So you’ve had a long day at work, huh? You might be looking forward to going home and kicking back with a beer or a glass of wine, but you know that won’t happen with kids needing to be picked up from practices and running around the house like savages. Or you’re going home to an apartment with a crazy roommate who likes to throw loud techno parties and rage all night long.

When you just need a couple minutes of peace and quiet to yourself, don’t shut your phone and computer off and lock yourself out from the rest of the world. In fact, pick UP the phone and get used to these 8 great apps that can help you relax and de-stress.

aSleep

If you’re having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep at night, try the aSleep app. It’s only $.99, and you get to pick from over 50 different soothing sounds like a forest, the beach, the tundra, a rainforest and more. You select your sound and then set a timer for how long you want the sound to play – so if you live in a busy neighborhood or with that crazy roommate, this might just be the app for you!

When the timer is up, the sound effects turn off – easy as that. You can control volume and when the timer stops, the music slowly fades out so as not to wake you up with a sudden stop. This app also doubles as an alarm clock, so it’s definitely worth the buck you’ll spend to install it.

Yoga Relax

This $.99 gem is the best yoga app on the market right now, and if you’re the type who thinks they might enjoy yoga but are nervous for any reason about starting, the app is definitely worth a try. From the comfort of your own home, you can customize your own yoga sequence or perform a session supplied for you. The moves are simple and meant to be relaxing, and the app verbally explains how to get into each pose so you don’t constantly have to look at the screen.

Yoga Relax will also play meditative music during your session, or you can choose from your own selection of music. With beautiful, soothing graphics, it’s like having your own yoga studio and private instructor right in your own home.

pzizz

The creators of pzizz actually have a few different apps to help you relax and sleep better – pzizz sleep, pzizz relax and pzizz energize. The sleep app is similar to aSleep, so you can select a sound to help you fall asleep and set an automatic timer for it to turn off. Pzizz relax does about the same thing, but it helps you nap instead of sleep through an entire night. So you can program pzizz relax for shorter periods of time.

Pzizz energize is the power napper’s savior. Program the sound effects for anywhere between 10 and 90 minutes to help you get the most out of your power nap. Wake up feeling more energized and ready to be more productive.

The best part about pzizz is that it creates a brand new, unique soundtrack for you to sleep to every time you hit “play.” It also features softly spoken words of encouragement, peace and inspiration.

The cost of the pzizz apps vary from $.99 (pzizz sleep) to $5.99 (pzizz energize – formerly $39.99!).

myMeditation

Feel a need for some help meditating? Or do you wish to start meditating? Try myMeditation to take a break from your busy life and sit in silence, focus on breathing and relax your mind.

In order to achieve a proper meditative state, you can set timers to help control your breath with myMeditation. If you don’t know any breathing techniques, the app will teach you Pranayama and create a breathing pattern for you to follow. It then creates a unique sound pattern to help you control your breathing while you’re listening. You set a timer for how long you want to breathe, and then the app gives you a timed silent meditation session.

You can control your background for the app, as well as which sounds you choose to use for your breathing. The app for the iPad even includes a meditation journal to keep track of your breathing patterns and meditative states.

The app is just $2.99.

Happiness

With an app that goes by the name of “Happiness,” how could you possibly go wrong? Switch on this app when you’re feeling stressed or blue, and enjoy sounds of random laughter and happy scenes that will make you smile.

Completely customizable, Happiness might be just the tool you need to brighten those little moments in life when you just can’t take something anymore. Science shows that when we see a smile or hear the sounds of laughter, our mood instantly improves.

Start smiling more for just $.99 with the Happiness app.

iZen Garden 2

Ditch the old box full of sand and stones that you have on your desk – you know, the one that makes a big mess everywhere every time you try to rake it. Instead, invest the $3.99 in iZen Garden 2, an app that mimics a real zen garden right on your phone.

You can custom build your own zen garden with this app and add extra plants and flowers to your liking. The app will play a soothing sound of choice and allow you to virtually rake your zen garden. You can even select the size and depth of your rake. And if you create a design you really like, snap a screen shot and share it with friends.

Before you close out of the app, get your daily dose of Zen wisdom from a library of messages the app creates.

So next time you need a little break from the stresses of life, reach for your phone or tablet, and check out one of these relaxing apps!

Ann Michaels is a freelance writer who works closely with The Life Divine, a Martha’s Vineyard-based retailer specializing in yoga inspired gifts and jewelry. She is an avid yoga enthusiast and hopes that everyone can find peace in their lives in one way or another.

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