Apollo Neuro Review: A Surprising Solution for Sleep, Mood, and Focus
Apollo Neuro Review
In a world where sleep troubles, mood swings, and dwindling focus are common complaints, I've embarked on a personal journey to explore various remedies. From supplements to meditation apps and high-tech fitness trackers, I've sought ways to enhance my overall well-being and reach for the often elusive feelings of inner peace.
Recently, I was given the opportunity to test out the Apollo Neuro, a device claiming to induce improvements in sleep, mood, and focus through the power of inaudible sound waves - vibrations. Scepticism initially clouded my judgment, but as I ventured further into its world, I was genuinely astounded by the consistent and remarkable results it delivered.
What we know is that the nervous system plays a pivotal role in managing stress, emotions, sleep, focus, energy and more. In this Apollo Neuro review, we delve into how this one device can help you influence your nervous system to lower anxiety in social situations, improve sleep quality and stop you reaching for that extra shot of caffeine.
In this Apollo Neuro review, I break down the nitty gritty of the Apollo strap and how I found the user experience, comfort, performance, app functionality, warranty and a brief comparison to other devices like Whoop and Oura Ring.
Bottom Line
In short, while other devices show data, the Apollo Neuro directly targets the nervous system for results. This innovative device deploys vibrations in a unique manner, seamlessly integrating into my daily routine, and with unexpected results. While it is not a traditional sleep and fitness tracker like the Whoop Strap or Oura Ring, it focuses on influencing the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and offers a holistic approach to well-being.
What I Like
Versatility: Apollo Neuro is a versatile marvel, delivering multiple benefits through a single device, making it a cost-effective investment. This really is one product for many things, without supplements, stimulants or prescriptions.
Effective Sleep Aid: As someone who's wrestled with sleep issues for years, Apollo Neuro has made a significant difference. It facilitates faster sleep onset, deeper rest, and I wake up feeling notably more refreshed.
Mood Enhancement: The device has a tangible impact on my mood. It has effectively reduced my stress and anxiety levels, culminating in a brighter overall outlook on life.
Focus Boost: Whether I'm immersed in work tasks or engaged in intense study sessions, Apollo Neuro has become a trusted ally in maintaining my concentration and productivity.
User-Friendly App: The Apollo Neuro's accompanying app is intuitive and brimming with customisation options, including a questionnaire that leads to an individualised “Daily Vibes”.
Integrations: While I’ve opted out of integrating the Apollo with other devices, it does allow you to integrate with other devices like Oura ring and Apple Health
What I Don’t Like
While the investment is undoubtedly worthwhile, the initial price may deter some potential users.
Almost daily charging required
How Does The Apollo Neuro Work?
The very simple to use Apollo Neuro App
At the heart of the Apollo Neuro lies a ground breaking concept: using gentle vibrations to influence the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Understanding the ANS is pivotal to comprehending how this device operates.
The autonomic nervous system controls involuntary bodily functions, and it's divided into two branches: the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). The SNS is responsible for the "fight or flight" response, priming the body for action in times of stress. Conversely, the PNS promotes the "rest and digest" state, inducing relaxation and recovery.
Basically, the Apollo Neuro has various vibrational modes, aptly named Apollo Vibes by the research team, that can influence your nervous system in specific ways to target a range of benefits. Think gentle vibrations and slow rhythms for sleep, and more fast paced and strong vibrations for energy and focus.
In the Apollo App, you will see the distinct vibration modes on offer, which keeps things pretty simple and concise for use in my eyes:
Good Morning: Transitions you from sleep to daytime so you feel more energised, focused and awake.
Power Nap: Eases you into a short rest and gradually wakes you up to restore energy and reduce fatigue.
Energy: If you’re in a boring meeting or feel like you need a cup of coffee, you can use this mode to feel more energetic.
Social: Perfect for meetings, get-togethers, networking events, parties or date nights.
Focus: Use this mode before athletic competitions, during presentations, or to improve your productivity.
Recover: Perfect for after you experience mental and/or physical stress, or when you feel run down or sick. You can also use it while traveling or when suffering from jetlag.
Calm: To get into your flow state, or when you’re feeling tense or in need of meditation.
Unwind: Unwind before bedtime, relax while traveling, or to calm down after intense stress.
