Great Gadgets to Help With Relaxation, Mindfulness and Meditation

Meditation Apps

Kick back and relax with our roundup of gadgets to promote mindfulness and meditation. Photo: We Are/Getty Images

While playing around with consumer electronics and finding moments of Zen may seem like mutually exclusive activities, the right tech can in fact have a calming effect on your mood.

As such, we’ve seen a new crop of devices designed for relaxation, meditation and mindfulness for those moments throughout the day that you can devote to yourself and your mental well-being.

From interactive sandscapes and Wi-Fi-enabled essential oil diffusers to wearable pendants and virtual reality experiences, there is something for all tastes and budgets. Previously, we’ve examined apps to help you be your best self, but this time around it’s a look at the latest gear. 

Here’s a look at a half-dozen soothing suggestions.

 

Drift Away

 

Available in 16 or 21 inches, the Homedics drift may resemble a Zen garden at first glance, but instead of a rake these circular bowls house a magnetic ball that automatically creates a variety of mesmerizing patterns within the sand.

 

Photo: Courtesy HoMedics Canada

 

After joining your Wi-Fi, an app lets you choose from several patterns and coloured light options, plus you can also adjust the speed, brightness, and more. But all this control is optional, if you simple prefer to lose yourself in a meditate state by watching the silver ball carve out a beautiful design before your eyes.

The drift app can be downloaded for iPhone and iPad, with an Android version available any time, says the company.

Available in black or cream, the drift tables cost $499 for the 16-inch model, or $599 for the 21-inch version.

 

 

Awaken Your Mind With Aromatherapy

 

Promoting calmness and self-reflection, the Sierra Modern Home Smart WiFi Wireless Essential Oil Ultrasonic Diffuser & Humidifier ($55) features a 400-millimetre water tank that allows for up to 12 hours of continuous mist, mixing vaporized water with oil droplets, to fill your room with beautiful sights and smells.

If desired, join it to your Wi-Fi and use your voice via a nearby smart speaker (Alexa or Google Assistant) to control it hands-free, or download the companion app to tweak settings like LED colour, mist intensity, timer settings and schedules and more.

Sold separately, pick up a collection of essential oils featuring aromatic fragrances like sweet citrus, rose, lavender, mint and tea tree.

 

Photo: Courtesy Sierra Modern Home

 

 

Head Strong

 

From Toronto’s InteraXon comes the Muse 2 ($247.98),  a lightweight brain-sensing headband, embedded with sensors, that provide real-time feedback on brain activity, heart rate, breath and body movements — and communicates it all wirelessly to a nearby smartphone or tablet (iOS or Android). 

When using the Muse app and selecting what kind of meditation session you’d like, you’ll be guided through various sessions that train you to find calm in your otherwise hectic life. 

This price includes access to an annual Muse Premium Subscription (normally $10/year), which provides access to more than 500 guided meditations on stress, sleep, and focus; the option to pair muse with any podcast, meditation or music app; and to receive post-session reports to see how your brain and body responded.

 

Photo:Courtesy Muse 2021/InteraXon Inc.

 

 

Smart Jewelry

 

Wellness trackers never looked so good.

The Bellabeat Leaf Urban Silvertone Edition Collection ($129) is both a fashionable items you can wear as a necklace, bracelet or clip, but it also tracks activity, sleep, stress and meditation.

Unlike Fitbits and smart watches, there are no screens, no buttons and no need to plug in to charge up (as it runs on a long-lasting replaceable CR2032 coin cell battery).

Simply sync it with the free Bellabeat app for iPhone or Android device to read your personal fitness and sleep data, and access custom coaching programs.

Optimized for women’s health, the water-resistant Bellabeat device is made from hypoallergenic stainless steel, a wood composite material and soft rubber. 

 

Photo: Courtesy Bellabeat, Inc.

 

 

Tune in, Space Out

 

When you launch your favourite mindfulness and meditation app — like Calm, Headspace, BetterSleepSleep Cycle, Ten Percent Happier or Simple Habit — it’s best to slip on a pair of comfortable, wireless and noise-cancelling headphones to drift away.

Available in black, silver or blue, Sony’s WH-CH700N ($199) are premium-sounding over-the-ear headphones, with 40 mm drivers for well-balanced highs, mids and lows.

Listen without wires and block out ambient noise around you — so there’s nothing between you and your relaxation apps, music, podcasts or audiobooks. Simply press and hold the NC button to activate digital noise cancellation.

A built-in Li-ion battery delivers up to 35 hours of listening time, while a quick charge features gives 60 minutes of playback from just 10 minutes of charging. 

Optional, but install the Sony Headphones Connect app (iOS, Android) to adjust audio levels, customizable equalizers settings and a range of presets.

 

Photo: Courtesy Sony of Canada.

 

 

 

VR Mediation, Too

 

Finally, virtual reality headsets may help you find your happy place, too.

Available for the popular Oculus Quest headset and other gear, the Guided Meditation VR app ($17) offers more than 40 lush environments to escape the day-to-day grind, featuring more than 30 hours of guided meditations to help with A-to-Z goals (Anxiety to Zen).

 

Photo:Courtesy Cubicle Ninjas

 

Along with the guided meditative sessions, enjoy more than 200 relaxing audio tracks designed to enhance your experience, plus you have the ability to tailor it to your specific tastes, such as music with no vocals, no music at all, preset timers, support for virtual touch and more.

From Cubicle Ninjas, this 6.3GB download features scenic lagoons and waterfalls, forests and jungles, ice caves and mountaintops.

 

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