There are programs that focus on breathing and posture, tooBrainCo
It's reasonable to say that, as we're increasingly plugged-in to a 24/7 cycle of news, entertainment and social media, we're finding less time to opt out and focus on self-care. And while meditation has shown to have well-studied mental and physical benefits, it can be a challenge to start and stick with.
Now, the same smart technological advances that keep us glued to our screens may now also be able to train even the most resistant brains in the practice of meditation and mindfulness. OxyZen, designed by the Harvard Innovation Lab, is the newest innovation from BrainCo, an established tech company that has so far developed smart, AI-integrated prosthetics and knee joints to give wearers more autonomy and control over their mobility.
The company delves further into neuroscience with this headband-fitted brain-machine interface (BMI) that collects real-time data via electroencephalogram (EEG) and photoplethysmograph (PPG) signals, to gather information on heart rate, brainwaves and blood oxygen levels.
Essentially, this non-invasive BCI gathers health data from several key areas, which are tracked on a user-friendly smartphone app, which can be passively observed if the wearer wants to see, perhaps, what causes them stress during the day, or actively monitored through a range of gamified meditation and relaxation programs. The guided meditation ranges from a few minutes to up to half an hour, and there are more than 600 to explore.
Studies have shown that, for some, meditation does more than antidepressants in treating anxiety, can relieve chronic pain conditions and has even been shown to influence gut miocrobiome makeup. But to be honest, I was a little skeptical - personally, I'm almost ashamed to admit, the idea of meditation has often felt stressful, not least because it's hard for an ADHD brain to 'relax' and focus on tasks that aren't continuously stimulating.
However, the OxyZen app - which is fully accessible to users - offers plenty of beginners' guides to meditation, is customizable to what you're able to commit to, and delivers important real-time data that is surprisingly effective for anyone who has struggled with this practice in the past.
Its aim is to 'train' your brain as you progress through different programs depending on what your outcomes are. Here, three smart sensors on the band provide real-time "NeuroMindfulness" brain-state intel to the app, which uses AI to help customize a journey based on your growing library of data that becomes increasingly tailored to what you might need to work on. It scores you on different readings, such as calm, relaxed and deeply relaxed. And judging by the fact I only have 1% of my meditation time so far spent in the deeply relaxed zone, I have a bit of work to do ...
The device also has another feature - its sleep coach. Much like its meditation training, it has fully customizable sounds (think waterfalls, rain, a steady breeze rustling the leaves of forest trees, as well as white noise) that can be scheduled to decrease in volume as you wind down in bed. There are sound-incorporated short courses specifically designed for bedtime meditation, which are admittedly quite good for drifting off to sleep.
This function, of course, means you need to wear the headband to bed - and while the kit comes with a less 'present' soft elastic strap, how you sleep will most likely impact how well this night-long data tracker works. The sensors need to stay connected to you're forehead, so side-sleepers may need to have the headband fitted quite tightly to maintain constant contact.
I'll admit I did struggle to remember to do this daily, despite agreeing to a 21-day "Meditation of Insomnia" program to improve sleep quality and duration, and had a few days of incomplete data due to the forehead contact issue. (Perhaps I just need to stick to the daytime programs and become less restless at night?)
Overall, the battery - charged via USB-C port - has a decent life, and will last through the night as long as it's at close to 100% capacity at bedtime and you don't sleep more than eight hours (no issue with that here ...). Using it for between 10-30 minutes a day should keep it going for weeks. It connects via Bluetooth and the app is compatible with iOS an Android devices.
While it won't be for everyone, the extent of the app's data gathering - which has no additional costs with subscriptions - and the variety of programs on offer, provide a good strategy for anyone who has struggled with meditation long enough to benefit from it. For seasoned meditators, the data gathering is more insightful than a regular health and fitness smart tracker.
Right now, there are 10 days left of a crowdfunding campaign, where the OxyZen kit - with day and night bands, charger, the sensor device and bag - is available from US$299 (40% off the expected retail price). The usual crowdfunding cautions apply, but if all goes to plan, worldwide shipping is estimated to begin in December.
