Headspace: Mindful Meditation Reviews

I began using this application a few years back, in the middle of my college career. I was so stressed out at that time that I could hardly perform day-to-day tasks and I was so broke that I certainly couldn't afford help from a specialist. Enter HeadSpace. I found the app through an online search and began a free trial to try to calm my tumultuous inner consciousness. Though I cannot say that the improvements in my thoughts and behavior were immediate, the guidance of Andy's voice (the only option at that time and still my personal favorite) did help to calm me in times of immediate need. If nothing else, this app taught me to breath. My father was so impressed by my lack of mouth-breathing that he took up the monthly fee once it began and I have used Head Space (now on my own dime, thank you) ever since. Anyway, whether you are looking for help breathing, getting into shape, falling to sleep, or in quieting those misguided negative inner-voices that come to plague the chronically unhappy, HeadSpace has something for you (often more than one thing, in fact). If you're reading this and thinking about a trial or a membership, give it a shot. It's a judgment-free, stress-free, and until your trial runs out, a free-free way of beginning the mission to exploring and conquering anxiety and exestential dread. Consider it one small step for you, and one giant leap (in the right direction) for your mind.

I was introduced to meditation more than 25 years ago and have had a relatively steady practice. So why do I use Headspace? Like any practice it is tempting to slack off or feel like you “got” all the benefits and do not need to do it anymore. Other times it can feel like one is alone in the practice and it becomes hard to motivate oneself. Headspace helps me stay motivated and consistent. And no matter how long one has practiced, having a community of meditators is very helpful to continue practicing. I also have a tendency to get bored with things including meditation, so the variety of approaches, techniques, and goals provided keep it fresh. During 2020 I really appreciated the improvements made by Headspace especially the daily conversations by other meditators, the addition of the Move feature, and the Sleep tools. These were very helpful to keep my spirits up, my body moving, and my meditation practice on track. I also discovered the Pro series for advanced meditators. I am listening to it for a second time because as I have learned in my practice, you are never “done” learning and growing as a meditator. The same session at a different time gives you different insights. I am grateful to the Headspace team for creating and continually evolving the app to meet the challenges of today. And for helping a seasoned “pro” stay fresh and present. Thank you Headspace!

This app has given me tools to deal with constant change. This past year, I’ve needed to pivot every day to face some new challenge outside as an essential worker, and at home in isolation with my partner. The tools I Iearned to use to be present in the moment and to accept change has benefited my partner and colleagues at work as much as my own peace of mind. I have very little control over my environment, but I can see my reaction, accept the emotions that rise up, and move on instead of getting lost or bound by them. This app has also benefited me by helping me get through insomnia. Sometimes it helps me get to sleep in the first place. Mostly it gives me tools to use to calm my mind and body when I wake up in the night buffeted by anxiety or lingering frustration from the day. Lastly, this app has given me a language to express the emotional upheaval and troubling questions that I used to just call anxiety. Naming what makes me feel upset has brought clarity to what can feel like a tempest at the time and allow me to look at my thoughts or, rather, face them. After acknowledging them, I can let them go. Sometimes I’m better at that than at other times. Regular exercise strengthens my focus, my ability to pivot and refocus, and builds roads of calm and quiet that the brain finds easier to fall into and travel due to constant use.

For anyone with the slightest doubt about whether or not they should begin (or continue) their meditation practice with Headspace, do yourself the greatest favor of your life and do it - surrender to whatever is holding you back and I PROMISE you will blow your own mind with everything you will gain from it. Just trust, put in the time (even 5 minutes a day) and the rewards you will reap from it will speak for themselves. As someone who was a vicious doubter, non-believer, and did not think it was humanly possible to get me to sit still for even 1 minute - I didn’t realize that the thing that I was most resistant to, was actually the thing that I needed the most. I am now going on 3 years with headspace happier, healthier (used to suffer from terrible GERD), more compassionate, resilient, focused, and more. It brought attention to my mindless eating habits and even helped me lose weight (and keep it off). I didn’t realize that I was living in a ‘cloud’, on auto-pilot until headspace helped bring me back to myself. Today, my cure for EVERYTHING (bad day, good day, breakup, can’t focus, bad mood, feeling anxious, grumpy, lethargic, etc.) is to sit down and do a 10 minute meditation. It truly has been life-changing and I am forever, eternally grateful for Headspace.

