Stress and anxiety affects just about everyone at some point, and some are effected chronically. A few key tools I have been pairing together over the last couple of months for great affect at managing stress and anxiety is vibrational devices and meditation.

The Sensate device, which looks like a nicely shaped pebble, is one such tool that combines the benefits of vibration and sounds or playlist to integrate into a mediation practice.

With the key drawcard of the Sensate being touted as a 10 minute per day solution to reducing stress, anxiety levels and improving sleep, I had to test the claims. It targets the vagus nerve, much like breathwork, humming, body immersion in a cold plunge, and exercise.

In this Sensate review, we pull apart the features of Sensate, how effective it is for improving sleep and managing anxiety and stress, whether the Sensate is worth the price and what you get when you buy the Sensate.

What Is Sensate?

With my ear to the ground with new wellness products like this, I have seen a bourgeoning of devices that focus on simple designs and seemingly basic approaches to improving overall wellbeing like vibration and sounds.

The Sensate is exactly that, a small pebble shaped ‘wearable’ device that can be placed on the body, offering a combination of vibrations, sounds and playlists which are scientifically proven to help promote positive response for the nervous system, thereby reducing stress levels and improving sleep.

Having recently tried the Apollo Neuro strap too, I was curious about how similar the Sensate device is.

The Sensate is a palm sized device that rests on the chest, which I find to be calming in itself, and using the dedicated Sensate App, allows you to select a meditation playlist between 10 to 30 minutes long.

What always impresses me with devices like the Sensate, is that they are such a positive alternative to pharmaceuticals, or something that can be used in conjunction to this to positively affect mood and mental health through meditative practice.

How Does Sensate Work?

The best way I can describe the Sensate is that it is like a guided meditation using vibration and sounds as the guide. The Sensate takes you on a meditative journey and uses the benefits of vibration to affect the nervous system, promoting parasympathetic rest and recovery state.

From a science based perspective, the Sensate has the effect of targeting the Vagus Nerve, which is responsible for regulating the fight or flight stress response. The Sensate device takes advantage of the phenomenon of ‘bone conduction’.

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Being placed on the chest, the vibrations and sounds produced during the Sensate meditation sessions resonate signals through the chest and activate the vagus nerve, encouraging rest and relaxation.

The Sensate device targets stress. With our primal instincts of stress being chronically switched on in so many people through work stress, relationship stress, environmental stress and poor lifestyle choices, the result is poor sleep quality and a negative nervous state.

“The vagus nerve controls how your body reacts to stress, so toning this important nerve can improve your digestion, heart health, and breathing rate. The vagus nerve regulates sympathetic and parasympathetic responses. The sympathetic nervous system drives the "fight or flight" response in stressful situations, while the parasympathetic nervous system manages our “rest and digest” state.”

From the pilot study conducted on the Sensate device with 25 subjects, there were three key findings that make the Sensate device a worthy investment:

Perceived stress was reduced from high moderate to low moderate levels.
Sleep quality improved, including an increase of more than an hour of sleep to a full seven hours and a decrease in the time required to fall asleep; from more than an hour to less than 30 minutes.
State anxiety was reduced from high to low levels and trait anxiety reduced from high to moderate levels

In my personal opinion, the way the Sensate device works is by quieting the mind. The gentle vibrations just seem so effective at providing somewhat of a distraction to the busy mind and is really what seems to work for me in producing that relaxation response.

When feeling anxious, I would generally aim for a 10-20 minute breathwork and meditation session, and the addition of the Sensate device seems to allow me to ‘drop into’ the meditation a lot faster. The Sensate device is like your personal “om” machine.

Is Sensate device worth it?

Let’s see, I think a better question would be, “how valuable is quality sleep and good mental state?”.

The Sensate device is anywhere between $499 to $579AUD. Or, you can purchase multiple Sensate devices for a cost saving.

The most basic price point of $499AUD gets you just the device, which still allows for app access, or you can spend another $80 and receive the 1 year subscription to the Sensate Plus.

The Sensate device comes standard with 17 different free sessions (including 13 unique sessions and 4 extended versions), while the Sensate Plus price affords you one-year access to two new sessions every month, featuring guest artists, 4D compositions, and more.

If we compare the Sensate device to other alternatives for accessing quality sleep and stress reductions, yes, it is most definitely worth the price. I personally got in a bad habit of opting for a multitude of supplements for sleep, which got extremely expensive. While this is all part and parcel of experimenting with what works, the Sensate offers a device that does not require additional resupply like supplements, that promotes quality sleep and improves HRV.

Compared to a meditation apps, the Sensate can seem relatively expensive. Having tried a handful of the good meditation apps like Headspace, Waking Up and Mindfulness, which generally cost between $90 to $200 for an annual subscription, the Sensate device is a bit more of an initial investment than a guided meditation subscription, but does not require an ongoing cost (unless you want the Sensate Plus subscription).

