'Thync,' New Wearable Device, Can Supposedly Alter Your Mood From Energized To Calm
We may have entered the era where you won’t have to rely on deep breathing, meditation, or anxiety pills to relax. A company called Thync is rolling out a new wearable device that, when attached to your temple, stimulates nerves connected to your brain that make you calm down.
It’s sounds pretty ridiculous and science fiction-like, since it implies that we can just plug in to recharge or power down like iPhones. But it’s an easy, quick way to get some relaxation in during a busy, fast-paced day: or at least that’s how the start-up is marketing it. More importantly, they claim it actually works.
“You’re using our neuro-signaling algorithms or programs to activate nerves on your face that connect to a part of your brain that help regulate your stress response,” Isy Goldwasser, the CEO of Thync, said in the video. “So with the calm vibe, you’re down-regulating your stress response. It’s activating the parasympathetic system, which is your rest and digest response.”
Thync creates stimulation in your cranial nerves via electricity, and reportedly makes a pretty noticeable difference in people who have tried it. When you click the “Calm” button on your phone app, the device is meant to relax you. When you hit “Energy,” it stimulates your nerves to create higher lucidity, focus, and awareness — like a cup of coffee, but better.
Could the device offer a safer, healthier way for people to tweak their mood to a happier state without turning to pills like Adderall or ativan? Could it offer alcoholics or drug addicts a distraction of sorts when they're feeling particularly down and want to relapse? Possibly, but far more research has yet to be done to see how far-reaching Thync's effects may be. For now, it could be an interesting way for us to experiment with brain stimulation on a safe level, without the consequences of pills or other drugs.
While Thync still isn’t FDA approved, the start-up claims it has done extensive research on its efficacy. “[T]he tech is real,” Goldwasser told Quartz. “It’s rooted in real science. And we’ve done tests — thousands of tests — comparing what we’re doing with Thync to placebos, and three of four people have a definitely noticeable effect. And we’re still optimizing it to improve that ratio.”