Fall Sleep: Use before and during sleep, to fall (back) asleep quicker, and to reduce the occurrence of bad dreams. This one is my all time favourite and most useful in the Apollo device. My key realisation here was – other devices just track sleep, Apollo actually fixes sleep.
Benefits of Vibration
Vibration therapy, harnessed ingeniously by Apollo Neuro, has garnered acclaim in various medical and wellness domains. Its known benefits include:
Promoting Relaxation: The gentle vibrations produced by Apollo Neuro have a soothing effect on the body, activating the PNS and promoting relaxation. This relaxation response counteracts the stress-induced effects of the SNS.
Reducing Stress: Chronic stress can lead to a multitude of health issues. Apollo Neuro assists in reducing stress levels, allowing individuals to regain emotional equilibrium.
Improving Sleep Quality: Vibration therapy has been shown to improve sleep quality by calming the nervous system and facilitating the transition into deep, restorative sleep.
Enhancing Mood: The device has a mood-enhancing effect by reducing anxiety and promoting a sense of calm. This is achieved by influencing the release of neurotransmitters and hormones associated with mood regulation.
Enhancing Focus and Productivity: The PNS activation induced by Apollo Neuro fosters an environment conducive to concentration and productivity. It aids in maintaining a balanced mental state, free from distractions.
Apollo Neuro Review 2023
While I’ve focussed traditionally on the more popular standardised fitness and sleep trackers, the exploration of a device that seems a little left of field has been a game changer. The Apollo Neuro definitely sparked my interest, as I had never really heard of vibrational devices up to this point.
I love data, but the Apollo is a little different. Good different. Graphs and numbers are great, but the traditional structure of many wellness trackers like Whoop, Oura Ring and Apple Watches can get a little dense. What I have found a pleasant surprise about the Apollo Neuro from using it for the last couple of months is its unassuming simplicity.
The Apollo Neuro just focusses on what it does, inaudible sounds or vibrations in different patterns and intensities. Why? Because these vibrations have been shown to influence our autonomic nervous system, including sympathetic and parasympathetic states.
If I really get simple in explaining why I find the Apollo Neuro a breath of fresh air in the wearable device market, its that most of the other devices bombard you with data which can be difficult to know what to do with. Apollo Neuro just cuts to the chase and offers an all-in-one solution to get calm when you want to be calm, and get energised when you want to focus – no data needed.
“The Apollo® wearable doesn’t track your stress and HRV, it actively improves it.”
My biggest area of focus when testing any new wellness product is – how well does it affect sleep. Sleep is something I intermittently struggle with, with back pain and tinnitus causing sleep issues that need a conscious focus to manage. Often times the initial phases seem the most challenging for me, the getting to sleep.
The very first thing I noticed about using the Apollo Neuro is the way that the vibrations, which by the way you can set your desired level of intensity and timing, have the effect of almost distracting the mind and in a way quietening that inner dialogue that can often be the source of a lot of sleep frustrations.
In terms of wearability, the Apollo Neuro is super lightweight and is slightly more bulky that my Whoop Strap. I noticed after a while that there are more wearing options for the Apollo Neuro than first meets the eye. The strap can be worn around the ankle or can be attached to the little clip thingy that can slide onto the strap pant seem for wear under clothing. This is a good one to try if you find the vibration gets a little loud near the ears during sleep when wrist worn.
In the realm of mood and energy enhancement, I traditionally reach for coffee, like most. The Apollo Neuro has been a very successful alternative to navigate the twists and turns of daily life with a better sense of calm and emotional equilibrium, sometimes eliminating the poor habit of over consumption of caffeine for energy and focus. Instead, a 30 minute “Energy” session at 65% intensity seems almost to distract me from the desire for caffeine, which I love.
Something the Apollo Neuro has also been really useful for is enhancing other practices, like meditation and yoga. Having the Apollo Neuro running the Calm mode during meditation or breathwork practice seems to accelerate my ability to drop into the practice and I definitely feel like I get more out of it. In essence, the Apollo has been a habit stacking success too.
Apollo Neuro vs. Whoop Strap vs. Oura Ring
Now, let's dive into a brief comparison of the Apollo Neuro with two other popular wearable devices, the Whoop Strap and the Oura Ring.
