Cove is a stress-cancelling device that taps into your brain’s natural relaxation system
Cove is wearable tech device that activates your brain’s natural relaxation system to help you sleep better and combat stress.
The wearable from New York-based Feelmore Labs has been available for sale for several months now. We will be looking to post a full hands-on review on its effectiveness in January – so check back. So far customer feedback that can be found on Amazon have been very positive.
How does Cove work?
The lightweight device (50 grams) works unlike anything else out there. It does its thing by delivering carefully calibrated vibrations to the skin in the area behind your ears.
This in turn stimulates the effects of slow touch (also referred to as affective touch), which triggers an increase in alpha brain waves. These are known to reduce anxiety, quieten the mind and even promote creativity. So while beta brain waves help you stay alert and focused, the key to relaxed productivity is a good balance between alpha and beta waves.
Think of it as a “hug for your mind”. The area behind the ears is condusive for this sort of thing due to the proximity of various cranieal nerves.
You can use Cove anytime, anywhere. The company says a 20 minute sessions is all that is needed to help you chill. Ideally, you should aim for two such sessions per day. Perhaps something that you can integrate with your meditation time. If not, you can also use it while you work, commute, walk, etc. You don’t need to be at rest to use it.
The wearable allows you to adjust the strength of the vibrations. It is recommended choosing the lowest intensity setting at which you are able to perceive the vibration. Subtlety is key.
Clinical studies have shown that 90% of Cove users have experienced 41% less stress and 50% better sleep quality after using the wearable for a month. Its effectiveness has been validated by research with over 3,500 participants. This includes studies at Brown University and the work of a leading clinical researcher from Harvard Medical School.
It is important to note, the effects of using Cove are cumulative rather than instant. So don’t expect perfect results after only a day or two of use. The gadget builds your resilience to stress gradually. Most users experience full benefits after about two weeks of use. But you should get at least some benefits much earlier than that.
Battery life is about 4 sessions per charge. It takes just over an hour to fully reful.
As you’d expect, there’s a smartphone app to go along with everything. It communicates via Bluetooth 4.2 with Cove to track your progress and session history, as well as show session data from the PPG heart rate sensor and 3d-accelerometer. But the app doesn’t need to be fired up each time you use Cove – only occasionally in order to sync the data, check on firmware updates and similar.
Price and availability
Cove retails for $490 at Feelcove.com. It is also available on Amazon (check price). If you are not fully satisfied, all purchases include a 45-day risk-free return option. The wearable is fairly pricey, but this is not a single person device – the full family can use it.
Essential reading: Best fitness trackers and health gadgets
Stress can take its toll on the body and mind – not to mention the negative long term effects when people stay in that activated state. We could all use a bit of destressing considering the pandemic and quarantine. Our mental health has certainly been challenged along with our general health!
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