Perform yoga at home with these unique iOS apps amid pandemic

As millions of people get prepared for the International Yoga Day around the world, those staying indoors, after going through a lethal second Covid wave in India, can find solace in some fresh iOS apps for their overall well-being from the comfort of their homes.

To stay fit during the pandemic, people can use iOS apps like Beats & Breath, Restorative Yoga, Flow State, Pure Meditation, Yoga-Go, Aura, Endel, Motivate and the popular Breathe apps.

According to Nidhi Mohan Kamal, Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga trainer and certified strength fitness trainer, yoga has been her go-to-ritual for mental health and a way to connect with divine in these stressful times.

"Don't worry about complicated poses and vinyasa if that intimidates you, just breathing deeply and a few basic poses can be amazing too, the important thing is to show up on the mat everyday with devotion to yourself and creator," she told IANS.

"Connection with your breath is known to be the best way to beat stress out of your life, I have been using Apple Watch for 4 years now, and the Breathe App has been helpful in mindful breathing everyday," she added.

With its long holds, deep breathing and focus on low physical activity, Restorative Yoga app is meant to give your body a break while still providing a challenge for the mind.

In that spirit, this is a playlist of meditative music meant to complement the pace and mood of a great restorative practice.

In the Flow State iOS app, there is a playlist designed specifically for vinyasa practice.

Flow State playlist keeps rotating selections regularly, so if users hear something they like, they can add it to their library.

While 'Calm' is one of the best apps for sleep, meditation and relaxation, the 'Yoga-Go' app is a source of home-based yoga workouts.

Yoga-Go workouts only take between 7-30 minutes, and you can burn up to 200 calories per session. It integrates with HealthKit, so users can export nutrition and exercise data from Yoga-Go to HealthKit, and import fitness data and weight and body measurements from HealthKit to Yoga-Go.

The 'Endel' app creates personalised soundscapes to give your mind and body what it needs to achieve total immersion in any task.

Endel's soundscapes are algorithm-powered and designed to gently rise and fall in line with your immediate internal and external conditions like location, time zone, weather, and heart rate.