Calm is rolling out a series of new features to make it easier for people to incorporate mindfulness into their lives. Most notably, the app has launched “Taptivities,” interactive text-based stories that take a minute or two to complete. The app is also adding playlists and personalized search.
While users tend to spend endless hours tapping through Instagram stories or swiping through TikTok videos, Calm wants to use a similar format to encourage users to meditate. With Taptivities, users can tap into a short mindfulness session, just like they would on any other app's story. The sessions will cover themes like gratitude, self-reflection, grounding and deep breathing.
Calm says the next time you find yourself aimlessly scrolling through social media to relieve stress, you should try Taptivity instead.
The session can encourage you to reflect on the emotions you are feeling, take a break from your thoughts by focusing and counting, or take a moment to think about a loved one.
Image credit: Calm
With the introduction of playlists, Calm users can now mix and match content from across the app. For example, when you finish a Sleep Story, you no longer have to search for music to help you fall asleep. Instead, you can mix and match meditations, Sleep Stories, and music in any order you like. Calm says this type of functionality is the most requested feature from its users.
Additionally, Calm is introducing a personalized search feature that uses each person's specific preferences and viewing history to surface more accurate recommendations. Users can also use Calm's new category and time filters to further refine their searches. Calm recognizes that in-app search wasn't great, so they're overhauling it to make it easier for users to find what they need.
In tandem with these changes, Calm has been expanding its content library and now has over 500 Sleep Stories, some of which are narrated by celebrities like Kevin Bacon, Harry Styles, and Camila Cabello. According to Calm, Sleep Stories have been watched for 19 billion minutes since launch and continue to grow in popularity.