Have you heard of the Calm App? Have you asked yourself, what is the Calm App?  Do you want to live a calmer life?  

I am here to answer your questions!  Besides answering the following questions, I will give my opinion of the app, since I have been using it for a month and a half on a very regular basis.  That’s why I am reviewing the app.  It has helped me and I think it could help you.

Pros	Cons
Easy to use	Some meditation quotes distracted me
Several options for meditation, music, and stories	Some music made me anxious
Affordable

What Is It?

Calm is an app for use on your smartphone; both iPhone and android.  The website states that their goal is to make the world a “happier and healthier place”.  The way to achieve these results is through use of the different sections of the app.

The app is divided into sections or programs to help you achieve that health and happiness.  The programs are:

• Meditate – learn to skills to meditate
• Sleep – help you sleep better
• Music – to focus, relax and sleep
• Body – movement and stretching
• Masterclass – audio programs, which are called Sparks on my app
• Scenes – nature scenes to add to your day, whatever you are doing

Who Can Use It?

I think anyone can use it.  I am a 69 (well okay, nearer to 70) year old woman with pain and health issues.  I am limited in my movement and ability to sit for long periods.  But so far that hasn’t impacted my ability to use the app.  

Since I am limited in my abilities, I feel I can safely recommend this app for use by the elderly population.  Maybe some of the body projects can’t be used, but I haven’t been limited in my ability to use the meditation section to achieve my goals.  

They have sections for children as well, which means that use of the app shouldn’t be affected by age.  

Because there are different practices available, I believe it could be used by all ages.  I feel the app is geared more toward the younger population, but I have still benefited.  

Why Use It?

I don’t know about you, but I am always seeking to improve my life.  You too?  Well, this app might be just the thing to accomplish that.  

I have several goals each day to accomplish making my life better.  They include exercise (it hurts to walk, but fortunately it doesn’t hurt to ride my bike)(and my Physical Therapist said we have to keep moving!), eating right (which includes Greek yogurt, fruits and vegetables, and anti-inflammatory foods), drinking plenty of water, stretches, daily Bible reading, and meditation.  

So right now I am using the app for meditation.  I hope to expand into other sections, but right now it is a challenge to learn meditation techniques.  If it is your goal to learn to meditate, then this app is for you.  Want to sleep better?  This app is perfect.  Want to expand your learning?  Try the Sparks section.

A side note on meditation.  I am a Christian and was fearful of the concept of meditation.  It brought to mind Hindu religion and chanting and the like.  But this app is nothing like that and I have found nothing so far that impinges on my beliefs.  Instead, so far it addresses breathing and relaxing and being present which is called mindfulness.

Lately I have used the guided section on 7 Days of Soothing Pain.  Which is why this article is on this website; Meditation can be used to manage pain.  After I finish the series, which will be tonight, I plan to go over it again.  I have learned many techniques and want to be sure I can implement them at will.  

The app hasn’t necessarily made me pain free, but it is reducing my suffering.  That’s why I am writing this review.  It would be my hope that you might find some relief.

How Can I Use It?

If you are using the app to meditate, then I recommend you start out with the series called How To Meditate.  It gives you the basics to begin to learn how to meditate.  One concept I learned from this section is that there is no wrong way to meditate.  That’s a relief, isn’t it? So don’t be intimidated if you have never done meditation before.  

I think it is a very welcoming app, one that allows you to make decisions about what you want to do with it.  With those six sections I listed above, you have the freedom to explore what will be best for you.

I actually checked out the music section, but found it didn’t fit my tastes.  I love classical music.  Maybe this was too current for the old lady.  But that won’t stop me from continuing to explore it.

What Is the Cost?

There is a free version with limited options.  It is a way to get familiar with the app and see if you like it.  Then there is a 7-day trial that is free.  After that, the cost is $69.99 (USD)/year.  That’s less than $6.00 per month.  Or you can opt for a monthly payment of $12.99/month.

So investigate the free version and the trial version by all means before you make a decision.  Here’s a link to their website; Calm to try it for free.  I do not receive any fees for this referral.  They currently do not have an affiliate program.  I merely provide the link for your convenience.  

Pros

The features I like about the Calm app are:

• Easy to use.
• More than enough options for meditation, music, and stories.
• At less than $6.00 per month it is very affordable.
• The movement section is yoga based.

Cons

I haven’t really found too much to dislike about the app.  I think my dislikes are personal really, and shouldn’t impact your choices.

• Some of the meditation quotations distracted me; they just didn’t resonate with my values and I had to work to let that go.
• Some of the music didn’t relax me, but instead made me anxious.

Here is a very detailed review of the app which will give you even more information.

Conclusion

What do you think?  If you are using this app, please comment about what you like and why.  If you have questions, ask them here. I will do my best to answer them.  If you have reactions to my article, I would like to hear that also.