Worried your endless phone-gazing is making you stressed, sad or mentally slower? Well, guess what, there’s an app for that. The latest downloads promise to do everything from improve your memory’s performance to teach you how to manage difficult emotions. A quick 10 minutes on HeadSpace isn’t enough any more; now it’s all about apps that help give you control and keep you in good mental health. So, next time you’re pulled up for always being distracted by your smartphone, just tell them it’s actually making you smarter. Here are some of the best apps on the market.
This interactive coaching app helps you improve specific topics such as working memory, creative thinking, emotional management and empathy. Featuring daily lessons and guided exercises, it is designed to be carried out over five weeks but you can dip in and out to fit around Netflix. For access to Brainways, you have to download Peak Brain Training (a free app) then go into their menu to purchase.
Do you notice your mood dips on certain days during the month? This app prompts you to measure how you’re feeling daily (by asking you to pick different visual cards, which is impossible to lie to) so you can spot patterns and take action to change your behaviour and improve your mood. You can also share data with friends so they get a heads up that you might be feeling a bit low.
The team behind this app, which includes an expert of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT, a common feature of counselling), say it “gives you the tools to help you relax and deal with negative thoughts and feelings of anxiety or stress.” Particularly effective if you respond well to visuals, it includes ‘Companion Thought Cards’ (think beautiful inspo quotes) that you’re encouraged to share with friends and family.
Cambridge University Memory Training
Always losing your house keys? Neuroscientists designed this addictive memory-improving game to specifically improve episodic memory (exactly the type of recall you need for ‘when did I last have them?’) Set in a Harry Potter-esque magical location, you must pass challenges to progress through increasingly difficult levels. Like Moonscape, you access CUMT by downloading Peak Brain Training and then finding it on the menu.
If you lack the time or the cash to get regular counselling, Talkspace gives live support from trained therapists. First up you’re ‘matched’ with a counsellor who you can contact with via text anytime and anywhere, confidentially and anonymously. It’s immediate and affordable support that can give you a quick boost or help you through more longterm issues.
Choose from games designed to improve key mental functions, such as focus, memory, speed and logic. The difficulty increases as you progress, and you’re given recommendations on how to challenge yourself, much like with a personal trainer. But this won’t tell you off for having a Chicken Cottage the night before...
Scarily clever, this gets to know your routines by monitoring how you use your phone, including tracking WhatsApp activity and how much exercise you get. It also regularly asks you to rate your emotional state, and combines the data to build a picture of your habits in order to find patterns between what you do and how you’re feeling. The idea behind it is that by understanding what drives your emotional peaks, for example when you’re likely to be at your most stressed, you can change your behaviour to improve your wellbeing.
If you’re after a more low-commitment approach to a healthier mind, this series of short exercises only takes a couple of minutes and aims to increase your memory, your ability to focus, analytical skills and even your ability to cope with stress. You’re rewarded for accuracy and speed and can dip back in whenever you have time.
Self-Help for Anxiety Management (SAM)
Unmanaged anxiety can escalate quickly and become incredibly isolating. This self-help app helps you identify your triggers and their associated thoughts, replacing those thoughts with new, positive ones. If your anxiety levels rise it allows you to regain control by walking you through calming or relaxation practices. There is also the option to connect with a social network of other SAM users for added support.
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