The lifestyle app, Headspace by Headspace Inc, is an innovative program designed to help individuals achieve a happier and healthier lifestyle through guided meditations. Studies consistently show the benefits of regular meditation, including decreased blood pressure, deeper and better sleep cycles, as well as increased levels of overall awareness and intention in daily living. Some studies even suggest that meditation can have a therapeutic effect on those suffering from depression, anxiety, insomnia, and even chronic pain and cancer.

The headspace app makes it easy for users of all ages and abilities to practice meditation anytime and anywhere. The mobile nature of the app means that everyone can have guided meditation literally at their fingertips, and users can practice mobile mindfulness even on-the-go.

Headspace organizes sessions into four main categories, which are displayed on the top-bar of the home screen. Users can select from “packs”, “singles”, “kids” and “animation”. The “packs” features clusters of sessions that are organized by intention. Users can choose from a foundations pack (basics of meditation), health (managing anxiety, stress, sleep, depression, pregnancy), brave (grief, anger, regret), happiness (self-esteem, relationships, patience), work and performance (productivity, prioritization, finding focus, creativity), sport (motivation, concentration, competition), as well as packs for students and headspace ‘pros’. Each pack contains 10-30 sessions designed to seamlessly help the user navigate their intention.

For quick, acute meditation needs, users can explore options under the “singles” tab; these are short, 3-5 minutes ‘interventions’ to reset common, emotionally-jarring events (in-pain, flustered, losing your temper). The “kids” functionality includes eight unique sessions that are adapted for various age-ranges, targeting children 5-12 years old, and addressing common behaviors such as paying attention, exhibiting kindness, sleeping, etc. Video clips on a variety of meditation and mindfulness topics can be found under the “animations” tab.

The Headspace app can provide beneficial outcomes for a variety of users, and was trialed for this review in multiple settings. For younger children, this app is ideal for behavioral modifications.

One user, a 6 year old with sensory processing disorder, showed decreased tantruming in new or overstimulating situations by doing just the 2-minute kids version of ‘calming’; these sessions are succinct, use age-appropriate vocabulary, and concrete visualization techniques.

For those with sensory processing disorder, the use of headphones with the app can be particularly effective, by blocking out distractions and helping the user to focus exclusively on the guided meditation.

For older users, selections in the singles tab can be used for quick coping strategies in everyday scenarios.

In high school classrooms, the ‘exams’ 3-minute single was presented to two groups of biology students pre-test, while the other classes were given the same exam, but without listening to the Headspace session beforehand; the students who meditated with the Headspace session before testing had average scores almost 5 percentage points higher than those who did not have the opportunity to meditate/visualize with Headspace before the test. While these data are only preliminary indicators, it stands to reason that Headspace can be used to decrease test-anxiety in the classroom, and benefit students at all grade levels.

Headspace employs a user-friendly touch-screen interface, with simple, engaging graphics. And, Headspace also provides the user with a variety of analytics, allowing users to track and monitor their progress. This app is appropriate for ages 4 and up.

November 2021 App Update Headspace for Teens

Headspace is now free for all teens in the US. If you’re between the ages of 13–18 years old in the US, click below to learn more and how to sign up for Headspace for free through our partners:

Sign yourself up through Peer Health Exchange

Sign up your school through Bring Change 2 Mind