More than 1 in 3 adults in the United States do not get enough sleep, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Also, around 1 in 5 have a mental health condition that ranges from mild to severe. Research suggests mindful meditation can promote good mental health and overall emotional well-being.
Developed in 2012 by Alex Tew and Michael Acton Smith, the Calm app is available for download on desktop, iOS, and Android devices. According to the company, the multi-award-winning app has more than 100 million downloads and over 1.5 million five-star reviews. Apart from meditations, the app provides exercises, breathing techniques, music, and bedtime stories for people who are tense, feel anxious, or want to improve the quality of their sleep.
“Mental health was something people didn’t really talk about until recently. Something is changing really dramatically. There’s a societal shift of people taking care of their minds and being more interested in sleep and self care,” according to co-founder and co-CEO Smith.
An individual can choose from the following options — reduce anxiety, develop gratitude, increase happiness, improve performance, build self-esteem, reduce stress and get better sleep. In addition to meditation, Calm has found a niche in sleep.
The Calm app is free to install. However, its premium plans begin with a monthly cost of $14.99/ month. Moreover, you can also subscribe for an annual subscription, which will cost you $69.99/ year. The Calm app also offers a $ 399.99-lifetime package for forever access to premium features of the app. With hundreds of hours of original audio content available in seven languages, Calm supports users in more than 190 countries.