Headspace review 🧡

This week we welcome a new month (perfectly rectangular, in case you hadn’t seen the memes) and a new season too, one usually linked with birth and beginning, and a shaking off of the winter cobwebs. If I could convince you to start any new habit this Spring, it is that of meditation. I have spoken about it on this platform before, from what it actually entails to some of the many benefits it reaps. My own mindfulness practice really came to fruition when I decided to download Headspace 14 months ago. I don’t exactly remember how I had come to hear about it - maybe I saw ads for it on social media - but I am so glad I took the plunge and got it because I truly feel that having a structured meditation practice via the Headspace app has helped me weather the stress of everything over the last year. So stick with me for the next few minutes for a little review of the app (which has a 2-week free trial btw - you’ve been told from the outset).



Headspace was founded back in 2010 by two guys called Andy Puddicombe and Richard Pierson. Puddicombe spent time in Asia studying as a Buddhist monk, which is why the logo for the app is an orange circle, reminiscent of the flame-coloured cloths associated with this tradition. The main reason I love Headspace is how accessible it makes meditation feel. I get the benefits of Puddicombe’s monastic experience, as well as his hindsight, without having to set off to Nepal myself. The voice guiding you through each meditation (oftentimes Puddicombe’s own) is patient, non-judgmental, and, by nature, soothing to listen to. He also releases a short, daily podcast called Radio Headspace, usually containing a humorous or insightful anecdote which corresponds to an overarching message for the day. As well as this, Headspace have a series on Netflix which is beautifully animated, suitable for the whole family, and explores many of the techniques you would be practicing on the app, so it would be worthwhile to check these out before subscribing to get a feel of what's in store.


But back to the app. Not only does Headspace have a meditation exercise for almost any situation - everything from walking and cleaning to dealing with the full emotional spectrum - it also allows you to choose from a variety of voices, AND just how long you want that exercise to last (usually between 3-20 minutes). I love this because it really reminds me that saying “I don’t have the time to meditate” isn’t a valid excuse, when you have the option to select a literal 3-minute exercise. Like babe, do you really not even have 3 minutes for some self-care rn?


There is also a whole tab on the app catering to sleep, which if I’m going to be honest, is probably my favourite part of Headspace. A huge selection of sleep music is available to download and listen to as you nod off; consider the fact that I have never heard how any of these tracks end as a testimony to how quickly I slip into slumber.


As well as single meditations that you can whip out for whatever mood or space you’re in, Headspace also has the added feature of courses, which are packs of daily meditations that are aimed to be completed over a 10- to 30-day period, depending. I have completed a few now, from relationships to happiness to self-esteem to dealing with change, and they really help cultivate a renewed attitude towards life as well as refine some meditation techniques. One strategy I learned when doing the relationships course is picturing someone you know - and each week this ranged from someone you are neutral towards, to someone you are very fond of, to someone with whom you experience tension - and imagining them smiling as they radiate light. This sounds weird af but it was super-effective, albeit difficult at first, and really helped melt away some of the negative feelings I harboured for people in my life with whom the relationship was particularly strained.


Also, if going for your phone and scrolling is your habit first thing in the morning, consider watching The Wake Up on Headspace instead of heading straight for Twitter or TikTok. Each day The Wake Up brings a new topic or idea, with a short breathing exercise built in, that in a few minutes sets you up for the rest of the day. Needless to say, the content is random - I have seen The Life Cycle of a Mushroom to Flower Arranging to Kevin Hart advising us not to overthink. There is always a simple but lovely take-home message from it that I feel is the perfect start to my day, and goodness knows trawling through my Instagram feed wouldn’t make me feel half as good.


A recently-added feature of Headspace that I have yet to explore further is the Move tab. This consists of guided workouts that you can do anywhere, even tracks you can play whilst running that help with pacing and stamina. The only reason I haven’t dipped into this section more is that I already have a preordained workout schedule to which I am fairly committed, but I think mixing it up with Headspace’s physical exercises is something I am going to try to begin this month. I have listened to the mindful running tracks when out on the road in the mornings and I genuinely felt they help me pace myself properly, as well as feeling like the voices coming through my headphones are keeping me company.


Of course, to keep this review balanced requires airing grievances as well as heaping on praise. I found when I first got Headspace that it would glitch quite regularly. Basically it would cut off in the middle of an exercise, which was annoying and counterintuitive, however this hasn’t occurred in months so it has probably been rectified. Nonetheless, while a lot of the meditations and music are available to download and play offline, not everything is. Personally I feel it would be great to be able to download more sleepscapes, for example, because I don’t want to have to leave the internet on all night while they play. A hell of a First World problem, I know, but you guys wanted honest, so there it is.


All in all, I think it is fairly obvious that I would recommend Headspace, especially since you can trial it free for 14 days and see if it works for you. An annual subscription comes in at €57.99 (which amounts to €4.83 a month) or if you’re looking to purchase it monthly it’s €12.99. It is available on desktop too which I find great at school for playing their age-appropriate, child-friendly exercises via the interactive whiteboard, something my pupils just love to see coming. Other subscription-based meditation apps on the market include Calm and 10% Happier, but if a subscription is too much to commit to, head to YouTube to sample free mindfulness exercises instead (Goodful has a few cute ones). Happy meditating, in the meantime, and I’ll see you here again next week.

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