Nursing is very rewarding, but it’s also a highly demanding job, so it’s not uncommon for nurses to feel fatigued and stressed out. While you might be dreaming of a long vacation on a tropical beach somewhere, the reality is that it might not be possible right now — so you will need to make do with simple, yet effective strategies for managing stress like exercising, eating well, getting enough sleep, and meditation.
Numerous studies have confirmed the positive effects of meditation on work-related stress. It helps you to center yourself, find your balance, and can massively reduce any negative emotions that you might be experiencing. And, the best thing about meditation is that you can do it anywhere, at any time.
With some practice, you can meditate while taking a walk, commuting to work, waiting for a patient, or even when you’re in the middle of a busy shift. A few moments of calm are all you need to get back in control of your stress levels and start to feel more balanced and in control once again.
Recent years have seen a huge boom in meditation apps, as an increasing number of people have seen just how helpful this practice can be in their daily lives. We’ve put together a list of some of the best meditation apps that are perfect for busy, stressed-out nurses.
The DigiPill
As a nurse, you might be attracted to this app purely because of its name! This app has a unique concept; it offers a variety of ‘pills’ that you can use depending on what you need at the time. These virtual pills contain hypnotic audio files that are convenient to listen to at almost any time. For example:
- The Sleep Deeply Pill: Great for helping you get to sleep easier at the end of a busy late shift.
- The Resilience Pill: Perfect for when you’re feeling worn out and on the brink of giving up when everything seems to be going wrong.
- The Sanctuary Pill: Ideal for when you’ve been rushed off your feet, have had things to do flying at you from all angles, and you just want a little bit of peace, quiet and calm.
Headspace
If you’re new to meditation completely, this app is the perfect starter. It is designed to deliver short meditation sessions that last for ten minutes, making it perfect for busy nurses who don’t have a huge amount of time to squeeze meditation into their day.
Once you’ve downloaded the app, you’ll get access to ten free sessions, which you can use over the first ten days. If you want to carry on using Headspace, you will need to subscribe to unlock all of its features. You can choose to subscribe on a monthly or yearly basis or buy unlimited access to the app forever.
The Mindfulness App
This app is packed with features that you can put to use regaining your calm within the storm that nursing can be sometimes. It’s available for both iOS and Android and comes with useful features like:
- Silent meditation series
- Guided meditation sessions
- Guided body scan
- Regular notifications
- Personal statistics
The initial meditation series is free, but if you want to do even more, you’ll need to pay to access the premium library. You can pay-per-track and download only the ones that you need, or pay a monthly subscription fee to get unlimited access to all of them.
Calm
This app is very similar to Headspace. It comes with several programs designed to help you relax more and get better sleep. There’s a range of guided meditation sessions included, with relaxing scenes and sound clips to transport you into a world of calmness.
The free download includes a seven-day meditation exercise plan. If you want to go for the paid version, you’ll get access to a complete three-week program that’s designed to improve your overall wellbeing.
Code Happy
Although it’s not strictly for meditation, Code Happy is a great choice of download for stressed-out nurses. It’s designed with nurses in mind and allows you to connect with fellow nurses when you’re looking for a bit of support. On the main screen of the app, you’ll see floating bubbles that contain images of nurses who have called out for support in the past 24 hours. A small bubble means that you don’t already know the nurse, while a larger bubble means that it’s somebody in your circle.
The best features of this app include:
- You can invite friends and coworkers to download it
- You can search for nurses using their names, emails, and specialties
- You can easily add or remove people from your circle
- You can control who can search from your account
- You can limit who can send you messages
- You can use the app to call out for support from nurses who truly understand what you’re going through, whether you’re feeling particularly stressed or just want to have a positive chat.
Breathe2Relax
As a nurse, you’re probably used to telling your patients that it’s so important to practice deep breathing exercises, especially during stressful situations. But nurses who’re studying for online DNP programs alongside all the different tasks that need to be accomplished per shift often find themselves forgetting to follow their own advice.
You probably already know that breathing exercises can:
- Control the effects of stress
- Minimize the ‘fight or flight’ response
- Control anxiety
- Stabilize the mood
Breathe2Relax is an app that literally reminds you to breathe during stressful situations. It allows you to keep track of your progress and develop a deeper awareness of how stress is affecting your body. It comes with a range of guides and instructions on relieving stress through deep breathing.
Omvana
Omvana is a little bit of a different app compared to the rest on the list as it allows you to create and mix your own meditation tracks, allowing you to get personalized sessions that work best for you. It also contains a huge selection of premade meditation tracks that you can mix with inspirational speeches; just choose two that work best together for you. If you prefer speech only, you can do without the music — and vice versa.
It even allows you to record and create your own meditation clip; just record your own voice and choose a soundtrack from the app to pair it with. There’s a selection of:
- Meditation music
- Ambient sound
- Binaural beats
What Are the Benefits of Meditation for Nurses?
Meditation is beneficial for just about anybody, but it has particularly good perks for nurses. As you know, working as a nurse gets very busy and very stressful, and feeling overwhelmed can easily become part of your daily life, no matter how much you love your job.
Meditation can help by:
- Encouraging you to practice deep breathing exercises to reduce the feelings of anxiety and overwhelm in those stressful situations that you will encounter as a nurse
- Better connect with your patients
- Get into a habit of taking a moment to regain your calm when things get stressful
- Sleep better and have more energy to take on the tasks of each shift
Nursing is a busy job — there’s no doubt about it. But technology isn’t just useful for delivering excellent care to your patients; it can also help you look after yourself.