Apollo Neuro: Unlike the Whoop Strap and Oura Ring, Apollo Neuro is not primarily a sleep and fitness tracker. While it does not provide in-depth sleep data or fitness metrics like heart rate variability (HRV) tracking, it stands out as a holistic nervous system influencing device. It offers a unique approach to improving sleep, mood, and focus through vibration therapy.
Whoop Strap: The Whoop Strap is renowned for its comprehensive sleep and fitness tracking capabilities. It provides detailed insights into sleep stages, HRV, and recovery, making it a preferred choice for athletes and fitness enthusiasts. However, it does not have the mood-enhancing and stress-reducing features of the Apollo Neuro.
Oura Ring: Oura Ring excels in sleep tracking and HRV analysis, aiming to provide a holistic view of your health and well-being. It also offers some mood-related insights but lacks the real-time mood enhancement capabilities of the Apollo Neuro. What I particularly love about the Apollo Neuro is that it can actually integrate into other devices like the Oura Ring and Apple Health to get better feedback on the effects of wearing the device.
Interestingly, there was a study of 500 people conducted using Oura Ring and Apollo Neuro together, which showed results for users that included:
· Over 10% increase in average HRV
· Almost 20% improvements in deep sleep
· Over 5% increase in total sleep time
· Average decrease of 4% in resting heart rate
· Almost 15% increase in REM stage sleep
In essence, while the Whoop Strap and Oura Ring are fantastic choices for individuals seeking in-depth sleep and fitness tracking, whereas the Apollo Neuro takes a distinct path by focusing on nervous system modulation and overall well-being enhancement.
One of my key takeaways from comparing the Apollo to other devices: While most others simply track your metrics, the Apollo works to improve your metrics.
Apollo Neuro Price
While the Apollo Neuro may initially appear as an investment, the price, when compared to some other wearables is competitive. While it’s difficult to compare, because comparing the Apollo Neuro to devices like Whoop and Apple Watches is and apples and oranges comparison, the current Apollo Neuro price of $289.99 for most options is relatively cheap.
When you I consider the amount of dollars spent on various supplements designed to improve sleep, mood, focus and energy, the investment of the price of Apollo Neuro is actually small. Not only that, you have one device that does many things integrated into that price.
There is also the option for the limited editions Quartz Apollo Neuro, which will cost you $349.99 at the time of writing this, although I’m pretty happy with the other colour options provided with the base model price – Black, Rose and Glacier.
What you get with the price of the Apollo Neuro is the Apollo Device, the neoprene band, the clothing clip, charging USB cable, and free access to the Apollo App. What I really like about the Apollo Neuro is that there is no ongoing subscription to continue using the device, which is the most annoying feature of other devices like Whoop and Oura Ring. Simply continue charging and continue tuning into the vibrations.
Apollo Neuro Warranty
The Apollo Neuro doesn’t break any records with their warranty, but this correlates with the very affordable price of the device. The Apollo Neuro strap comes with a 1 year warranty, which I think is completely reasonable. While this is quite different to something like the Whoop which comes with a lifetime warranty, the catch is, you need to continue paying $45/month indefinitely to actually use the device.
Apollo Neuro User Experience
My Apollo Neuro unboxing, to app interface, to Daily Vibes discovery
The Apollo Neuro experience is effortless and simple. The device is comfortable to wear throughout the day, regardless of whether I'm at home, at work, or on the move. Its discreet design allows for seamless integration into daily life, without looking out of place due to its simplistic watch like look.
There is no bombardment with data, just simple, actionable functions that directly affect and influence the nervous system.
The device is extremely simple to set up, it took me roughly 10 minutes between unboxing and starting my first test session.
The App provides a very simple usage dial which shows you the amount of minutes of usage with a day and night split. There is also a section on the App which allows you to create your “Daily Vibes”, taking you through a brief questionnaire to get an idea of when you should use particular functions or vibrations based on your daily schedule, your general energy, ease of waking up, how difficult it is for you to fall asleep and when your meal times are.
Using the information and answers, it will provide you with a recommended schedule that will start automatically when wearing the device. Just remember to factor in charging schedule to this routine. For me, charging was best done around lunch time as this is when I am least likely to use the Apollo for any particular situation.
Overall, the Apollo is one of the most simple devices to use that I have come across with an extremely simple setup and use experience. I would give the Apollo Neuro a 4.8/5 for user experience, just battery life could be a little better.
