My personal favourite is Calm.com .... it offers sleep stories for grown ups which are delightful, as well as a wide selection of meditations covering many areas of focus.
http://calm.com/app

www.malaforest.com/ offer a broader review here - what they consider the best mindfulness apps for a healthy mind.
https://www.malaforest.com/blogs/news?page=2 .......

The Best Mindfulness Apps For a Healthy Mind
"Mindfulness is a form of meditation or mental training that helps us to live in a state of awareness of our life experiences without judgment. The practice of mindfulness has a diverse set of benefits such as stress reduction, improved memory, heightened concentration and even improved physical health.

• In today’s complex and busy world our time is always consumed by something or other. We forget to set aside time for ourselves to connect with our life experiences and existence. Practicing mindfulness and mediation will equip you with the abilities to embrace the happiness and positive aspects of your life. If you’re like me, time is a valuable resource to be used as effectively as possible. Luckily with these meditation apps you can practice mindfulness anytime or anywhere.

Check out these best meditation and mindfulness apps that will have your mind feeling fresh and powerful in no time.

1. STOP, BREATHE & THINK

This meditation and mindfulness app has been downloaded over two million times and we can see why. Pledging that after a few weeks you can create your own personal forcefield of calm and peace, this app can get you meditating within 5 minutes with their user-friendly interface. Stop, Breath & Think will recommend meditations for you to practice each day based on how you feel so that all you have to do is select one and hit play.
Available: iOS, Android, Web

2. HEADSPACE

Treat your head right with a personal trainer for your mind from the meditation app, Headspace. This app is great for people getting started with meditation. The first level in the program teaches you meditation in easily digestible ten-minute sessions. Once this starter program is complete, you can subscribe to access thousands of hours of content available at your fingertips. What’s unique about Headspace is that with over five million users, you can buddy up with friends to motivate each other and keep on the path to a healthier mind.
Available: iOS, Android, Web

3. TAKE A BREAK! BY MEDITATION OASIS

You don’t have to munch on a Kit Kat to enjoy this mindfulness app! The Take A Break app allows you to choose between a short or long meditation break. You can even decide to listen to the ocean, rain or even your own music if you’d like. Although we wouldn’t recommend cranking Drake during your meditation period, having the flexibility to shape your own experience is a nice feature. The app also features a simple design so that you spend your break meditating and not fumbling with a million app features.
Available: iOS, Android, Web
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4. MINDFULNESS APP: GUIDED & SILENT MEDITATIONS TO RELAX

We obviously couldn’t write a blog about mindfulness apps without reviewing this app. Although the Mindfulness App is not free ($1.99), it is a great tool for finding moments of peace to appreciate life and relax your mind. What’s great is this app allows you to select guided or silent meditations at the length of your choice so no matter what level of meditation experience you have you are covered. Users can also purchase in-app meditation lessons from renowned teachers such as Tara Brach and Eckart Tolle.
Available: iOS, Android, Web

5. RELAX MELODIES

I wanted to end this article with an app designed to help improve sleep quality because if you’re anything like me sleeping soundly Mon-Fri is anything but possible. What’s unique about this app is that each user can select the sounds and melodies they like and mix them together for a playlist. It’s that straightforward. You can also set an alarm so you don’t have to worry about draining your battery overnight. Make this app go further and try it out during your next meditation or yoga session. Completely customize your experience with this app and tailor it to suit your relaxation and sleep preferences. Try it out and get back to sleep in no time!
Available: iOS, Android, Web

Whether you’re looking for a gym for your mind or sleep aid, the convenience and simplicity of these apps make it easy to start leading your healthier life today. "


Good wishes for your journey to increased inner peace. Remember ... any change takes commitment and perseverance at first. You should notice benefits quickly and then you will want to, even feel you need to, maintain that momentum for your own well being.

​:0)

My own feeling is it’s been a long cold winter this year. Made worse by the threat of Aussie and Japanese ‘flu around and about. It will be wonderful when the worst of the chill subsides and we can see the spring approaching. Having been a hibernating animal myself these last few weeks I was interested to read an article by Tamara Lechner which seemed to be saying ‘well that’s ok’ 👍. Listen to your body and do what feels right. 

Here is some of that good advice ......
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https://chopra.com/articles/5-reasons-hibernating-during-winter-is-good-for-you

The winter blahs can certainly get you feeling sleepy, lethargic, and downright uninspired. It’s cold and dark, and people tend to get worn down from the holiday festivities. Rather than fighting the feeling that tells you to hibernate, why not  listen to your body?
According to Ayurvedic doctor Virender Sodhi, “Your body is nature's pharmacy, it has everything you need to be healthy.” This refers to the process of listening to the signals that your body gives you and then acting on them. 

Rest More
If you follow nature’s cues, days are shorter and nights are longer. This could indicate that a longer sleep time is necessary. When you feel tired and yet it's only 8:30 p.m., that's not time to muscle through and keep working, it's time to feel your body and recognize ‘If I feel like it's a lot later than 8:30, what can I do about this? Maybe I should go to bed?’ 
Getting a full night’s rest isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s a smart way to feel better and be healthier. A sure sign you need more sleep is if you are waking up already tired. Aim to get to bed early enough that you can wake up on your own without an alarm clock.

Wrap Up
Crawling under layers of blankets can be a sign that your body is just not at its peak temperature. For some people, a warm snuggly blanket feels like a hug from a friend. If you check in with why you want that blanket on, maybe you're trying to soothe yourself or maybe you are actually cold. When you have that desire to start snuggling under blankets, check to see what the temperature of your fingers and toes is. Then check your ears and nose. If these extremities are actually physically cold, it's no wonder you want a blanket!
But what if you're not cold? What if everything feels warm and you still have this desire? Maybe you need the emotional support a hug or the physical touch of a snuggle. 

Eat Well
Humans seem to be slaves to their food cravings in these wintry months. This is a time to listen to your body. Be a detective. Think about what is it asking you to eat and then find a natural healthy alternative.  Your body is trying to tell you something; however, if your pattern in the past has been a quick hit of sugar, starch, or salt to fix this craving, you need to pay close attention to retrain those patterns. Winter is a time for warm, hearty, and healthy foods like stews and curries.

Go Outside
The days are shorter and sometimes this means your morning run or your evening dog walk are missed. Instead of removing these moments where you get fresh air, natural light, and exercise from your day, try to make time to get outside regularly during your lunch break or in the late afternoon. Schedule it ! It is easier to accomplish something when it is on your calendar. The time outside will help you to feel less sloth-like.

Spend Some Time Alone
The last thing you might consider when you are wanting to hibernate is that it may be a sign that you need some alone time. It's okay for you to want some time alone. Just because you love your family or enjoy your colleagues, it doesn't mean you want to be with them all day, every day. If you're feeling the need for space, give it to yourself. Alone and lonely are not the same. Spending some time alone can feel luxurious.
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Cocooning in the winter means you can be freshly reborn in spring. Be gentle with yourself when you feel lazy. It doesn’t help at all to berate yourself for your lack of energy or inspiration. Stay cozy, fuel yourself with good food, and give yourself big bear hug. When you are ready, you can emerge revitalized and ready for great things.

🌬☃️❄️ ☔️