Mindfulness for menopause: five meditation apps to try

Menopause can leave your mind racing just when you need rest. Mindfulness won’t make every symptom disappear, but it may help you manage stress, sleep difficulties, anxious thoughts, and the way symptoms affect your day.

You don’t need to sit cross-legged, clear your mind completely, or find half an hour you don’t have. Meditation for menopause can be as simple as pausing for a few minutes, noticing your breathing, and bringing your attention back whenever it wanders.

Here’s what the evidence says, plus five mindfulness, meditation, and guided hypnosis apps worth exploring.

Can mindfulness help during menopause?

Research into mindfulness for menopause is encouraging, although it’s not a cure or a replacement for medical treatment. A 2025 review of 19 randomised studies found that mindfulness-based interventions may improve reported menopause symptoms, quality of life, sleep, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and stress.

The NHS also includes meditation among the relaxation techniques that may support wellbeing during perimenopause and menopause.

Think of mindfulness as one useful tool rather than something else you “should” be doing. Even a short pause may help you feel less caught up in racing thoughts and more able to respond to a difficult moment.

What’s the difference between mindfulness and meditation?

Mindfulness means paying attention to what’s happening now, without immediately judging it or trying to change it.

If you’re making a cup of tea, for example, you might notice the warmth of the mug, the smell, and the steam, rather than mentally replaying a meeting or worrying about tomorrow. Your thoughts will still wander – noticing that and returning your attention is part of the practice.

Meditation is one way to practise mindfulness. It may involve concentrating on your breathing, completing a body scan, listening to guided imagery, or simply observing your thoughts for a few minutes.

Which menopause meditation app is right for you?

The best meditation app for perimenopause stress or sleep depends on what you need:

• For structured beginner courses – try Headspace.
• For sleep stories and calming soundscapes – try Calm.
• For a large library of free sessions – try Insight Timer.
• For meditation, sleep content, and hypnotherapy – try Breethe.
• For menopause-specific hypnotherapy – consider Evia.

Many apps offer some free content, but full access may require a subscription. Features and prices can change, so check before signing up.

Calm

Whether you’re not sleeping well or feeling stressed, this is one of the most popular apps for quieting the mind and features daily guided meditations. One of our favourite features is its ‘sleep stories’. Remember how a bedtime story helped you drop off when you were little? It still works, but instead of being soothed to sleep by your mum’s reassuring voice, it’s by the dulcet tones of celebrities like Cillian Murphy and Idris Elba. Dreamy – quite literally. Available for Android and iOS.

Headspace

Headspace’s simple design and quirky illustrations make it super easy to use. What makes it a bit different from many other apps are the life-themed guided meditations and breathing exercises which can help you with everything from relationships to financial worries. There are even walking meditations, perfect if you’re seriously pushed for time. Give it a try for yourself and see why it’s such a big hit. Available for Android and iOS.

Insight Timer

While you’ve probably heard of Calm and Headspace, Insight Timer is a cult hit that’s quietly attracting fans all around the globe. There are thousands of free guided meditations available, and you can select by the length of meditation, starting from a little as one minute (and we’ve all got a spare 60 seconds) or the type of thing you’re interested in, such as mindfulness at work or improving your self-esteem. There are also some celebrity-led meditations too. Available for Android and iOS.

Breethe

This is a great app for creating inner calm and rediscovering a happier, more balanced you. It features a ‘learn to meditate’ section, guided meditations, music, and personalisation options. With meditations to help you overcome anxiety, get a good night’s sleep and deal with stress, this is a good place to start your mindful journey. Available for Android and iOS.

Evia

Evia is a five-week, app-based hypnotherapy programme designed specifically to help people self-manage menopausal hot flushes and night sweats.

The clinical hypnosis method on which Evia is based has been studied in randomised trials. However, research into the app itself currently includes retrospective, self-reported user data rather than a randomised controlled trial. Evia is a self-management programme, not a medical device or replacement for professional care. Available for Android and iOS.

How to get started

Choose one app and begin with a session of around five minutes. Try using it at the same point each day – perhaps after waking, during a lunch break, or before bed – and give yourself a week or two to decide whether it suits you.

Don’t worry if your mind keeps wandering. That doesn’t mean you’re doing it badly; bringing your attention back is the practice.

An app can support your wellbeing, but it shouldn’t replace medical help. If anxiety, low mood, poor sleep, hot flushes, or other symptoms are affecting your daily life, speak to your GP or a menopause specialist about the treatment and support available.

Is there an app that’s really working for you? Or maybe you’ve found a different way to fit meditation and mindfulness into your life? Either way, we’d love to hear from you. Comment below on our blog post, or get in touch via our social channels. Sharing is caring after all!