Relying on apps for meditation is a recipe for distrac

There are some apps which purport to aid meditation in unobtrusive ways, such as playing background SFX, or simply bells to alert you that you're done. But that means your phone is on and DND is off, so you've already fallen for the trap.

Best thing to do is turn off phone and other devices. Sit in a quiet room with gentle lighting. You can't prevent all distractions, but with some practice, you'll be able to continue meditating without having your vibe broken.

I've seen people deep in prayer in a church and someone will try to interrupt them, and they stoically remain as they are. Usually it doesn't take much for the interlocutor to realize they've been rude and they go away. With our distractable culture these days, that sort of impenetrability and concentration is an asset that carries over into whatever you plan to accomplish.

Once you’ve heard the guided meditations many times you don’t need it anymore and can loop music or go with silence.

I think it takes a while to be mindful, let what ever thoughts process in your head, and finally get to a relaxed state. It is nice to fall asleep to also then you don’t need to worry about any time limits.

I don’t know of an easy way to make an app experience similar without some custom notification modes and distraction parental controls.