J. David Creswell, Ph.D., on the Future of Meditation Apps

Meditation is becoming more popular than ever, and one reason is the rise of meditation apps like Headspace and Calm. According to J. David Creswell, Ph.D., a health psychologist at Carnegie Mellon University, these apps are making mindfulness easier and more accessible to millions of people.

In the past, someone curious about meditation might have needed to find a local teacher or class. Now, all it takes is a smartphone download. Many of the leading apps are free to start, heavily advertised and widely recognized, making it easy for people to try them out. With more than 6 billion smartphones in use around the world, meditation apps are literally at people’s fingertips.

But how well do they work? Research shows that meditation apps can improve mental health by reducing stress, anxiety and symptoms of depression. The results are positive and fairly reliable, although they tend to be smaller than what is seen in traditional, in-person meditation programs. A big reason is “dose”: In structured programs, participants often meditate for about 45 minutes a day. By comparison, app users typically only use them about three times per week. When the amount of practice is equal, the effects of digital and in-person meditation look very similar, which is encouraging.

The biggest hurdle for apps is keeping people engaged. Creswell notes that 95% of people who download meditation apps stop using them within a month. Surprisingly, this is actually a better rate than most other digital mental health tools, but it’s still a challenge. For comparison, language-learning apps like Duolingo do a much better job of keeping users involved by offering streaks, short lessons and rewards.

To address this, Creswell and his team are developing a new app called Equa (short for “equanimity”). Their goal is to make meditation simple and practical, with short two- to 10-minute lessons that can fit into everyday life — whether you’re waiting in line for coffee or commuting on the bus.

For people who want to build a consistent practice, Creswell offers some tips: Start small with short sessions, pair meditation with rewards (like a favorite drink afterward) and use reminders or streak tracking to build habits. Most importantly, remember that meditation is like exercise — it takes regular practice, but even short, steady efforts can make a big difference in mental health, energy and overall well-being.