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| | Product Review: Stresseraser | |
"For six weeks,I tried the StressEraser three or four
times a week ... my forehead,
neck and shoulders felt more
relaxed after each session."
-Washington Post (1/3/06) |  | Wired Gadget Lab
Rating: 9 out of 10.
"After just five minutes,
a day in the office
felt like a stroll on
the beach." |
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 by Andrew Young,Sounds True New Products Team
Andrew from the “spiritual technology“ team here,with news about a promising new device—the StressEraser. I tested this item for two months: here's what I learned.
| What is HRV? |
Your heart speeds up and slows down in a wave-like manner,akin to the motion of a roller coaster. Heart Rate Variability or “HRV” is a measure of how deeply and how steadily those waves fluctuate.
Recent medical research has identified correlations between a healthy “deep and steady” HRV pattern and vagus nerve activity (your body's physiological relaxation response). This stress reduction,in turn,has been associated with better sleep quality,normalized blood pressure,and healthy digestive,immune,and hormonal system function.
Initial studies also suggest that HRV reflects subtle changes in our emotional states. What does optimal HRV feel like? Many people (including myself) describe it as a feeling of “appreciation,contentment,and flow” located kinesthetically in the region of the heart.
HRV research is still in its pioneering stages,so much remains to be learned. In the meantime,the technology is now available to explore this area of mind-body health for yourself. |
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Poor HRV – it's a stress fest!
Optimal HRV – mmm,now you're in the zone... |
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"Controlling stress,it turns out,is about activating something called the vagus nerve,a part of the nervous system that influences heart rate. Sounds simple,but how is it done? You could sign up for yoga classes,or better yet,lay your hands on a nifty new device called the StressEraser..."
—Forbes FYI 10/31/05 |
Q: What is it?
A: The StressEraser by Helicor is a portable iPod-sized biofeedback device that trains you to optimize your Heart Rate Variability (HRV),a measure of your body's relaxation level and emotional well-being (see sidebar for more on HRV).
The StressEraser is more than a “gadget.” It's a medical-quality (FDA class II exempt) device that has,until recently,been available mainly to psychology professionals.
It's rugged (survived a hard tumble off my desk) and has a svelte look and feel. More importantly,it was extremely responsive,reliable,and consistent in measuring my HRV.
Q: How does it “erase stress”?
A: The StressEraser provides precise,moment-by-moment HRV feedback on how your breathing,thoughts,and emotional state are influencing your stress levels. You use this feedback to boost the calming effect of your parasympathetic nervous system (your body's "relaxation center").
• The StressEraser tells you how to pace your breathing with your heart cycles to induce optimal HRV in a very short amount of time (5-10 minutes).
• The StressEraser gives you a 0-to-3-point relaxation score for each outbreath (great for fine-tuning your breathing and thoughts).
• At the end of your session,the StressEraser adds up all your relaxation points,so you can see if you “dosed” yourself sufficiently. (Helicor recommends 30-50 points for a long-lasting effect; I found 40 points to be sufficient.)
• The StressEraser remembers your session scores over days or months so you can compare different relaxation techniques and track your progress over time.
Q: Is it easy to use?
A: Yes. To start using it,you simply stick your finger in the left-hand slot of the StressEraser and hit “start.” That's it.
Now,to get the most out of it,you'll want to follow the full instructions. For example,the StressEraser helps you figure out your optimum breathing rate,which is different for each person (mine was a “five-count”). Very helpful.
Q: Is it effective?
A: For me,yes,definitely effective for dissipating anxiety,increasing mind-body awareness,improving sleep,and “getting centered” before meetings and other challenging events.
I found it very sensitive to subtle shifts caused by my thoughts and emotional states (for example,irritation,worry,grief,and lovingkindness). It also helped me identify which traditional meditation techniques work best for cultivating a peaceful state of mind and body.
Q: How did you test it?
A: OK,these are one person's anecdotes,but here's what I did:
1. First I just stared at a wall for ten minutes and let the StressEraser give me a relaxation score.
2. Then I measured myself while reading work emails (ugh,a real chore).
3. Finally,I used the StressEraser as instructed for another 10 minutes,this time obediently following each exhalation cue (you can watch the blips on the screen or listen to its soft audio chime).
Here were my results:
Doing nothing: 21 points (slightly bored)
Reading email: 16 points (feelin' edgy)
Obeying the StressEraser: 36 points (ah,that's better)
OK,not a bad start. But ...
Q: Is it better than traditional meditation or yoga for stress reduction?
A: I pitted two tried-and-true calming practices against the StressEraser:
1. mindfulness meditation (as taught by Thich Nhat Hanh and the Insight Meditation folks) and
2. pranayama yoga breathing (the kind taught by Andrew Weil and Richard Freeman).
I ignored the StressEraser breathing cues and just let it give me a relaxation score. Here's how the “classic” strategies performed:
Mindfulness meditation: 21 points (feeling kindhearted yes,but not “calm”)
Yoga breathing: 32 points (calm and alert)
Now,here's the real surprise: I decided to try meditation while ALSO following the StressEraser guidance—a “double-decker” relaxation sandwich. Or was I inviting “double trouble”? I did the same with yoga breathing plus StressEraser guidance. Results:
Yoga breathing + StressEraser: 39 points (very deep relaxation and sense of well-being)
Mindfulness meditation + StressEraser: 41 points (very deep relaxation and sense of heartfulness and heightened awareness)
Wow.
Q: Simple yoga breathing worked for you almost as well as the StressEraser,so is this device really necessary?
A: Not necessary,but very welcome,especially before or after stressful situations. And when used WITH your own practices,it can add a huge boost.
Also,I've been doing the above practices for many years. If you have less meditation or yoga experience (or if you just want a little extra assistance now and then),I think you'll find the StressEraser especially valuable.
It's also a great way to introduce your non-meditator friends and family to meditation. I'm going to get one of these for my parents,who aren't very open to learning “Eastern” meditation or breathwork.
Conclusions
My personal experiences with the StressEraser convinced me that it's very effective in boosting my HRV and calming my emotions and thoughts. It also helped me figure out what meditations and breathing exercises most effectively reduced stress. And,to my surprise,it helped magnify the effects of traditional meditation and breathwork.
Sounds True verdict: Highly Recommended
| Product Quality: |
A (A medical-grade device able to withstand rough handling) |
| Ease of Use: |
A (Simple,but follow the instructions to experience its full value) |
| Effectiveness Alone: |
B+ |
Effectiveness WITH Meditation or Breathwork:
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A |
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The StressEraser includes an in-depth user's guide and elegant black carry sleeve with magnetic clasp. Uses 2 AAA batteries (alkaline or rechargeable) that provide 15-30 days of use.
The StressEraser is 100% guaranteed by Sounds True for 90 days after purchase. Helicor's one-year warranty covers any defects that occur during normal use.
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