Apollo Neuro App
The companion app stands as a noteworthy asset in the Apollo Neuro experience. It offers a wealth of programs and settings, catering to a variety of individual needs. The ability to customise the device's vibrations according to personal objectives has been a transformative feature.
Is It Comfortable?
Indeed, the Apollo Neuro is a comfortable companion. Its lightweight and ergonomic design guarantee a pleasant experience, permitting you to enjoy the benefits without intruding upon your daily activities.
It took me a little while to work this out, but there’s a few different possibilities on where you can wear the Apollo Neuro strap. While I’m completely comfortable with wearing the Apollo Neuro on the wrist, as it is very lightweight and ergonomic, you can also wear it on the ankle. Not only that, the strap comes with a little extra clip (which I was confused with at first), which allows you to slide the clip onto a piece of clothing and wear it discreetly under a shirt or pant leg to press against chest, thigh or any other suitable area for you.
When I Use the Apollo Neuro?
In short, my preferred time to use the Apollo Neuro is for sleep. This is where I see the most benefits, as “sleep is the golden chain that links the body to health”, so I tend to see a broad ranging effect from improving sleep with that particular function of the Apollo Neuro.
There a couple of other times when I find the Apollo Neuro useful, these are”:
Using the Energy mode for 30 minutes at 80-90% intensity to initiate working at the computer. This seems to both elevate focus and concentration to get in the zone for work.
Using the Calm mode for integrating the Apollo Neuro into meditation sessions, both with and without guided meditations. I have also found this function useful for dropping into a breathwork practice, using the 25%-40% intensity, which seems to have a really nice effect of quieting the mind.
During busy days, I have experimented with using the Unwind function on the Apollo Neuro for shifting from work state into relaxation state. I have also used this function for the rare occasion that I will have a late afternoon nap for 10-15 minutes. This function on 50% to 60% intensity just seems to help “wash off” the day.
Apollo Neuro FAQ’s
Is the Apollo Neuro safe?
Yes, Apollo Neuro is a safe device. It utilises non-invasive vibration therapy, backed by rigorous testing and research.
How long does it take to see results?
While results may vary among individuals, I personally noticed improvements in sleep, mood, and focus within a few weeks of consistent use. In a way, I found merit in using the Apollo Neuro with first use, effectively providing sleep benefits the first night of use. These effects may compound with repeated use as the nervous system benefits take effect repeatedly.
Can I wear Apollo Neuro all day?
Yes, the device is designed to be worn throughout the day. It can be discreetly positioned to ensure comfort and effectiveness. The thing I find versatile about the Apollo Neuro is that it provides a different vibrational sequence for any broad ranging scenario, like waking up, falling asleep, power napping, social situations and more.
Is the Apollo Neuro app easy to use?
I found the Apollo Neuro app is extremely user-friendly, offering a seamless experience. It provides customisation options to tailor the device's vibrations to your specific needs, with a “daily vibes” function for individualised experience based on your specific needs.
Can I use Apollo Neuro with other wellness practices?
Absolutely. Apollo Neuro can complement other wellness practices such as meditation, yoga, or mindfulness, enhancing their effectiveness.
Is Apollo Neuro suitable for children?
The device is designed for use by adults and is not recommended for children.
Is the Apollo Neuro waterproof?
The Apollo Neuro support team have clarified this with me, and described the Apollo Neuro as Water resistant, not Water proof, and it is not recommended to wear the device in the shower, bath or ocean. It can only support light spray with water like from rain for example.
How does Apollo Neuro compare to traditional meditation?
Apollo Neuro offers a unique approach by utilising vibrations to influence the autonomic nervous system. While traditional meditation has its merits, Apollo Neuro can be a valuable addition, especially for individuals seeking specific mood, sleep, or focus enhancements.
Final Word on Apollo Neuro
In summary, the Apollo Neuro stands as a revelation in my quest for better sleep, mood, and focus. For individuals searching for a holistic solution that doesn't rely on supplements or medications, this simple yet innovative vibrational device is an invaluable asset. I can personally attest to its transformative effects, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone seeking a comprehensive approach to well-being. Give it a try; the results may surprise you as much as they did me.
Smarter recovery for humans…
