Social media platforms teamed up for World Mental Health Day  

On the occasion of World Mental Health Day, October 10, 2020, social media platforms Headspace and Snap Inc. teamed up in order to practice meditation and mindfulness exercises, to address rising levels of stress among Snapchatters across the country.

Headspace, a global leader in meditation and mindfulness, and Snap Inc. announced the release of two new meditations featured in the Headspace Mini, a safe space for friends on Snapchat. The two new meditations, roughly 6 minutes in length, will be guided by Headspace's Director of Meditation, Eve Lewis.

The two new meditations will include:

"Choose Kindness" - a mini meditation focused on practicing kindness which can change how we show up in the world and how we treat others. In the midst of chaos, confusion and conflict, this meditation is designed to shift our mindset and move to a place of compassion.

"Take on the School Year" - a mini meditation focused on navigating uncertainty at school. Whether students are back in the classroom or still at home, there might be feelings of worry, anxiety or even disconnection from friends. This meditation is designed to help you connect with your breath and find a resting place to ease uncertainty.

The meditations were designed to support the mental health and wellbeing of Snapchatters globally. In a new survey conducted by independent research company, GroupSolver for Snap, over 73 percent of Snapchatters in the US reported feeling stressed over the last week, and over half are more stressed than they were last year. The survey also found that approximately one-third of Snapchatters in the US and one-fifth of Snapchatters in the UK and France, use meditation to cope with stress.

"World Mental Health Day is recognised annually, and if this year has taught us anything, it's that mental health is just as important as our physical health," said Headspace's Eve Lewis. "At Headspace, we believe that taking a small amount of time each day to take care of your mind can have a huge impact on your overall mental wellbeing. Even though we are separated from friends and family, meditation reminds us that we are all a part of a shared human experience. This is why we are so happy to deepen our partnership with Snap, so we can continue to bring the benefits of meditation and mindfulness to a younger generation."

In its first month of being live, over 5 million Snapchatters engaged with the Headspace Mini, indicating that mental health tools and resources are much needed and welcomed by this young audience. Existing meditations on the Headspace Mini include, "Just Breathe," "Get out of a funk," "Kick the panic," and "Me time."

The second wave is part of a larger initiative from Headspace encouraging people and businesses all over the world to Be Kind to Your Mind in honor of World Mental Health Day and beyond. Headspace is inviting leaders and companies to sign their World Mental Health Day pledge and learn more about how to ease the mental health burdens of employees at headspace.com/wmhd. Participating organisations are standing together and committing to the shared responsibility in this moment to demand a greater investment in mental health for all.