The most relaxing iPad and iPhone apps

Name: White Noise

Developer: Tmsoft

Price: £1.49 ($2.50)

Compatibility: iOS 4.3 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

White Noise is an app designed to 'block out' the variety of distractions which can prevent you from getting a good night's sleep or tuning out for a fixed period of time. 

White Noise generates sounds over a wide range of frequencies, masking noise interruptions that can break you out of a relaxed state, such as sirens or doors slamming.  Sounds included in the app range from beach waves crashing, swaying boats, streams, thunder storms to dripping water. Through White Noise, you can also mix different sound effects to create your own unique tracks. 

Via: Apple app store

Name: Yoga Relax

Developer: Neil Harris

Price: $0.99

Compatibility: iOS 3.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

Yoga Relax is an iOS application designed to teach you yoga moves -- all in the name of helping to ease tension and relax your muscles. Yoga sessions include  audio commentary, images and music, together with pose visuals. Sessions can be chosen based on your level, and you can access detailed information about your current pose, the required steps to put your body in the correct positioning and how to maintain that pose. 

Via: Apple App store

Name: Stress Relief Self-Hypnosis

Developer: PPL Development Company

Price: $2.99

Compatibility: iOS 4.2 or later. Compatible with iPad.

We all cope with stress using different methods, as it is so often part of modern life. However, the developers of Stress Relief Self-Hypnosis say that through hypnotherapy sessions presented via this app, "you will learn to respond in a more positive manner to the triggers of stress and free yourself from stress disorder, gaining real and lasting stress relief."

When I tried the app, there were certainly no amazing revelations about my response to stress -- but the music did calm everything down for a time.  

Via: Apple app store

Name: Deep Sleep 

Developer: Michael Schneider

Price: £1.99 ($4)

Compatibility: iOS 3.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

Deep Sleep uses music to help you relax and get some extra shuteye. Particularly useful if you're on the move, this app aims to help you switch off and gradually slip in to sleep.  

Via: Apple app store

Name: Sleep Deeply

Developer: Darren Marks

Price: £2.99 ($6)

Compatibility: iOS 3.2 or later. Compatible with iPad.

Sleep Deeply is another alternative application to help you drop off at night. A winner of the "Best Medical App" in the Best App Ever Awards, you can choose high-quality music recordings to help you unwind. The app developer says that both music and hypnosis techniques are combined as you listen to non-verbal sounds that will unwind and relax your mind -- eventually sending you off.  

Via: Apple app store

Name: Peaceful Pond

Developer: Purple Penguin.com

Price: Free

Compatibility: iOS 3.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

Peaceful Pond is a rather addictive app -- albeit rather a simple one. The basic idea is to create a pond, choose your background, fish and decorations -- but after adding rain and ambient sounds you can de-stress. The music, rain, together with watching fish might not be as soothing as the real thing, but it helps. 

Via: Apple App store

Name: Pocket Pond 2

Developer: TriggerWave

Price: Free

Compatibility: iOS 4.1 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch.

Pocket Pond is another pond-based relaxation app which lets a user decorate a pond and watch time go by. You can splash the water, play with the fish, and link up with other users to check out their creations -- as well as fish to catch new creatures. 

Via: Apple app store

Name: MindRelax Lite

Developer: Buzly Labs

Price: Free

Compatibility: iOS 4.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

The free version of the MindRelax tool can aid sleep, reduce stress and provide a relaxing atmosphere for activities including yoga and meditation -- all through carefully chosen sounds. 

Whether you like the sound of rain, thunder, birds, windchimes or ocean waves, there is a wide variety of noises to suit you. If you happen to have a little one, a number of tracks may help you the latest family addition to drift off for a few extra hours. 

Via: Apple app store

Name: Breathe2Relax

Developer: The National Center for Telehealth and Technology

Price: Free

Compatibility: iOS 4.3 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

Breathe2Relax is a stress management tool that providers you information on how stress effects the body -- as well as a catalog of instructions and exercises to limit the impact it has on you mentally and physically. 

This app focuses on breathing techniques to help with mood stabilization, anger control, and anxiety management. 

Via: Apple app store

Name: Meditation Oasis

Developer: Wizzard Media

Price: £1.99 ($3)

Compatibility: iOS 4.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

The Meditation Oasis application gives you access to over 30 guided meditations to help you relax. Most are accompanied by music, as well as written instructions and tips for meditative techniques. 

This app is based on streaming, so you need to have Wi-Fi enabled. 

Via: Apple app store

Name: Stress Tracker

Developer: AboveStress Inc.

Price: Free

Compatibility: iOS 4.3 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

The Stress Tracker app was created by a team of clinical psychologists and researchers using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques to act as an all-in-one personal stress management assistant.

By inputting details in to a virtual diary, you can monitor your stress levels, moods, symptoms and lifestyle behaviors that may correspond to increased levels of anxiety -- and so you can identify strategies to help you cope better. 

Via: Apple app store