emWave stress reliever: life saver or snake oil?

The emWave Personal Stress Reliever

The emWave personal stress reliever won the “last gadget standing” award at CES. Now, these are stressful times and the health impacts of stress are well documented, so anything that promises to help reduce stress is deserving of attention.

But I’ve learned to be skeptical when a gadget claims to have miraculous health benefits. We’ve all heard those claims for exercise and muscle toning gadgets that promise reduced weight and tight abdominals with just a few minutes of effort each day. Each one comes with glowing testimonials from users and “scientists”. And most of them turn out to be cheap plastic gizmos that either break or end up gathering dust in the closet.

So, what about the emWave stress reliever? Having won the people’s choice competition at CES, it’s clear that some people must believe in it. What is it?

Here is how it’s described on their web site:

Here's why it works. emWave shows the effects of stress on your body by measuring the subtle changes in your heart rhythms. This type of measurement is known as heart rate variability analysis or HRV. The analysis of HRV is recognized as a powerful, non-invasive measure that reflects heart-brain interactions and autonomic nervous system dynamics, which are particularly sensitive to changes in emotional state.

However, emWave does a lot more than just show the effects of stress on your body. It reduces stress by training you to create more “coherence.” Coherence is a term used by scientists to describe a highly efficient physiological state in which the nervous system, cardiovascular, hormonal and immune systems are working efficiently and harmoniously.

In practice, you use it by pressing your thumb to the device or using an ear clip so that it can measure your pulse. It then leads you through a sequence of rhythmic deep breathing exercises. Does it work? Of course it does – one of the best ways to relax is to stop whatever you are doing and spend a few minutes doing deep breathing exercises. But does using the emWave personal stress reliever work better than, say, just doing deep breathing to a metronome or soft music? Of course it does – if you believe it does. Like any placebo, believing something works is often enough to make it work.

But does the personal stress reliever work better than just doing deep breathing if you don’t believe in it? Who knows?

Stress is a problem, and anything you can do to reduce it is a good thing. If you think this device will help you to take some time out and relax, it will do you good. It certainly won’t do you any harm.