I heard about this app on tv and saw ads in The Today section of the App Store. I decided to give it a try and it really does help me out. I feel less stressed, calm, and feel ready for anything. It’s like a guide or tool which helps push you to be a better you. So then comes the question, is it worth it? I think so. For instance if you have ADHD or feel stressed most days (maybe because of work or school) use this. Everything is not sunshine and rainbows. For one, $13 to me feels somewhat pricey. Other meditation apps that I found are cheaper than what Headspace currently offers. Another thing is that it lacks free content. There’s only very little that Headspace offers and it’s not a lot. It’s almost as if your forced into paying for a subscription in order to use it. I really didn’t want to do that and I have now canceled it since I felt that it was overly priced. Headspace is great and I may say that’s is better than most apps I’ve used. But I don’t like the fact that after going through the tutorial it locks most of the content Headspace offers you and forces you into a subscription that feels overly priced. Yeah, they give you a free trial but after that your pretty much forced. Offer more videos that are free and let people decide for themselves. If you do those things I may bump my stars to 5.

I freaking love this app. My anxiety was starting to become bad again and I could feel myself falling into depression. I have some experience with meditation and mindfulness and it’s helped me in the past but I’ve never been able to stick with it for more than a couple of weeks at a time. Then one day while listening to Huberman’s podcast there was a month free trial and I decided to try it since I’ve always wanted to give this app a go anyway. WELL, let me tell you...this app is changing my life. I am proud to say I am on my 33rd day streak. I can feel myself overall being more present and aware throughout the day. Now, when I start to feel anxious I almost immediately catch myself and can begin using some of the tools and practice I’ve accumulated from headspace. I do want to add though, the key word is PRACTICE. Medication, like Andy says, is a skill and like any skill you must practice. By practicing enough, it does truly become second nature. I know it’s only been a month but I can already feel the difference and I am looking forward to the future. Thank you headspace team. P.S every little thing about this app is great. I especially love the different courses, the wake ups, the animation shorts, the sleepcasts, the focus music and yoga.

So I’ve been using headspace for quite awhile now and personally I think it’s great! But the thing is since I don’t have premium, I have to keep on repeating the same old things like the rain day antiques sleepcast I’ve heard that sleep cast so many times and now I keep getting annoyed with it. That goes the same with the other sleep stuff too like the sleep music I’ve heard “doze” so many times I wake up like every 30 minutes or so. Also goes the same with the two free wind downs. The first time I used the free wind downs I fell asleep instantly the second time after that I couldn’t sleep for ten minutes. So after that, I wanted to do a free trial for the premium but I didn’t realize I was short on money. Since most people do a free trial for like a week or so they cancel there payment the day before the payment is due. So I tried doing that but it asked for but then I realized they need to know my payment information before doing my free trial. I think it was because they don’t know if I’m gonna cancel my payment or actually do the payment. So yeah, I think this app is amazing it just needs to either lower down the price by like 3-4$ or maybe add one or two me free sleepcasts and same goes to the wind downs, and music. Thank You.

I truly enjoy using the headspace app, and after my free trial it was no question for me to buy the subscription. Others may say it is a little pricey, but the amount of features and genuine support included in this app is incredible. As someone who had to stop going to therapy appointments because of the cost, meditation has been a grounding practice for me, and this app really has a meditation for every scenario. I especially like the SOS section, where you can find small meditations for when you’re feeling burnt out or anxious. Another great feature is the sleep section, especially sleep casts. The calming stories really help me unwind, and there are new ones coming out all the time. The app interface itself is also very well designed, calming and minimal. I enjoy how you cannot browse the app while listening to a meditation or sleep cast as well — a subtle touch that reminds me to stay present! I would definitely recommend this app (and also all the headspace podcasts) to someone who would like to let go of unwanted habits and build self kindness. If you are going to invest your money into anything self help related, a headspace subscription is definitely worth every penny. Thank you headspace team!

