Model Minds

These are the best meditation apps to create focus and serenity.

We all know that SI Swimsuit models take care of their bodies. But many of them are also advocates for taking care of their minds. That means balancing intense workouts and hectic daily schedules with a slower-paced mindful practice. SI Swimsuit alum and Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman openly discusses her regular meditation sessions for handling anxiety and stress. Meanwhile, SI Swimsuit 2016 cover model Ashley Graham relies on both yoga and meditation to stay grounded. Honestly, right now, we can all use a little focused zen time. So, here are some of the best meditation apps to try.

Waking Up

SI Swimsuit senior editor Darcie Burroughs knows the chaos of running a photo shoot with the magazine’s top models. She also knows an easy way to get in some needed downtime: the Waking Up app. It’s a combo of guided meditations, practical wisdom and other mindfulness techniques to help you build a regular practice. You can follow one of the courses or listen to neuroscience lessons to learn tips and tricks to enhance your mental health.

Calm

There’s a reason this app has been downloaded over 50 million times. Calm offers various calming options, including its famous “Daily Calm,” a 10-minute guided meditation that leaves you with a mindful lesson each day. You can also choose one of the many focused tracks like calming anxiety or breaking bad habits. There are even bedtime stories read by famous calming voices like Matthew McConaughey. Who doesn’t want to fall asleep to that soothing Texas drawl?

Headspace

Headspace was one of the original apps to enter into virtual meditation and was dubbed “your gym membership for the mind.” Much like a fitness program to strengthen your body, the app looks at your brain like a muscle. You can follow along on a guided course--everything from helping athletes focus to becoming a morning person-- that’s filled with quick curated meditations that can easily fit into your day. There are also sleep sounds to help you unwind each night.

Aura

A major excuse people use not to meditate is that they’re short on time. Well, Aura makes that impossible. The app is filled with three-minute meditations and just 30-second practices to calm your nerves in a stressful situation instantly. These can be listened to at home or while on the go. So you can always find time for a little mindfulness, even on the busiest of days.

Simple Habit

The Simple Habit app is a mindfulness powerhouse. From any smart device, you can have access to the world’s top experts like the go-to meditation guru at Google and a former monk. The variety of voices provides a variety of insights ranging from sleep therapy to managing common problems. And it can all be accomplished in just five minutes on your morning commute or before bed. It’s designed specifically for busy bees to quiet their mind in any scenario at any moment.