Meditation Apps: Do They Actually Help With Stress?

Meditation and mindfulness apps have millions of users, and many people use them to unwind, sleep or manage stress. Researchers have now tested them in dozens of trials. The results are mildly encouraging, though smaller than the marketing might suggest. This guide explains what has been found and how to get something useful out of an app. It is general education, not medical advice or therapy.

What the trials say

• Small, real benefits for stress and mood. A 2023 meta-analysis in Clinical Psychology Review, led by Jake Linardon, pooled 43 randomized trials of mindfulness apps. It found small improvements in symptoms of depression and anxiety compared with control groups.
• Similar for stress. Another meta-analysis of 34 trials with more than 7,500 people found improvements in perceived stress, anxiety and well-being after using an app, with the largest effects for stress.
• Effects shrink with tougher comparisons. When apps are compared with another active activity, the advantage is smaller.

The cautions

• Effects are small on average. A “small” effect means many people notice a change and some notice little.
• Dropout is common. Many users stop after a few sessions, and the studies include those who kept going.
• Apps are not treatment. A broad review of mobile mental-health tools published in 2022 found little convincing evidence for any single app-based intervention against clinical conditions.
• Short follow-up. Most trials ran for weeks, not years.

Who may find them useful

• People who want a low-cost, private way to try meditation.
• People who struggle to fall asleep and like guided wind-downs. Our sleep basics guide adds habits that help.
• People who like structure and short daily reminders.

Getting the most from an app

• Keep it short and regular. Five to ten minutes most days is better than an hour once.
• Pick a style you like. Breathing, body scans, guided stories or silent timers all count.
• Do not make it another score. Streaks are optional. Skipping a day does not undo the benefit.
• Try offline options too. Our guide to breathing exercises needs no device, and time outdoors, as covered in this guide, helps too.
• Mind the data. Check what an app collects, and use the privacy settings.

When to look beyond an app

If low mood, anxiety or poor sleep are affecting daily life, a licensed professional can offer more than an app can. The app can be one support among several, not a substitute.

In short

Meditation apps can take the edge off stress for many people, and they are easy to try. Treat them as a gentle habit with modest benefits, and be kind to yourself if they are not the answer.

Sources

• Linardon J, Messer M, Goldberg SB, Fuller-Tyszkiewicz M. The efficacy of mindfulness apps on symptoms of depression and anxiety: an updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Clinical Psychology Review, published online December 2023 (DOI 10.1016/j.cpr.2023.102370).
• Gál É, Ștefan S, Cristea IA. The efficacy of mindfulness meditation apps in enhancing users’ well-being and mental health related outcomes: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Affective Disorders, 2021.
• Goldberg SB, Lam SU, Simonsson O, Torous J, Sun S. Mobile phone-based interventions for mental health: a systematic meta-review of 14 meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials. PLOS Digital Health, 2022.