Calm
Calm Program
Starting at $14.99 / month
Calm offers a range of features aimed at reducing stress, enhancing sleep quality, and promoting overall well-being. Its diverse content, high production quality, and user-friendly design contribute to its popularity and effectiveness among many users.
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Program/Solution Summary
Calm is a popular app focused on mental health, offering a range of tools and content to manage stress, improve sleep, and encourage mindfulness. Features and Content:
- Meditations: Guided meditations cover various themes like sleep, anxiety, stress, gratitude, and more.
- Sleep Stories: Over 250+ Sleep Stories, narrated by various voices including celebrities, to help users fall asleep.
- Music: Exclusive music tracks designed for focus, relaxation, and sleep.
- Breathing Exercises: Features like the 60-second Breathe Bubble to ground users and promote relaxation.
- Daily Offerings: Regular updates from a range of teachers providing wisdom, gratitude, and encouragement.Educational Resources:
- The app includes educational content on meditation, mindfulness, stress, and anxiety.
- Offers insights into managing mental health conditions and improving sleep patterns.Personalized Experience:
- Users can start with introductory programs like "7 Days of Calm" and "21 Days of Calm" for basics of meditation.
- The app tailors content based on individual goals and preferences.Sleep Improvement:
- A vast collection of Sleep Stories, music, and soundscapes. -
- Features for tracking sleep quality and patterns.Mental Health Support:
- Tools and exercises for immediate relief in high-stress moments, including panic attacks and negative thought spirals.
- Collaborations with experts like Dr. Julie Smith for guided support.Accessibility and Compatibility:
- Available on multiple platforms including iOS, Android, Web, Apple TV, Apple Watch, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and others.Subscription and Trial:
- Offers a free trial of Calm Premium with various pricing options for continued access to the full library.
Information Source: Program Provider
Vale Health Vetted
All products in the Vale Health wellness marketplace have been evaluated for safety, quality, and user-reported experience. A check mark indicates that the product matches or exceeds the standard for the product category.
What Reviewers Like
- Extensive Content: Offers a wide range of meditations, stories, music, and other resources catering to various needs and preferences.
- High-Quality Production: The app features calming music, professional narration, and visually appealing designs.
- Science-Backed Approach: Many meditations and features are based on mindfulness and stress reduction techniques with proven effectiveness.
- User-Friendly: The app is easy to navigate and personalize, offering customizable daily goals and reminders.
- Affordable Subscription: Compared to some competitors, Calm offers a relatively affordable monthly or annual subscription plan.
Things to Consider
- Limited Free Content: Access to most features and the full content library requires a paid subscription.
- Passive Approach: While effective for relaxation, the app might not address deeper issues causing stress or sleep problems.
- Potential for Dependence: Over-reliance on the app for mindfulness and sleep might discourage self-practice and natural sleep-wake regulation.
- Focus on Individual Solutions: The app primarily focuses on individual well-being and might not address systemic factors contributing to stress and anxiety.
Information source: product review sites and consumer reviews
Relevant Research - Relaxation and Meditation
Relaxation and meditation apps have shown promise in improving sleep quality, according to medical research. These apps offer features like guided relaxation, sleep stories, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for insomnia. Studies indicate their effectiveness in reducing stress, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Notably, a review in The Annals of NY Academy of Sciences found mindfulness meditation interventions improved sleep quality significantly. A randomized clinical trial published in JAMA reported benefits in sleep quality and daytime functioning in older adults using mindfulness meditation. Furthermore, a study in Current Psychiatry Reports suggested that virtual Mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) are effective in reducing sleep disturbances, comparable to traditional treatments. A long-term study also confirmed sustained benefits of combining CBT-I with mindfulness meditation. While these findings focus on specific techniques like mindfulness and CBT, they highlight the potential of relaxation and meditation apps as valuable tools in managing sleep-related issues.
Research may not have studied the specific product on this page
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