I like to break these things down to a cost per week basis over a 5 year period (assuming the Sensate lasts the distance). With this calculation, if I’m still using the Sensate by then, it will have cost me a measly $1.91 per week for an effective approach at reducing stress, anxiety and hacking sleep naturally.

Sensate Pros and Cons

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Sensate User Experience

The Sensate device is made to be user friendly. You literally press one button to turn it on. After downloading the Sensate App, you pair it with the app and press ‘Start Session’ on your phone.

Much like the Apollo Neuro strap, you can choose your level of vibration intensity and choose a specific session for your goals. It will work through a combination of vibrations with tapping, humming and other haptics to target the nervous system.

What I really noticed is just how much the vibrations reverberate from the chest throughout the whole body. It produces a whole body sensation when you really wind down and shift to a good level of body awareness.

Benefits of Using Sensate

The Sensate device is innovative, but not ground-breaking. It essentially uses the same concepts as humming, singing, breathwork and mantras to access systems that control the stress response.

The technology harnesses the power of infrasound-based soundwaves to influence the Autonomic Nervous System, particularly targeting the vagus nerve. By using soundwaves to create resonant frequency vibrations within the human body, Sensate generates a passive biofeedback response, promoting relaxation and stress reduction.

Here are detailed benefits and mechanisms of the Sensate device:

Safe and Statistically Insignificant Adverse Reactions: The use of soundwave toning, which includes infrasound-based technology, is deemed very safe, with negligible potential for adverse reactions. This aspect makes Sensate a low-risk and non-invasive tool for stress relief and anxiety management.
Biofeedback Response and Autonomic Nervous System Regulation: The device leverages soundwaves to create a passive biofeedback response within the Autonomic Nervous System. Specifically, it focuses on the vagus nerve, which is a significant component of the parasympathetic nervous system. By targeting this system, Sensate assists in regulating heart rate variability (HRV) and increasing stress resilience. This can contribute to relaxation, reducing anxiety, and potentially improving overall well-being.
Universal and Profound Impact of Sound: Sound, being a universal and omnipresent force, has a profound impact on human beings. It is a fundamental part of our environment, affecting various senses, including tactile physical perception and influencing over 30 senses, as suggested by some neurologists.
Utilisation of Infrasound Technology: The use of infrasound technology replicates the physiological impact of various vocal exercises practiced across cultures, such as chanting, mantra, and vocal sounding. These techniques have shown to relax the parasympathetic nervous system, particularly the vagus nerve, aiding in stress reduction and promoting longevity-related benefits.
Relief for Mental Health Issues: Sensate has been reported to provide relief for mental health issues associated with stress, including anxiety, panic attacks, and depression. By functioning as a biohacking meditation tool, it aids in calming the mind and body, offering an alternative or complementary approach to managing such conditions.
Digital Wearable for Stress Relief: Sensate is a wearable anxiety and stress relief device with an accompanying app that integrates mindfulness techniques, breathing exercises, and relaxation methods. This combination of technologies and practices offers users a comprehensive tool for managing stress in their daily lives.
Focus on Consumer Well-being: Sensate is designed for consumer use, emphasizing non-medical applications and promoting stress relief rather than medical treatment. Its focus on stress management aligns with the growing trend of self-care and personal well-being enhancement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sensate is a wearable device designed to reduce stress and improve sleep by targeting the vagus nerve through vibrations and sound therapy.
It offers a combination of vibrations, sounds, and playlists, designed to promote a positive response in the nervous system for stress reduction and improved sleep.
Sensate is highlighted for its unique approach using vibration and sound, offering an alternative or complement to traditional stress-relief methods.
Users can experience reduced stress, improved sleep quality, and a calming effect, contributing to overall mental wellness.
Pros include its calming effect, ease of use, and non-invasive design. Cons may include limited soundtracks and a higher price compared to some meditation apps.
The vagus nerve is a crucial part of the parasympathetic nervous system, regulating stress responses, heart rate, digestion, and overall balance in the body.
While technology can enhance meditation practices, it may not fully replace the benefits of traditional meditation techniques.
Usage duration can vary, but consistent use as per the device's guidelines is recommended for optimal benefits.
Such devices are generally safe, but users should be aware of their body's responses and consult healthcare professionals if necessary.
While beneficial for many, individual suitability can vary, and it's advisable to consult with a healthcare professional, especially for those with specific medical conditions.

Conclusion on Sensate

In summary, the Sensate device, through its innovative use of infrasound technology and soundwave toning, offers a safe and effective method for stress relief, anxiety management, and overall well-being improvement.

I would give the Sensate device an overall rating of 8/10. Its approach capitalises on the power of sound, the nervous system, and human physiology to provide users with a holistic means of achieving relaxation and stress reduction. It could definitely offer more free sessions with the standard purchase, but there are still enough to get the benefits.

Its simple design and easy user experience makes it a device that has minimal barriers to use. The Sensate is definitely worth a try and indeed a great alternative to the usual wrist worn variations of devices like this.

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Sensate Review: The Wearable Pebble That Targets The Vagus Nerve