By. Meredith Biesinger
2020, 2021, 2022…the past few years have certainly been stressful for everyone, including teachers!
From dealing with all of the unknowns of the pandemic to virtual learning, trying to close learning gaps, and being quarantined at home…educators are certainly not strangers to the adverse effect stress can have on our bodies.
A good workout, a cup of coffee, some meditation, or a favorite playlist doesn’t always melt the stress away. Enter, The Apollo Neuro, a new wellness device created by physicians to help your body recover from stress through touch therapy.
The Apollo Neuro is a wearable device that you can wear around your wrist or ankle. Its purpose is to give you soothing vibrations that help you feel safe and in control
The wearable syncs to the brand’s app so that you can control its touch therapy functions from your phone. Use the Apollo Neuro app to transition through your day, choosing modes to help you relax, fall asleep, clear your mind, focus, and stay energized.
To see if it’d work for me, I wore it for two weeks and in various situations and environments — here’s what to know about The Apollo Neuro!
How Apollo Neuro Works
Touch Therapy is a relatively new practice used to promote healing and reduce pain and anxiety. The Apollo Neuro has honed in on this science , and created a wearable device where users can access touch therapy that is catered to their needs, any time they want.
Dr. Dave Rabin, MD, PhD is a board-certified psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and co-inventor of the device says the product “is meant to be used as a safe tool to help with things like chronic pain and stress, and he created the technology to bring relief so people could “feel more in control of their healing process without having to rely on medication. “(Bustle)
The Apollo Neuro retails for $349 and has seven different modes, including those meant for sleep, meditation, and focus. Each mode has a unique vibration and intensity level for the specific task at hand, and the gentle waves come at different intensities, making it easy to tailor your touch therapy to what YOU need.
When you purchase the Apollo Neuro, it comes with directions on downloading the accompanying app on your phone. Through the app, you can control what mode you’d like to be in, as well as the intensity of the vibration and the duration of time.
According to the brand, the vibrations restore the body’s balance and improve your body’s resilience to stress. Using the device regularly is supposed to train you to respond better to stress.
Test Time
When it came time to test out this mindfulness device, I decided to wear my Apollo Neuro for the first time at school, on a Monday, at what tends to be a sluggish time of day for me (mid-afternoon). I set my Apollo Neuro on “Energize & Wakeup” for the recommended time and intensity; 15 minutes and 39% intensity.
I wore the device on my wrist, and after about five minutes of vibrations, I perked up a little bit and felt my mind was clearer. Now, I can’t compare this mindfulness activity to a strong cup of coffee because they’re two different items. However, I did feel naturally energized and able to re-focus on my day and the tasks at hand.
Even though the smart bracelet was on my wrist, I felt its soothing effects all over my body whenever I activated the vibrations. The science behind the Apollo Neuro is that different parts of our bodies respond uniquely to touch therapy.
According to Dr. Rabin, the wearable is basically like music composed for your skin. “Touch receptors, rather than for your ears, could reliably shift the body into a more recovery-focused state,” he says. “Ears are susceptible to changing frequencies, rhythms, and tones, the same way that the skin is sensitive to the changes in frequency and rhythm and tones.”
Do you ever have trouble sleeping? I do. My mind often wanders and worries, and I think about everything I have to do the next day, which prevents me from relaxing and getting a good night’s sleep sometimes.
The Apollo Neuro has a “Sleep & Renew” mode. I was genuinely curious about this, so I set it on 60% for 30 minutes on the first night. Again, I wore it on my wrist, and I was asleep before the thirty minutes were complete! I slept like a baby! I wear my Apollo Neuro every night now, and it helps me relax and get quality sleep.
I genuinely enjoy wearing my Apollo Neuro. You don’t have to wear it all day; you can put it on when needed if you’d like. The wristband/ankle band is comfortable, and the vibrations are not disruptive. The Apollo Neuro is user-friendly for everyone. You can simply switch to whatever mode you want, whenever you wish, manually, or you can control everything through the app on your phone.
I used EVERY mode in a variety of situations. Here are a few examples:
Social & Open Mode: Kid’s basketball games, and out to dinner with some friends.
Energy & Wake-up Mode: First thing in the morning, and the mid-afternoon slump.
Clear & Focused Mode: After school, doing homework with kids, or doing my own work.
Rebuild & Recover Mode: After working out.
Meditation & Mindfulness Mode: During prep time and driving in the car.
Relax & Unwind Mode: At home after dinner, and on the weekends.
Sleep & Renew Mode: Every night, right before I go to bed.
I highly recommend the “Clear & Focused” mode when you have papers to grade or any work to do. The subtle vibrations create a sense of clarity and mindfulness and enable you to achieve your goals, whether writing a lesson plan, engaging with friends, or getting a good night’s sleep.
Final Verdict
Wearing the Apollo Neuro helps reduce my stress, creates mindfulness, re-energizes me when needed, and helps me sleep. I gave it a two-week trial period, and I’m sold! I use it every day now.
I find myself syncing my app and putting my wearable on, before I start my day in the morning. 5:30 A.M. comes quickly, and often I feel groggy before my caffeine boost. Now, when I wake up, I activate my Apollo Neuro for fifteen minutes on the “Energy” mode, and I find I am more awake and alert than I am when I don’t wear the device.
Apollo Neuro bridges the gaps we often experience between rest, mindfulness, stress, and clarity.
If you’re a teacher looking for a simple and natural way to conquer the day, I highly recommend checking out Apollo Neuro!
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