This app and Andy’s gentle and soothing guidance in it have absolutely changed my life for the better and in a big way. I’ve been meditating using the Headspace app as regularly as I can with a run streak of 180 days once. The streaks do not really matter, but staying consistent does. I consider the guidance and wisdom that Andy imparts in the app therapeutic. Friends, family and colleagues regularly tell me how much more serene, kind and patient I have become even in very tough situations. Those attributes would have never been applied to me had it not been for this app. The packages are godsend, like on patience, kindness, generosity...etc. Each package has ten guided sessions. Once I’m done with one package I either start again (some I’ve done more than 20 times) or start another one of my favorite packages. No, I’m not paid to sponsor these guys. I have not only gotten it (I.e. paid) for myself, but for my wife too. I’ve also offered to pay for friends’ or relatives’ apps too. Don’t think twice about it. Read up on the amazing benefits of meditation (physical, emotional, even spiritual) and then just cough up whatever Headspace charges. It had been the best investment of money and time I have made in my life. No exaggeration.

This app has been somewhat of a life saver for me. I’ve experienced a lot of trauma during my life, and a few years ago I came across this app or it came across to me via Instagram. I travel quite a bit and I love that I’m able to pick my environment of choice to meditate. I always thought meditation meant quieting your thoughts etc... but when I learned that it was part of being mindfulness and being present in the now it helped immensely in my day to day well being. When I did the anxiety course that really helped in so many ways because I thought you could get rid of it. But learning to become aware of it and being present with it, I felt it wasn’t so much of a burden. I’ve had trouble on and off sticking to it consistently but I’m trying it again. It’s nice to be able to have it there especially when I know how much of a positive impact it has had on my life. I am a parent and it’s something I want my child to learn and partake in so she has the necessary tools through out her early years to when she is grown up. This is worth every penny to maintain a healthy mindset and wellbeing. You’ll view the world and stress differently than you did before.

I downloaded Headspace when it was free for health care workers in 2020. I was pregnant at the time and was under a lot of stress at my job. I started with the pregnancy course on the app. This was so amazing. First of all, Andy’s voice is incredibly calming. Then the pregnancy meditation helped me feel closer to baby. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, and when I was less stressed, my glucose was lower. This app helped me a ton with that. Then, when I went to my 29 week check up, I had just read a work email I was very upset about. The nurse took my blood pressure and it was high. They sent me to the hospital for monitoring. While I was there I practiced the meditation I had learned and was able to get my blood pressure down so I could go home! The meditations also helped me get through labor! Now that I had my baby, I’m still using this app because it just helps me find calm in my crazy world of being and full time working mom during a pandemic. If you are at all interested in meditation, you need this app. I promise it’s worth the money. When my free subscription is over, I’m paying for it! I never write app reviews, but I just want everyone to know how great Headspace truly is.

This is really helpful! The only reason I didn’t give a higher rating is because there’s a strong overlying tone of a sales pitch there. Which is unfortunate, because I think people would be able to see the value easier if there wasn’t a push for money after every meditation and for many of the things on the app people would want to explore. Kind of stalls progress of the meditation itself when you’ve just worked so hard to pull yourself back, only to be instantly asked for money right after. From a company stand point I also think it would be more beneficial to work on building value and then freely offering the option to see what monthly costs are and also show a detailed description of what’s involved with a paid membership. I know this has worked well financially for other services and I’ve seen increases in sales by simply looking at things from the customers perspective. And I feel like the customers perspective is a miss here :( However quite and easy fix and overall this app is amazing! It not only teaches the basics of meditation, but teaches different techniques as well. This makes it good for beginners all the way to experts. I truly believe that the basis of this app is pure in intention and I can see what a help it is to many people who walk the path of life.

