Top 3 Meditation Apps that Work Offline
Meditation can be a powerful tool for reducing stress and improving mental clarity, but what if you’re on the go and don’t have access to Wi-Fi or a reliable internet connection? Luckily, there are several meditation apps that work offline and offer a range of guided meditations to help you find inner peace wherever you are. Here’s a well-crafted list of the top 3 best meditation apps that work offline.
Best Meditation Apps that Work Offline
1. Headspace
Amongst the most known meditation and mindfulness apps there is, Headspace offers a large collection of guided meditations for both beginners and more intermediate users. It has been founded by Andy Puddicombe, who is also the voice of everything in Headspace.
Their database comprises all kinds of meditations, from reducing anxiety, to improving focus. Some of the main meditation curriculum includes promoting better sleep, reducing overwhelm, improving focus and clarity, mindful eating, boosting self-esteem, and managing emotions.
No doubt Headspace is one of the best meditation apps there is, and I’ve included it in the top 3 (and even in the 1st place!) as I’ve personally used it for many years and recommend it to anyone looking to improve their health, happiness, and general well-being.
It has an offline mode, which allows you to listen to your downloaded meditations any time, anywhere, even on the go. It’s particularly useful if you travel a lot or if you commute often back and forth, as many means of transportation don’t have Wi-Fi or a reliable internet connection.
To use it offline, first download the app (if you haven’t yet) and then choose the sessions you’d like to save for later when you are offline. Simply follow their instructions here to download your favorite sessions. After following along correctly, you’ll be able to access their content in the offline mode, making this app a perfect choice for anyone looking to meditate regardless of their internet connection.
2. Calm
Similar to Headspace, the Calm app has been founded with the same mission in mind: to improve your health and happiness. The app is designed to improve your sleep quality, focus, and overall mental health.
It features specific meditations created to reduce anxiety, overwhelm, and day-to-day stress. There are guided meditations for kids, for personal growth, for ADHD, and even for work. You can opt for specific guided meditations as well as meditations with less guidance, should you prefer that.
Unlike Headspace, this app offers a feature called “Calm Body”, essentially a section of guided videos on gentle, light stretching and movement exercises designed to release any tension in the body.
They offer a range of programs called “Masterclass”, “Meditation”, or “Daily Sessions”. Each one can be downloaded after you’ve chosen the one you’d like to listen to. They offer the option of downloading music tracks and sleep stories as well, making the app rather more versatile. Simply download the app (if you don’t have it yet) and follow along the instructions listed here in order to save your favorite meditations for later.
3. InsightTimer
Said to be the number #1 meditation app for sleep, anxiety, and stress, InsightTimer is one of the most trusted and used meditation apps there is. With over 25 million users, InsightTimer set a record for the largest mindful communities in the world. This is highly due to their key differentiator here: the app uses both well-crafted guided meditations as well as a partnership with some of the biggest names in the industry.
What I personally liked about InsightTimer is that you can access not only meditations created by some of your favorite spiritual & well-being teachers, but also sessions that you can follow along which present the mindful journey of some of the biggest names of our time. Take Armin van Buuren for example, who is also featured directly on their home page: Armin shares his meditation and mindfulness journey and how it has impacted him, as well as a free guided meditation at the end – all done with a calming sound bed in the background made by Armin himself! If that’s not cool, I don’t know what is.
The app offers a wide collection of meditations to choose from, as well as 4 other apps all-in-one: apart from meditation, you get a sleep app with bedtime stories, a breathwork app with some of the most efficient breathwork techniques, a yoga app where you can follow along to live yoga, do yoga nidra, or simply listen to some yoga music, and a contemplation app with a set-in journal and mood-tracker, perfect for those who want to reflect, journal, and track their thoughts and feelings.
