Show HN: Unlearn Stress – A Stress Reduction App with Personal Voice Narration

1 point

2 years ago

I made it for me as I’ve been having episodes with stress with no specific origin. Been to doctors with some luck from one hopefully the recent operation will address another potential issue. Some days I feel down, out of it, just lack of energy and expression and I don’t know why exactly, but hearing some of the stories, even when I’ve heard them before, help with getting out of a slump.

I found that the 'Shaman' breathing exercise (humming “ohmmmmm” on exhale) for 15-30m, on wakeup and before sleep, has been the most helpful for me. Takes about 10m of doing it for my body to really relax my muscles.

I also found being read stories, that are inspired by the things I knew growing up things I know now, things I wish I knew as a kid, tv shows, friends, current events, forums and etc., are very helpful with my own mindset. Everyone's in a different position and being reminded of perspective can be highly motivating. Narration with your own personal voice is fun (Android needs to catch up!). Wish I could have my voice recorded as a child reading some of these ha!

What ‘Unlearn Stress’ offers: * Guided Breathing Exercises: Quick and easy breathing exercises that you can do anytime, anywhere to help promote relaxation, reduce stress and refocus. * 100+ Relatable Short Stories: Stories about work, burnout, life, relationships, uncertainty that hit home, like one about a world taken down by a bug ;), inspired by the recent CrowdStrike outage, inventing things but getting no traction or the constant chase for social media popularity. It’s all about finding some calm in the chaos. * Personal Voice Narration (iOS 17+): For iPhone 12+ users, you can have stories narrated in your own voice, making the experience feel super personal. (https://support.apple.com/en-us/104993) * Educational Resources: Simple tips and insights to help you manage stress better every day.

The app works completely offline and there’s no Data Collection like other apps. There’s a lifetime premium version for $4.99 which is budget friendly. Tired of subscription services and unnecessary data collection, I'm stuck in the 90s mindset I guess.

You can add also more voices on device for story narration 1. iPhone: Accessibility > Spoken Content > Voices. Click on a voice and check if enhanced version is available. 2. Android: https://support.google.com/accessibility/android/answer/6006...

Where to find it: * iOS App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/unlearn-stress-with-stories/id... * Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.excsn.andr...

I hope it helps you as much as it has helped me. Would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions you might have!

Thanks for checking it out!