Stressed? Constantly tired? Feeling burnt-out? You're not alone. And given the current cost of living crisis, many of us may have to draw the line at Headspace's $12.99 / £9.99 / AU$19.99 monthly fee. Calm is another great option in terms of its offering, but the premium tier is $14.99 per month…
There is another idea though. Meet Moonly, a mindfulness app with 3M+ users that costs just £3.99 per month in the UK or £17.99 per year for the fully-fledged offering. I'll be honest, I'm less into the moon calendar, rune selections and meditations, but the app just added a radio station to its free offering… and this I'm a big fan of.
The healing music radio station-slash-streaming service is based on the tracks of musician Brian Larson from Mettaverse, who has combined his esoteric knowledge of tuning and vibration with heart-based awareness to create healing sound compositions – aka a practical tool for better relaxation, sleep, creativity, focus and inner peace. Think lo-fi textures, chimes, late-night ambient soundscapes and soft swirling breezes through trees, underpinned by juicy bass tones.
To switch the radio on, simply go to the Healing section and tap the play button at the top of the screen. Playback won't stop even if the screen is locked or switched to another app; that soothing music will accompany you in the background no matter what.
Opinion: music is my medicine, and this is the daily dose I needed
"Radio reflects Moonly's commitment to supporting audiences to manage their mental wellbeing and we are honored to collaborate with Brian," said Olga Ramora, founder of Moonly. "Mettaverse music is therapeutic – it creates healing soundscapes that can be applied to all aspects of life."
Moonly says that the update is currently only available on iOS (I'm lucky to own an iPhone and I'm grateful for that) but it will be available on Android very soon. With time, the company also says new musicians will be added to the existing Mettaverse collection.
Look, I'll level with you. I don't do yoga – I stretch extensively as a dancer, but it's not really the same thing. I do not follow the moon cycle, I don't perform daily breathing exercises or affirmations and I do not write in a gratitude journal. What I do find therapeutic is music, whether live in-person, through a set of AirPods Max, or via some of the other best headphones on the market – I'm grateful I get to use those too.
And despite the fact that I probably won't use all the features that Moonly has to offer, the new musical offering alone makes it one of the best iPhone apps around right now if you're in need of some stress-busting sounds.
If there's a space in your hectic, fraught, taxing day for a free 10-minute dose of calming music, do try this. And if you really like it, consider the inexpensive app, because maybe we do all need a collective daily affirmation right now…