The app can be used offline, and with such a large and diversified suite offer, it’s surely a no-brainer! To use it offline, go into your app (or download it first if you haven’t yet) and follow along the instructions presented here. Make sure you are either a Member Plus user or have a premium subscription (the former being able to access an offline mode too, it just requires some time to download your tracks.)
What is Meditation?
Meditation is an ancient practice that involves focusing your attention on a particular object, thought, feeling, or activity to achieve mental clarity and emotional calmness. It has been regarded as the key to enlightenment by many religions, philosophies, and spiritual teachers out there.
Though religions and philosophies argue about certain aspects, one thing is for sure: they all agree that meditation is a great tool to improve mindfulness – essentially the practice of being mindful, or being present in your day to day life.
To not get the two terms confused, I want to point out the fact that meditation is regarded as a tool for mindfulness, while the latter is simply a practice you can do in various forms. Mindfulness can be done by meditating, doing yoga nidra (a powerful, yet restorative practice), breathwork, or simply bringing more energy and attention to the chosen object or task at hand. (You can be mindful even when washing the dishes!)
However, meditation in particular usually has a specific protocol at hand. First and foremost it requires that you set some time aside for this particular practice (usually 5 to 10 minutes, but you can go as long as you’d like!). Then, depending on the meditation you choose (sitting, walking, or lying down meditation), a specific task will be done. Typically, people opt for guided meditations as it’s easier to follow along someone’s voice and not fall asleep. The most common types of guided meditations are sitting meditation where you choose a comfortable, up-right position, close your eyes, and follow along to the voice of the session.
Who is it for?
In short, anyone and everyone looking to get more calm, happy, relaxed, less reactive, better, and healthier. It essentially helps you train your mind to stay focused and calm in the midst of chaos.
This may sound all too general, but there are many topic meditations you can choose from, each one focusing on improving a certain aspect of your life, therefore improving your overall well-being.
For example, you can listen to guided meditations for mindful eating in order to solve your binge-eating problem. Or you can listen to meditations designed to help you manage and control your anxiety, depression, overwhelm, or high state of stress.
There are also meditations that boost self-esteem, improve sleep quality, increase energy, enhance focus and clarity, and more! The sky’s the limit with what kind of meditations exist out there!
But apart from the types of meditations we have, ranging in duration and level too (from beginner level to advanced), did you know that there are well-crafted sessions made for children too?
Yes, you read that right! Meditation is really for anyone, but the session you choose could also be made with a specific person in mind. Although meditation helps anyone, at any age, starting from any level, there are some meditation sessions made for sub-groups as well.
So you can start your meditation journey today and also have your kid do a shorter, child-focused session too!
What are the Benefits of Meditation?
Meditation offers a plethora of benefits, with the most numerous ones being improved mental health and improved physical health. With no side effects whatsoever, meditation can really help you with just about anything!
Here’s a list of some of the benefits that meditation includes:
- Reduced stress, anxiety, or overwhelm
- Improved focus, clarity, and concentration
- Increased self-awareness and emotional regulation
- Boosted self-esteem, self-love, and confidence
- Enhanced sleep quality and relaxation
- Better management for depression, ADHD, ADD, or other mental health issues
- Sustained energy levels with no major crashes throughout the day
- Lower blood pressure
- Reduce risk of heart disease
- Enhanced immune system and function
Final Thoughts:
With so many benefits, it’s no wonder that meditation has become a popular practice among people of all ages and backgrounds.
Simply click on one of the links or search for a meditation app that suits your liking, give it a try, and keep going!
Meditation is highly encouraged and extremely efficient in such a fast-paced world. All that is required is simply your willingness to set a couple of minutes aside, close your eyes, and follow along the session as it unfolds.
Keep in mind that although meditation can be practiced anywhere, at any time of the day, it is highly advised to not do it right before performing certain tasks that require a greater alertness. So don’t meditate before operating heavy machinery, driving, or working unless your work or activity allows you to take a 5-minute break to rest and recharge.
Namaste,
From the Purely Calm Team.