I love this app. I tried the free trial and loved it. The guided meditations really make the work easy and I found myself in a inducing a meditative state without lots of effort. They literally have a guided meditation for any situation or mood so it feels like their library is limitless. Unfortunately my free trial ran out and I bought a few months of headspace. In a way buying the app encouraged me to use it because I was spending my own money so that was good. However, when I moved into my first apartment I didn’t have enough money to keep my subscription going. I would love to buy headspace for life but I just don’t have $300 extra dollars sitting around to spend. I also feel that the subscription is pricey for something i don’t always want to use everyday. On days where I wanted to take a break from using my phone I lost my meditation streak which was disappointing. Sometimes I have a great day and don’t feel the need for headspace, but the subscription still takes the money from my pocket. On days when I really have a particular funky mood headspace is great because I feel like it can guide me through any kind of funk. I just wish it wasn’t so pricey. Buy this app if you like the meditations and have the money, but if you don’t have the dough, free meditation may be the way to go.

In my abnormal psychology class we learned anxiety is not just a fight or flight response but instead can be a future oriented response. Abnormal anxiety usually is characterized by presenting when there is no real danger. Therefore when I lay down in bed to sleep and I start getting an increase heart rate, feel extremely hot and sometimes nauseous at the idea of future situations and work that I have yet to do, it’s abnormal. Even if many people experience this is is abnormal because there is no real threat just my brain over thinking future situations. Therefore on my quest to look for ways to relax my mind before bed I downloaded headspace. I usually listen to a guided meditation before bed. Followed I will set one of their sleep music for 60 minutes and lay down. I now am normally asleep before the sleep music stops. Even though in my class we talked more about biological and psychological treatments, I felt as though there might be an easier way for me to deal with this anxiety. Headspace has created a way for me to clear my head before bed allowing for more and a greater quality of sleep. I would suggest this app to anyone, not even for just sleeping. But as a way it relax.

I’ve been using the app religiously for about two weeks. After a recent ADD diagnosis, I thought it would be a good idea to start working meditation into my routine, and was willing to invest some resources into the guided regiment on Headspace. The problem had been nearly consuming my life and I was pretty frustrated. I was skeptical of “guided meditation” in particular, because I thought that someone talking you through the meditations through your headphones might defeat the purpose. I also have trouble sitting still in particular. I have not been disappointed. The app explicitly states that it is not intended to treat or cure attention deficit disorders, and I did not expect it to, but it significantly reduced the the severity of the problem almost overnight. I am also a collegiate music student, and I saw a tremendous difference in my practice routine and quality of playing as well. The content is very well organized and the methodology/philosophy is explained very thoroughly in fun-to-watch animations. I feel the difference at work and among friends. I just now put the app on the main dock in my phone, right beside the phone, messaging, and music apps. It is now a rewarding and essential part of my routine.

THIS APP IS FOR THE STREETS! I have been through quite a bit of trials and tribulations lately. It has surely been a time where I knew it was necessary for my young son and myself to focus on spiritual and mental health and growth. I’ve only used this app for one day and have already been quite impressed with the ease of use and the instant peacefulness it allows to flow through me and my child. I have tried many mindful apps, this by far is the best, the most diverse, and absolutely worth upgrading and keeping beyond the free trial period. It is not only a way to invest in your relationship with yourself but also a way to invest in your relationship with your loved ones, your colleagues, and the outside world. I believe it aides to increase awareness of yourself and your reactions. The sessions are organized exquisitely, which allows you to find a fitting activity for the ambiance you wish to establish. It is tailored to fit all demographics, for children, for parents, for couples, for singles, nurses, sales execs, beauty bloggers, celebs, or snake wranglers. It’s an app that works your mind and body. The yoga flows were a bonus I was not expecting. Overall 10/10, I simply love it!

