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In the last few years, wearables have become an everyday accessory deserving of a category of their own. Whether they’re tracking sleep, steps, or exertion, there’s an option to measure most body metrics - but what about the all-too-familiar, universal strain that transcends across humankind? The one that manifests in various forms at any given moment? Yes, I’m talking about stress.
It may seem obvious - of course we know when we’re feeling stressed. But stress affects us in subtle and not-so-subtle ways, so whether we truly recognize our stress level or not, there's good reason to keep them in balance. In an ever-changing and fast-paced world, it's important to remind yourself to take a breath and calm your mind throughout the day. So how can we do this effectively, and more importantly, easily? With the Apollo wearable.
The Apollo is a touch therapy wearable band that has set out to change the way we think and feel. Designed to restore balance to the nervous system, the band sends calming vibrations that signal the brain - and ultimately the body - to rest, relax and recover.
We like
- The Apollo is different than other wearables by actively improving your health - not just providing feedback
- The wearable encourages mindfulness along the way
- The device can be worn in multiple ways, giving you the option to discreetly wear it, if you choose
- It serves multiple purposes that can improve multiple areas of your health
We don't like
- If you’re looking for a fitness tracker that provides biometric feedback, the Apollo isn’t for you
- You do have to operate the device through your phone (iOS or Android), which some users may not like
- It is not an overnight fix - in order to achieve results, you need to stay consistent and diligent with your usage
Calm Body, Clear Mind
Designed by a team of neuroscientists and physicians, the Apollo wearable promotes less stress and improves sleep, energy, relaxation and focus simply by wearing the band. Ultimately, the goal is to transform how you feel throughout the day using your sense of touch and improving your body’s ability to handle stress. By sending gentle vibrations throughout your body, known as Apollo Vibes, the wearable aids in calming your parasympathetic nervous system and allows you to achieve your desired state of mind.
Similar to other forms of mindfulness practices, the Apollo wearable can help you wind down in the evening or improve your focus during the workday. By simply choosing which Apollo Vibe you’d like, the wearable will send gentle vibrations that your body responds to accordingly. Of course, the higher the vibration the greater the energy wave, and the lower the vibration, the calmer the energy wave. So if you’re looking for something to help you relax in the evening, you can choose a lower vibration playlist that sends out gentle pulses, thus telling your body it’s time to wind down.
The Apollo Experience
If you’re like me, the Apollo probably sounds too good to be true. A simple wearable device that can be strapped on to my wrist or ankle can help me to relax? As an overwhelmed pregnant woman preparing for her first baby, this sounded promising and (exactly) what I could use at the moment. Needless to say, I was eager to give it a try.
The set up was surprisingly simple. The Apollo operates through the Apollo Neuro app, so you can easily control your settings and playlists through your phone. You have the option to choose one of seven different playlists, depending on which vibe you’re going for that day. Want to focus? Increase your energy? Stress less? There’s a playlist for each mood you may experience throughout the day.
Even better, you can choose how long you would like the Apollo to send out vibrations (typically 15-60 minutes long), and how intense you’d like them to be. Personally, I found that 30 minutes of vibrations at 40% intensity was the sweet spot when I chose a “Focus” playlist and wanted to stay centered on one task at a time. When I was ready to finally relax in the evening, I found that a longer duration (about 45 minutes to an hour) at 40% intensity worked well. These settings were just enough to feel the pulses and gentle reminders, without being distracting.
One of the things that I appreciate the most about the Apollo, and what sets it apart from other wearables, is that there are multiple options for wearing it. Whether you prefer your wrist, ankle or even clipping it onto your clothes or waistband, you can choose what fits your lifestyle the best. I found that wearing it on my ankle was the easiest option for me at night, while during the day I didn’t mind wearing it on my wrist (and although I did try attaching it to my shirt, I still preferred my wrist).
Thoughts, Feelings, Results
Truthfully, my first few times wearing the Apollo didn’t give me immediate relief - but that shouldn’t come as a surprise. Like anything, the key to the Apollo is consistency, so the more that I wore it the more I noticed a difference. I loved the sense of control the Apollo gave me, and after a week of wearing it, I noticed that when I chose a Focus playlist and sat down to work, I felt more dialed in than the days prior. Additionally, as someone who has been struggling with their sleep, it felt empowering to wear the Apollo at night and take control of my new evening routine. The vibrations are subtle, yet strong enough to tap into your nervous system with consistent use.
If you’re looking for a quick fix that will totally rewire your brain, Apollo doesn’t claim to work overnight. But over time, the science behind the device is so impressive, it’s hard to believe that the wearable can’t have an impact on your health. The device has been tested endlessly in clinical and real-world trials, and the results speak for themselves: users reported feeling up to 40% less stressed and anxious, with 25% increased focus and concentration. If you think about what that actually means on the day-to-day, the impact is significant.
As someone who has never fallen into the fitness tracker craze, I feel confident saying that the Apollo feels different - literally. I love that it doesn’t just provide me with biometric feedback (how many steps I took that day or how deep my REM cycle was the night prior) that ultimately leaves me to decide if I would like to do something with the information. Instead, it intentionally enhances your health, while gently retraining your mind and body along the way.
The Apollo is the perfect tactile reminder to rest, relax and unwind. I have a feeling that I’m going to need a lot more of that in my future, so you can most certainly call me a fan.
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