I Wore An Apollo Neuro For 2 Weeks And This Is How I Felt...
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Wearable wellness tech has become the norm across the world. From pins to track blood sugar, to jewellery that tracks your sleep. With the latest touch technology the Apollo Neuro was born, so we asked Certified Health & Wellbeing Coach Sophie Byatt for her thoughts:
As an avid self care advocate, who often forgets to prioritise themselves, wearable tech is an absolute no brainer for me. So when I got to try the Apollo Neuro, it couldn’t have come at a better time, with commuting, a large gig and a flight too, I was super excited to get started … and let’s just say I’m officially obsessed!
Written by: Sophie Byatt, healf Customer Wellbeing Executive & Chopra Certified Health and Wellbeing Coach
What does it do?
Apollo claim that use of this wearable for at least 3 hours a day, 5 days a week across both the day and night, will transform how you feel, result in more energy, less stress, deeper sleep and even an increase in HRV - and what’s even better, is that the more you use it, the better the results are meant to be - talk about an addictive wellness hack. As someone who has spent many years and a LOT of money on therapy, yoga classes, journals, reiki, crystals and more, to combat anxiety and stress in my life, the idea that I can just wear something for only 15 hours a week and feel results was something I was absolutely desperate to try!
This is where Apollo comes in, with the latest touch technology, it delivers soothing vibrations called Vibes which restore balance to your nervous system by stimulating the vagus nerve, resulting in deeper sleep and less stress. All controlled using the Apollo Neuro app via Bluetooth, where you can choose from 7 different Vibes to suit your mood, Unwind, Fall Asleep, Calm, Focus, Recover, Energy and Social - all with different vibrational patterns and frequencies scientifically proven to improve your stress resilience over time! You can even create a schedule of vibes for your day, which I found super helpful for those busy back-to-back-meeting kind of days.
The results
As previously mentioned, I tried the Apollo during some of the busiest weeks of my life, so I definitely put this little device through its paces! I wore the Apollo 5 days per week, which was made easier with its wearability. Although I found it comfier to wear on my wrist, you can also choose to wear it on your ankle, or even as a clip onto your clothing. The Apollo even made it onto the plane with me on my summer holiday, amongst the crowds of a live music event, to the crowds of a packed tube. As someone used to wearing a fitness tracker, this really didn’t feel any different, and yes I’ll admit it’s definitely not as aesthetically pleasing as my smart watch, but I personally wasn’t bothered by the size or design at all, as I opted for the Glacier version which just goes with everything anyway!
Morning routine - as someone who often gets morning anxiety, I opted for the ‘Calm’ vibe to add an extra layer of self care to my daily morning meditation in bed, I’d then do my skincare and prepare for my day, this somehow always made me feel like I was taking more care of myself. I also opted to wear my smartwatch at the same time through most of the trial, and I instantly noticed my heart rate decrease when using this specific vibe on the app, which was exactly what I was looking for, especially in the morning!
During the day - I would normally charge my Apollo during the day, only needing charging every 1-2 days depending on wear. Once charged, I’d opt for an extra boost of focus in my day, especially around that 3pm slump, so alongside my favourite IQ Mix Electrolytes, and a quick stretch, the ‘Focus’ vibe really helped me with my productivity through the day. This vibe also has added benefits of reducing acute sickness and headaches, which definitely seemed to help with my anxiety symptoms, especially during my flights where I normally feel a little nauseous!
Evening routine - this was my favourite time to use the Apollo, ‘Recover’ is definitely my most used vibe, I used it post-Hotpod Yoga classes to help with recovery, but also after a long day working from home and to recharge after a long commute. Whilst I don’t always have time for hours of self care every day, little doses throughout the day was extremely beneficial for me, as well as pairing this with some time on my Accupressure Mat, having ‘me-time’ felt like an even bigger luxury! Another favourite was pairing ‘Unwind’ with ‘Fall Asleep’, designed for use an hour before bed and through the night, I found being lulled to sleep was a great addition to my evening routine and helped me settle in for the night and drop off faster.
"The biggest game-changer for me was that 'Unwind’ became my perfect travel anxiety companion, and I was able to commute to London and back with ease, making me wonder how I ever coped without this little device before"
There’s so much I loved about the Apollo, but as well as the vibes above, I also really enjoyed using ‘Energy’ as I don’t consume caffeine, the description literally states, ‘when in need of an espresso’ and it definitely did the trick! The ‘Social’ vibe was also amazing for calming my social anxiety before and during events, and making date nights on my summer holiday this year feel like an absolute breeze. However, the biggest game-changer for me was that ‘Unwind’ became my perfect travel anxiety companion, and I was able to commute to London and back with ease, making me wonder how I ever coped without this little device before!
Honestly, I was sceptical, as I’m sure anyone who has ever dealt with the ongoing cycle of anxiety is too, and whilst I think it’s important to stress that not one product will fully prevent anxiety, or take all of your stress away, but the fact that I commuted with ease, got through 2 flights and my first holiday abroad since COVID, as well as attended a large gig during this time - something I haven’t done in years - I can’t rave on about this enough. Not to mention, I could see an increase in my sleep score over the weeks, as well as an increase in my HRV, which has continued to improve with regular use too, a definite new favourite in my routine for sure.
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This article is for informational purposes only, even if and regardless of whether it features the advice of physicians and medical practitioners. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice. The views expressed in this article are the views of the expert and do not necessarily represent the views of Healf
