Airly - Helping Busy People Breathe, Reset, and See Real Results
Complete overhaul of a subscription management platform to improve usability, streamline workflows, and enhance overall user experience. The goal was to create a more intuitive and efficient platform for both administrators and end-users.
Why Another Mindfulness App?
With so many mindfulness apps already on the market, the obvious question is: do we really need another one?
When I began my research, I set out to answer exactly that. Through user interviews and market analysis, I discovered a clear gap: most existing apps focus on delivering generic meditations without showing measurable impact, adapting to the user’s real-time emotional state, or integrating effortlessly into their daily flow
The Modern Stress Overload
We live in a world where constant notifications, endless to-do lists, and information overload leave little room to breathe - literally. For many, stress is no longer an occasional state but a constant background noise, affecting focus, mood, and even physical health.
Traditional mindfulness tools often fall short because they require long, uninterrupted sessions or fail to adapt to the user’s context. In contrast, the real opportunity lies in creating short, impactful moments of calm that fit naturally into a busy day, paired with feedback that makes progress visible.
Today’s pace of life leaves little room to pause.
From our user research, four core groups emerged:
Parents juggling work, home, and family needs.
Managers & executives dealing with constant decision-making.
Students under academic and social pressure.
Anyone feeling they can’t keep up with life’s pace.
Across these groups, we heard the same story:
People want to breathe, relax, and reset - but without proof that it’s “working,” they struggle to stick with it.
5/5 Users
Needs quick, under-5 minute stress relief
Prefers guided breathing exercises
Immediate effect required (within 1–2 minutes)
4/5 Users
Audio-first experience (hands-free, easy to do anywhere)
Feels guilty taking breaks → needs productivity-focused framing
Needs tension relief (shoulders, back, physical stiffness)
Smart reminders & nudges to prevent burnout
Mood tracking only if simple & fast (tap-based)
3/5 Users
Positive reinforcement works (“You’ve earned this break”, friendly tone)
2/5 Users
Visual/animation-based guidance (students especially respond well)
User Interviews
We spoke with a range of people:
Overwhelmed parents.
Executives in high-pressure environments.
University students struggling to manage their schedules.
Health-conscious individuals curious about biofeedback.
Core Pain Points Identified
Lack of measurable progress – “I feel calmer, but how do I know it’s working?”
Time constraints – Long sessions were intimidating; 2–5 minutes felt doable.
Low habit consistency – No reminders or visible streaks meant people forgot.
Mental fatigue – Overly complex apps became another stressor.
Research & Journey Mapping
We mapped the emotional journey from “I feel stressed” → “I open the app” → “I complete a session” → “I see my results.”
Across the board, the high point was seeing measurable improvement after a short, guided exercise.
Turning Practice Into Something You Can Measure
While many meditation or breathing apps offer beautiful experiences, few connect mental calm with measurable, physical results.
We saw an opportunity to:
Pair guided breathing sessions with real-time health tracking (heart rate, blood pressure).
Help users see progress in both how they feel and how their body responds.
Make mindfulness short, visual, and doable anywhere.
From Research to High-Fidelity: My Design Journey
Research Goals
Understand why people fail to maintain mindfulness or breathing routines.
Identify what motivates them to keep coming back.
Explore how physical tracking could boost habit-building.
Competitive Analysis
To position Airly effectively, I conducted a thorough review of direct competitors in the wellness, mindfulness, and breathing-tech space. The analysis focused on UX patterns, visual design, feature sets, and emotional tone.
Key findings from competitors:
Strong Visual & Emotional Branding
Successful apps like Calm and Balance rely on immersive imagery, calming color palettes, and smooth animations to create a sense of tranquility from the first screen.Guided Personalization
Many competitors prompt users to take onboarding quizzes or mood assessments, tailoring recommendations accordingly. However, these are often text-heavy, which can feel overwhelming for first-time users.Gamification for Engagement
Streak tracking, milestone badges, and daily challenges are common tools used to keep users coming back - though often without tying progress to measurable, real-world health improvements.Content Variety vs. Focus
While large libraries of meditations, breathing exercises, and mindfulness tips exist, the abundance sometimes leads to decision fatigue. Few apps guide the user directly to the most relevant session for their current state.Metrics & Feedback Gaps
Only a handful of apps provide in-depth physiological feedback (e.g., heart rate, HRV) after sessions. Even fewer connect these metrics to progress over time in a way that feels actionable.
Crafting a Tool That Delivers Calm + Proof
We asked:
How might we make results feel immediate and personal?
How might we keep sessions short but effective?
How might we make tracking health data feel encouraging, not clinical?
How might we help users switch from mindless distractions to meaningful micro-breaks?
How might we use friendly reminders that feel supportive, not intrusive or like another task?
Ideation & Sketching
We explored:
A Home Hub with quick access to favorite sessions.
A Mandala breathing animation to guide timing.
A Biofeedback dashboard that visualizes stress reduction.
Daily affirmations for a gentle mindset shift.
A Gratitude journal for emotional grounding.
User Journey Map
To understand how Airly fits into users’ daily flow, I mapped the journey from opening the app to returning to work.
The mapping revealed a natural emotional arc:
Start: Curious, distracted
Middle: Calm, immersed
End: Motivated, positive
Design decisions influenced by the journey:
Quick onboarding and “Start My Break” smart suggestions
Animated feedback (“Stress tank emptied ”) to celebrate completion
Contextual prompts for next steps (“Want to save how you feel right now?”)
