Calm App Review: Top 5 Reasons to Meditate with Calm
Subscription price: $69.99/year
Meditation has always been one of those activities I knew would probably benefit me but never got around to doing consistently because life was always too hectic, too busy, or too stressful. Like many others, I rang in 2021 with a commitment to embracing my inner self to try new things that could potentially improve my well-being and mental health. As we near the end of the year, thanks to Calm, I believe I was able to do exactly that.
Although I had been introduced to meditation at the age of 10 by my parents, it took me over two decades to finally start practicing regularly for myself. In my defense, sitting in silence as a kid and self reflecting on my day was a lot less cumbersome and daunting than it is now when there are more chores, responsibilities, and overall stress that comes with being an adult. There are a number of meditation apps that are available on both the Google Play and Apple App stores but I was most drawn to Calm for two reasons: as a Kaiser Pemanente member, you get free premium access to Calm (normally $70 per year) and my therapist recommended it. Although I’ve tried a handful of other meditation apps, I always came back to Calm and here’s why.
Daily Calm and Daily Trip
Similar to many other meditation apps, Calm has daily meditations everyday that are themed differently. For those who are starting their practice, this takes the complexity out of searching and navigating through the app. When I first started using the app, I was only meditating one session per day and my go-to was always the Daily Calm by Tamara Levitt. Not only is her voice incredibly soothing (I’ve fallen asleep before many times while practicing), but I love the messages she tries to portray in each session. More recently, I find myself meditating in both the morning and evening and also started listening to Jeff Warren’s Daily Trip, which I find to be more interactive. I have noticed that the themes offered in Calm are geared mostly towards general meditation topics including reflecting, sympathy and patience. For those who may be interested in more targeted meditations that are personalized or if you’re looking for more diverse topics, I would highly recommend checking out Shine.
2. Masterclass
This is a relatively new feature, but one I think is worth a shout out because it immerses users in meditation a little differently. Similar to a podcast or audiobook, Masterclass is a sub-section in Calm with a series of short classes from well-known members of the self-improvement community. I recently completed Stoic Wisdom for Modern Life by Ryan Holiday and although there wasn’t any particularly new information that I learned, it encouraged me to feel a little more inspired in the steps I could take in my daily life to improve my practice. For those that are not familiar, Ryan Holiday draws from ancient Roman philosophers including Aristotle to rationalize how Stoicism can guide us in our everyday lives to be more rational and resilient with ourselves. There’s also other popular Masterclasses to check out including how to sleep better, eat mindfully, and practice positivity.
3. Sleep Stories
As I found myself practicing meditation more, I became more cognizant of nights when I realized it was becoming increasingly difficult to turn off the noise in my brain. I recently shared that I love wearing the new Google Pixel Buds A-Series to sleep sometimes and would pair them with a Sleep Story to help me fall asleep. Calm does a fantastic job of getting Hollywood talent to narrate these sleep stories including Mandy Moore, Cillian Murphy, Harry Styles and Matthew McConaughey. Each sleep story lasts approximately 30-40 minutes and I am usually asleep within 15 minutes of listening. One day, I’ll actually go back and listen to all these stories to their completion because they’re just that good. Topics will range and while some tell stories of real life locations, others are magical fiction pieces. Other meditation apps offer similar stories, but I personally found those from Calm to be the most soothing.
4. Convenient User Interface for Easy Navigation
As someone who has used Calm on both iOS and Android, I can confidently say that they are both incredibly easy to navigate regardless of technological experience. I will add that a nice bonus on Android is that you can Chromecast directly to your television, which is a beneficial added touch. The interface on both operating systems is easy and finding themes or specific topics is seamless via search or discover. If you like tracking your progress, the dashboard also makes it easy to see your streaks, total number of sessions, and total mindful minutes you’ve had. Here, you can also share your stats and see the library of previous meditations you’ve completed.
5. An Overall Thoughtful Package
I think there’s a big reason why I’ve enjoyed Calm over other meditation apps. There’s simply zero complexity in using it. Whatever you are searching for in your practice today can be found at your fingertips. Thoughtful design cues like the favorite feature allow you to come back to meditations you’ve previously favorited. If you’re getting ready for a big presentation or going into an interview and need two minutes of breathing guidance, there’s a session for that (btw, it’s called Emergency Calm). There’s meditations for starting your morning, or winding down. There’s even meditations for kids too. If you just want some background music or soundscapes to work with, Calm has it. Better yet, there’s they’re constantly adding exciting new collections to the library, such as The Spark, which lets you listen to half hour conversations with special guests.
Still Room for Improvement
As someone who has cycled through quite a few different meditation apps this past year, I wanted to call out a few aspects I hope the folks at Calm would consider for future user enhancement. Like many competing meditation apps, there is extremely limited content if you are not a premium subscriber. As a business, I understand the importance of the subscription model and revenue but given the challenging mental health concerns we face in today’s society, I would love to see more features incorporated for free versions. Calm offers a seven day free trial but I think it takes at least a month of consistent use for those new to meditation to see results and even consider doing it long term. Another suggestion that I personally do not find as essential, but may be appealing to others is to develop a sense of community within the app. I mentioned Shine earlier, but it’s intriguing that they include members-only events and a digital community as well to their subscribers. Finally, I would love to see future integrations with smart home systems such as Amazon’s Alexa or Google.
Regardless of what you’re looking for in a meditation app or where you are in your practice, I’ve found a lot of reasons to like Calm. When paired with the constant updates they are making to improve the app and the content offerings, I would highly recommend it for anyone looking to add a touch of mental clarity to their day. And if you’re just starting on your meditation journey and are looking for some gentle guidance, Calm does a perfect job of curating without overwhelming you.
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Lida
Always the number cruncher, the former narrative journalist turned data scientist, can’t help but find herself bursting with excitement with each new generation of tech gadgets. After all, predicting future trends is Lida’s forte. Any gadget that survives Lida’s torturous, adult working woman itinerary of over 700 notifications a day deserves praise!