmonth.com/
Health Month turns leading a healthy lifestyle into a game, letting you compete against thousands of users while working on your goals. You earn and lose points for making progress or not sticking to tasks. Pick one or more rules from the menu of dietary, fitness, relationship, mental health and financial health behaviors, or design your own rules to follow for a month.
Live Happy –
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/live-happy/id317887266?mt=8
Live Happy is based on the research of Sonja Lyubomirsky, leading psychology researcher in the area of Positive Psychology. The app is designed to help you take control of their happiness by guiding you through a number of activities such as savoring moments of beauty and happy memories, striving for new goals in different areas of your life, expressing gratitude to people in your life, and more.
Moodscape –
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/moodscape/id312120367?mt=8
Ever wonder how other people are feeling around the world? Now you can find out! Moodscape allows you to share your current mood and see how others around the world are feeling.
iCBT –
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/icbt/id355021834?mt=8
No human is immune to the pressure, stress and anxiety that come with trying to balance all the different aspects of their life. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is considered one of the most effective forms of therapy. The app isn’t meant to replace professional care, but rather supplement it. It allows users to identify the sources of their stress, offers suggestions and information on how to combat such concerns.
Android Apps:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.excelatlife.cbtdiary&hl=enAre you stressed? Do you have anxiety? Do you want to feel more satisfied in life? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, this app can teach you how to recognize unhelpful thinking that interferes with achieving your goals in life and how to change that thinking.Worry Box –
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.excelatlife.worrybox&hl=en
Does worry cause you to lose sleep, feel anxious or cause headaches? This app helps you figure out how to cope with that worry effectively and relax.
Breathe to Relax –Free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.t2health.breathe2relax&feature=more_from_developer#?t=W10
Breathe to Relax is a portable stress management tool which provides information on the effects of stress on the body and practice exercises to teach diaphragmatic breathing. Breathing exercises have been documented to decrease the body’s ‘fight-or-flight’ (stress) response, and help with moods, anger, and anxiety management.
Stop Anxiety and Panic Attacks Self Help – Free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.excelatlife.panic
This app can help you when you are experiencing a panic attack through learning to tolerate and control the anxiety symptoms.
iPhone and Android Apps
http://www.getsomeheadspace.com/shop/headspace-meditation-app.aspxThis app provides 10-minute meditation sessions, with the first 10 days available free of charge. (Then, you can choose a subscription. The annual option offers the best rate, $7.99/month).You start with a brief body scan and then Andy Puddicombe, cofounder of Headspace, talks you through with easy banter and relatable instruction (“Don’t force your breath, your body already knows how to breathe”). The app provides animations about how the mind works and tips on how to sit and breathe. It also allows you to set meditation reminders and track your activity.Mindfulness App by MindApps–
http://www.mindapps.se/?lang=en
The app comes with guided meditation practices of 3, 5, 15, and 30 minutes in length. There’s also a silent meditation option and a brief body-scan practice. Like most meditation apps, you can customize your meditation and track your progress.
Mindfulness Meditation from Mental Workout
http://www.mentalworkout.com/store/programs/mindfulness-meditation/
This app lets you choose from six different lengths of meditation practice, written and narrated by Stephan Bodian, author of Meditation for Dummies. Extras include a 10-minute relaxation exercise and a body-scan practice.
Risks with App Use and Terms of Use
These apps may be helpful tools to further understand yourself but should not be considered professional advice or therapy. Do not attempt to use the information presented in such apps to diagnose yourself or others. There is no guarantee of validity or accuracy, and no action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this information. If you choose to use these apps, you assume responsibility for any risks.
