What if there were a natural stress relief method you could use any time a situation was less than perfect? Personal health technology has caught up with our desire to chill out on command.
The emWave2 personal stress reliever is a handheld health gadget that trains you to let go of stress when you feel it coming on. It will teach you that the antidote for stress is happiness. Although it can be hard to be happy in the middle of a meltdown, the emWave2 can help you get there.
The emWave2 Personal Stress Reliever trains you to be happy, or at least to feel positive emotions like appreciation, caring and gratitude. The emWave2 measures your heartbeat and your heart-rate variability to determine your level of stress. Lights on the emWave2 tell you whether you are stressed, relaxed or in a state of "coherence."
Getting into the Zone Provides Natural Stess Relief
According to HeartMath, the company behind the emWave2, "coherence" is a term that describes when all of your body's systems are in an optimal state. It is when everything comes together and you are at peak performance. Athletes call this "the zone."
Beyond a relaxed state, everything comes together when you are in the zone. You are able to concentrate, you're in touch with your intuition, you are energized, and life just flows. Clear thinking and optimal health, not just relaxation, are the opposite of stress.
You probably have heard of the zone before, as well as the power of positive thinking. With the emWave2, you are able to scientifically measure when you are in "the zone," and with practice you will be able to enter that state at will.
How the emWave2 Personal Stress Reliever works
Turn on the handheld emWave2 and lay your thumb on the sensor button, or attach the heart-rate sensor to the fleshy part of your earlobe. (It's probably best to take off earrings first). The emWave2 begins to measure your pulse (heart rate) and your heart-rate variability (the time between the beats of your heart). A lighting display will rise and fall to guide your breathing as you follow the lights.
The indicator light on the top of the emWave2 lets you know if you are in a stressed (red light), relaxed (blue light) or coherent (in the zone, green light) state. If you've meditated, done yoga or engaged in other relaxation methods, it will probably be familiar to get into the breathing rhythm and a relaxed stated.
While I could get the blue relaxation light to shine regularly, the green "in-the-zone" light eluded me. The TV was on the first time I tried the emWave2, and I looked up to see something that made me smile. The light turned green.
That is the key to getting into the zone: You need to think a happy thought. Again, when I needed a photo of the emWave2 with the green light shining, I had to think about the fun I would have going out with the girls that evening. Another time, I remembered a visit to the beach in Maui. Green. To keep it green, looked into my big dog's brown, soulful eyes.
To ease myself toward the optimal state (green light), I start deep breathing, then I consciously smile and hold it until I feel it become genuine. After about 10 seconds, my mind can more easily find things to smile about and I can maintain the green light for longer periods of time.
The Science Behind the emWave2
The emWave2 works by measuring the time between your heartbeats, or heart rate variability (HRV). While we often hear that a lower heart rate is desirable, HRV is seldom discussed. To illustrate, your heart may not beat consistently at a rate of 72 bpm. Some beats may occur closer together at a rate nearer to 76 bpm, some further apart at 68 bpm, yet they average out to 72 bpm. This irregularity is a good thing: It means that your heart is resilient and prepared to react to what comes its way. HeartMath likens this to a tennis player jumping around on his toes, ready to run or turn and hit the ball.
To some it may sound a bit like a new age hooey but this is real science. Doc Childre (his name is "Doc," but he is not a medical doctor) who founded the HeartMath System in 1991 has been published in peer-reviewed journals including American Journal of Cardiology, Preventive Cardiology and others. A leading Chicago cardiologist confirmed that heart rate variability is an indicator of stress and that it can be altered through attitude.
The emWave2 System to Natural Stress Relief
The handheld emWave2 Personal Stress Reliever unit syncs to computer software using an included USB cable. Sessions are stored in the emWave2 and saved each time you sync, so you can track and evaluate your progress.
Included in the software are a few games, visualizations and challenges to help you stay committed to your training.
The emWave system was originally created for large companies and institutions. HeartMath set up training programs for its clients. The company continues to offer training, education, coaching and other support on a level rarely seen in the world of electronic gadgets.
To insure the success of the consumer who purchases the emWave2, there are a number of links to YouTube videos, tutorials and a library of resource information. Every Tuesday at noon (PST), California-based HeartMath offers a teleseminar that helps customers get acquainted with the emWave2 and software, takes you through some trial sessions, and answers any questions you have about emWave2. The conference phone number and pin are found on the box.
Training Yourself to Natural Stess Relief
Training games and rewards instruct and motivate you to spend the right length of time training each day. HeartMath recommends 5 to 10 minutes per day.
A five-year emWave2 veteran says she continues to use the device to keep her honest with herself instead of simply pretending to be happy. Still, the ultimate goal is to train yourself to recognize when your body is feeling stress and respond automatically with deep breaths, and getting happy. As the song goes: "Don't worry, be happy."
Would you take the time to train yourself to be happy as natural stress relief?