So I started using this app because my boyfriend said that I needed to start meditating due to my high levels of stress (and how easily I get stressed and I have poor stress management) and my because I am very easily angered and to him I just overall seem unhappy with life. I am only 24 so my stress shouldn’t be what it is in my opinion. So I took his advice on meditation and did some research and found this app. I’m still in the free trial stages of it but I will most definitely buy is once it ends. The reason I give 4 start is because I wish there were more mindful activities because of my job. I wake up at 6 am and come home from anywhere between 5pm - 11pm depending on the day I have. So it would be nice to have more mindful activities where I can use the app an work or do things at home with out it being the same thing. Or more on commuting. I’m driving all day long so to have something I can listen to while driving that isn’t music or just for a commute home would be nice. But other than that I have no complaints! I love it and I hope it gets me where I would like to be. And that is to be happy and content with my life as it is now. And not get so angry with things. I am really excited to keep using this app!

I give this app 5 stars because the build of this app, the contents of this app, the flow of this app is great. well done. Every app can be improved and this one needs work in some ways 1. the watch app: the only thing I every get on the watch app is a 1 minute "breath mini". the watch app is basically useless. Why can't I see my today screen on the watch and start my various mediations from the watch. the watch app gets 1 star. 2. Shortcuts: on the iphone I have setup a sleep schedule. On the "good night" screen I am given the option to run shortcuts. Headspace offers a few shortcuts that can be called from this screen. One is the nightly "sleepcast". the sleepcast is supposzed to be different every night. It is different on my today screen, but the shortcut always plays the "Rainyday Antiques". therefore the shortcut is useless. this part of the app gets 1 star. Lastly, the philosophy behind this app is mindlessness. It is taught as a universal fix for bringing the mind to a place of ease. As such it is a religious philosophy. I think they need to be more open about this and they need to state that the point of this is to alleviate suffering. This app looks like they did version 1 then stopped before finishing the details. Shortcuts must work for this app to be fully functional

As a student, husband, employee, supervisor, manager, etc. life can get ahead of me every single day and honestly will overwhelm me. I have been in a long battle with moderate/severe depression and anxiety disorder, and after medications were only numbing symptoms I thought I was a hopeless case. Something changed and I decided that I wanted to start really doing things in life. I’ve had this app for a while but I finally decided to try to use it more. I started for just sleep, but just sleep turned into using it to wake up, and when I feel stressed about work or when I’m studying, I just take a quick break. It’s honestly surreal how fast 10-20 minutes goes by when going through the guided meditation in the morning. All that said, this app is amazing, and I really recommend it to anyone dealing with any problems in their life, whether permanent or temporary. Let this help you, and go tackle your problems. Also, for my fellow students, you can go to their website and verify your student status and get the full access to the meditations for $10 a year, to make this app and company even more amazing. Keep up the awesome content Headspace! And thank you for helping me on my journey

As a TM practitioner I wasn't initially drawn to this app. However it was recommended repeatedly by health practitioners as I struggled to be consistent with my sitting practice. Finally I gave in and it's been a wonderful asset to my meditation practice. I use it as an anchor and I enjoy the presentations as well as the guided series and singles. The SOS and now the many other options are great. Being able to grab your phone and calm yourself in stressful times is amazing. Headspace has continued to improve adding more and more options and modules. You can stick with classic guided or semi guided meditation, or silence, add music or learn how to use mindfulness on a broad range of issues from speaking, sadness, grief ... you name it. I love the special section on sleep. The educational aspect is beyond compare and you can watch short videos. I still have a strong preference for Andy Puddicome’s voice and hope he never tires of doing this, but glad the options are there for others. This simply is the best app for meditation and for mindfulness. THE BEST. I highly recommend this to anyone--from those being introduced to meditation and/mindfulness to the experienced practitioner. You're in good hands here. Easy to use too. Very intuitive.