RELAXING CAN BE difficult at the best of times. Part of it is down to making the time to do so, and if you have a busy life, that can be easier said than done.

If you’re struggling to make time for a little bit of breathing space in your life, then you could probably do with a bit of assistance. Here are some apps that can help you out.

Headspace
For: iOS, Android
Cost: Free (subscription based)

One of the most popular mindfulness apps out there, headspace offers a collection of meditation as you’re talked through the process. You have to listen to it for the first 30 days before you can move onto more specific programmes like anxiety or stress, but it gives you a good grounding into meditation and mindfulness.

The first ten days are free but after that, you will need to subscribe if you want to use it more.

Calm
For: iOS, Android
Cost: Free (subscription based)

Similar to Headspace, Calm takes a similar approach by offering a number of guided meditation clips to list to. what it also has is a collection of sounds for you to listen to during, including the beach, the countryside and ambient sounds.

Buddify 
For: iOS, Android
Cost: €4.99 (iOS) €2.49 (Android)

Handier for when you’re in a specific mood, Buddify splits up its audio into colour coded segments. If you’re feeling stressed or just need a few minutes to yourself, it serves up relevant meditation segments for you to listen to.

Pause
For: iOS, Android
Cost: €1.99

From the same company that made Monument Valley, Pause is a little different as it requires you to slowly move your finger around the screen. While that doesn’t sound great in theory, wearing headphones and losing yourself in the action and sounds does help take your mind off things.

Rainy Mood
For: iOS, Android (Web)
Cost: €3,99 (iOS) €2.99 (Android)

Admittedly we get enough rain here to make this app almost redundant but hearing rainfall still has a calming effect to it. Similar to Calm, it offers background sounds tied in with rain (classic, ocean, countryside and café) so you can relax.

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