Mindfulness
Developer(s)Apple Inc.
Initial releaseSeptember 13, 2016; 7 years ago (2016-09-13)
Operating systemwatchOS, visionOS
TypeGuided meditation

Mindfulness, formerly Breathe, is an application developed by Apple Inc. for watchOS and visionOS devices, first introduced with the release of WatchOS 3 and later alongside the launch of the Apple Vision Pro.[1] The app intends to remind users to practice mindfulness through simple guided meditation activities, encouraging users to reflect upon and bring attention to their wellbeing throughout the day.

While unrelated to the Mindfulness app, the Apple Watch can also measure other metrics which may impact mental health such as sleep tracking, time spent completing physical exercise, and time spent in daylight.

Overview

After beginning a breathe session, a user is instructed to take deep breaths in while a number of overlapping blue circles grow bigger, exhaling as they return to their original size. At the end of a session, the user's current heart rate is shown alongside the number of "mindfulness minutes" completed for the day, which can also be seen in the Health and Fitness apps on a linked iPhone device. A breathe-inspired watch face is also available in classic, calm, and focus options.[2] The visionOS version of the app features a similar breathing session, which presents a sphere made out of petal-like objects which spread apart when instructed to inhale, slowly returning back to their original formation upon exhale. Furthermore, Apple Fitness+ subscribers may choose to follow an audio guided meditation from a trainer or complete their own self-guided session.[3]

With watchOS 8, a "reflect" mode was introduced, which provides users with a prompt or question to think about over a minute period. While completing a reflect activity, the watch displays a screen which cycles through different colors in motion.[4]

watchOS 10 added mood tracking through the app's "State of Mind" feature, which allows users to log a range of emotions, either at a particular moment in time or their general mood for the day. Additional information can also be provided, allowing users to further describe how they are feeling or list factors which may be having an impact on their emotions at the time an entry is logged.[5] State of mind history can be viewed through the Health app, which can also be compared alongside physical health data. The Health app may also prompt a user suffering from regular unpleasant moods to complete standardised assessments for anxiety or depression, and suggest seeking professional help.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Inside watchOS 3: New 'Breathe' app for Apple Watch reminds you to relax, focus". AppleInsider. 18 June 2016. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  2. ^ "Apple Watch faces and their features". Apple Support. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  3. ^ Heater, Brian (2024-01-31). "Apple Vision Pro's secret weapon? Mindfulness". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2024-02-04.
  4. ^ Potuck, Michael (2021-06-21). "How the Mindfulness app works on Apple Watch in watchOS 8". 9to5Mac. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  5. ^ "State of Mind: How to Log Your Mood in Apple's Health App". PCMag Australia. 2023-08-25. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  6. ^ Kamps, Haje Jan (2023-06-05). "Apple adds mental health tracking to Watch and iPhone". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
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