End-of-day visual progress recaps to reinforce habit-building
Wireframing & Iteration
Low-fidelity prototypes tested:
Linking an external heart rate/blood pressure monitor for instant feedback.
Providing short-format sessions for quick relief.
Integrating calmness contributors to show why stress improved.
User feedback shaped:
A simpler navigation flow.
Encouraging copy that celebrated small wins.
Visual consistency between session animations and data displays.
Turning Insights Into Action
The final product includes:
Home Screen – Quick Stress Relief Hub
The Airly home screen welcomes users with a personalized greeting and a clear focus on reducing stress.
It offers quick access to recent sessions (Return to) and fresh recommendations (New Video sessions for you), with clear visuals and durations for each.
A bottom navigation bar ensures easy access to all main features, making it fast and intuitive to either resume a favorite routine or explore something new.
Stress & Progress Tracking
The app combines real-time stress scans with a long-term progress overview to give users both instant and reflective feedback.
Stress Scan Dashboard: A quick scan measures activity strain and heart rate, showing users their current stress level in an easy-to-read visualization. This immediate feedback helps them decide whether to take a guided breathing break or continue with their day.
Progress Overview: Over time, the app tracks trends like heart rate variability, stress reduction, and average heart performance. By clearly displaying improvements linked to consistent breathing practice, users gain motivation and a sense of achievement.
These screens give users a clear picture of how their body responds to stress and relaxation over time. By tracking heart rate, stress levels, and progress trends, users can visualize improvements instead of just “feeling” them.
To strengthen this, Airly integrates with smartwatches and fitness trackers, which are already part of daily life for millions. In 2025, there are over 454 million smartwatch users worldwide, and 92% use them for health and fitness tracking. About one in four U.S. adults wears one regularly. By connecting Airly sessions with metrics collected by these devices, the app turns calm into measurable progress — motivating users to stay consistent and reinforcing trust through real, visible results.
Breathing Session Screen
This screen features a calming mandala animation that expands and contracts in sync with the breathing cycle.
Dynamic text clearly guides the user when to inhale and exhale, while subtle background music can be enabled for added relaxation.
The interface is intentionally minimal and distraction-free, ensuring users can fully focus on the breathing exercise.
This meditation player screen was designed to maximize calm and focus. With a nature-inspired background, clear session details, and minimal distractions, users can easily start or control their guided meditation while staying immersed in the experience.
To encourage consistent practice, the app allows users to add a breathing exercise directly to their lock screen. With one tap, users can start a calming session without needing to unlock their phone or navigate through menus. This lowers the friction of daily
use and helps turn mindful breaks into a natural habit.
Positive Reminders & Guided Practice
To support users beyond structured breathing sessions, the app offers daily affirmations paired with calming imagery. These short, mindful prompts act as gentle reminders to slow down, release tension, and reconnect with the present moment.
Recent studies show that even very brief affirmation practices can have real impact. One 2024 study found that college students who spent just 20 seconds per day on a daily affirmation routine—placing their hands over their heart and belly while reflecting on kind thoughts—reported significant gains in self-compassion, emotional well-being, and reduced stress levels.
More broadly, research across 2025 indicates that affirmations can help retrain the brain, support emotional resilience, and reduce stress responses by activating neurological reward centers .
Users can explore a gallery of affirmations and tap into one for a deeper experience. Once selected, the affirmation expands into a guided breathing practice (such as the 4-7-8 technique), blending positive reinforcement with practical exercises. This creates a seamless transition from passive reflection to active stress relief—helping turn simple words into embodied calm.
Sessions Overview
The Sessions Overview screen gives users a clear picture of their daily and weekly practice habits. A simple bar chart shows progress across the week, while a circular tracker highlights the total minutes practiced. Motivational copy encourages consistency by reminding users that even small moments of mindfulness have a meaningful impact. Additional insights, like breath consistency, help users understand how their practice contributes to long-term calmness and balance.
Gratitude Journal
The Gratitude Journal feature encourages users to reflect on the positive aspects of their lives by writing down things they’re thankful for. By guiding users to list up to ten items, the app cultivates a daily habit of mindfulness and appreciation. This simple practice helps reduce stress, improve emotional well-being, and build a stronger sense of positivity over time.
Looking ahead
Looking ahead, the focus is on deepening engagement and personalization:
Smart Notifications: Introduce context-aware reminders triggered by elevated stress levels, gently prompting users to take a mindful break.
Goal-Based Programs: Expand the session library with structured breathing programs tailored to specific goals, such as better focus, improved sleep, or quick stress relief.
Gamification Elements: Celebrate progress with light gamification-streaks, milestones, and subtle rewards to motivate consistent practice without adding pressure.
Personalization & AI Insights: Leverage scan data and journaling habits to recommend the right exercises at the right moment.
Cross-Platform Access: Extend functionality to lock screen widgets and wearable devices, reducing friction and making tools available wherever users need them most.
By building on these next steps, the app can evolve from a calming experience into a personalized daily companion for stress management and emotional well-being.
Learnings & Next Steps
Through Airly, I learned that designing for stress isn’t just about functionality - it’s about creating calm, personalized experiences that lower barriers and build trust. Moving forward, I’ll focus on refining personalization, expanding session variety, and adding smart features like biofeedback and gentle gamification to turn Airly into a true long-term companion for well-being.