Wearable meditation devices are increasing in popularity. The goal of a wearable is to help you establish a regular meditation practice and improve your overall well-being by reducing stress, increasing focus and promoting relaxation.
A wearable meditation device is a device that you can wear on your body, typically in the form of a headband. These devices use technology such as sensors, vibrations or sound to guide your breathing, track your meditation progress and help you stay focused.
Some influence brainwaves, others track heart rhythm and emotional response, and some even evoke visuals through light therapy
The device usually connects to a mobile app or website that provides features such as healing music, guided meditations and community support.
With numerous wearable meditation devices on the market, it can be difficult to know which is best suited to you.
So, by using my knowledge of all things brainwaves and meditation, I have detailed what are, in my opinion, the best the market has to offer.
Best Wearable Meditation Devices
1. Muse 2
Muse 2 is a multi-sensory brain fitness tool that enables you to check your brain activity, breathing, heart rate, and body movement in real-time.
The device is a headband, which is used in conjunction with the Muse app – compatible with iOS and Android devices – and connects to your phone via Bluetooth.
How does it work?
Muse uses EEG brain sensors to detect and measure the activity of your brain.
While meditating, the device translates your brain activity into the sounds of weather.
When your mind is calm, you hear peaceful weather. When your mind is busy and your focus wanes, you’ll hear stormy weather that cues you to bring your attention back to your breath. Pretty smart.
Once your meditation has finished, you can assess your brain activity through easy to understand graphs and charts.
Aside from the EEG for tracking brain activity, Muse 2 uses PPG and pulse oximetry to monitor heart rate and breathing, and an accelerometer and gyroscope to check breathing pattern and body movement.
What makes it special?
Muse 2 packs in an element of combined gamification and personalization, in that you collect points and bonuses for passing goals and challenges.
It offers some cool programs that you load through the app: like the Breath Meditation where you learn to pace your breath against guided tones, and the Heart Meditation where you'll hear your heartbeat played back in the sound of a soothing drum.
It looks pretty cool too: slick and modern.
Price:
Muse 2 is priced at $249.99.
2. BrainTap
Braintap comprises LED-equipped headphones and a visor to create an immersive brainwave entrainment device.
Featuring 20-30 sessions in each of its six guided meditation programs, BrainTap uses machine-learning techniques to encourage the brain to create new neural connections. This is known as neuroplasticity, a process in which the brain improves it ability to reorganize itself.
How does it work?
BrainTap uses two brainwave entrainment technologies – binaural beats and isochronic tones – coupled with guided visualization through its light pulse technology.
The device also boasts holographic music, labelled a sonic technology that produces a 360-degree sound environment.
It brands this combination “brain tapping”.
The BrainTap guided meditation program evokes visual imagery by helping the user visualize a literal or symbolic image and focus on it to achieve the desired outcome.
This process is based on the theory of visualization (part of the law of attraction), which can assist the healing and self-development processes.
When combined with the sonic environment of the holographic music, the visualizations are said to become more real to the mind, helping the user take full advantage of the power of the visualizations by creating a more receptive learning state.
The last aspect of the BrainTap formula is the light pulse technology, which travels through the retina and ear meridians via the visor.
The pulsing light is designed to increase serotonin and endorphin levels, with the purpose of relaxing the mind and promoting a positive outlook and optimistic thinking.
What makes it special?
There isn't anything on the market quite like this that combines binaural beats, isochronic tones, light pulsing, and guided visualization, though the Limina is quite similar – so do check that out below.
The concept and headset is like something out of Back 2 the Future, which I really dig.
Price:
BrianTap is priced at $647.
3. MindPlace Limina
MindPlace produces light and sound meditation systems controlled by microprocessors. The Limina is the latest addition to their product range and in my eyes it is their slickest one yet.
Like the Kasina, it uses the GanzFrame eyewear complete with 6 LEDs per eye, full RGB, with millions of possible color combinations. The key difference is that you can't load audio onto it, but you can play music through its input.
How does it work?
Light and sound meditation is an immersive visual experience.
The ‘light’ part of the experience creates patterns of pure color that morph and transport your mind to interesting and transformative spaces while listening to the brainwave audio.
The audio uses binaural beats and isochronic tone pulses to lead the brain toward beneficial mental states.
The Limina comes with over 100 sessions, and you can also play audio through it such as any guided meditations you may have.
The tracks are categorized into wavebands: delta (slowest), theta, alpha, beta, and gamma (fastest).
The Limina also gives you the option to choose your preferred frequency. So if you wanted 8 Hz instead of 20 Hz, you can select it via the control.
What makes it special?
The Limina is not connected to an app, like the others on this list. While that might seem a tad old school, it is really pleasant to be disconnected from your phone.
Many would argue that meditation is hindered by phones and tracking apps that report stats on brainwaves and heart waves, etc. The idea is to let go and immerse yourself in the moment.
The Limina also gives you more autonomy over choosing frequencies. And, as standard, comes with 100+ sessions, which is generous.
You can also play your own music through the device, but not upload onto it like you can do with their flagship model, the Kasina. However, I personally prefer the look of the Limina over the Kasina.
Price:
MindPlace Limina is priced at $259.
4. Inner Balance
Designed by HeartMath Institute, Inner Balance is a wearable meditation device that synchronizes the heart, mind, and body to restore emotional balance and overcome stress.
Research shows that our heart rhythm influences our actions and feelings, and Inner Balance helps balance these things for optimal wellbeing.
Shifting the heart rhythm into a state of coherence can prevent and reduce stress, increase resilience, and promote emotional wellbeing.
The coherence is measured through Heart Rate Variability (HRV). HRV offers a unique window into the quality of communication between the heart and brain, which directly impacts how we feel and perform.
How does it work?
Inner Balance is clipped on the earlobe and feeds to a Bluetooth monitor that then pings the HRV signal to app.
The app tracks rhythm changes in real time and lets you know if you are in high coherence. A high coherence means your heart, mind, and body are harmonized in a positive state.
The latest version come bundled with guided heart meditations, which, along with onscreen prompts, will help you sustain this balance.
Regular use is said to have a habitual effect that builds and sustains resilience, reducing stress and improving health over time.
At a basic level there is four challenge levels, customizable settings and screens. And the advanced features enable you to track progress over time, keep journal notes, earn awards, and use advanced training.
What makes it special?
Inner Balance goes beyond simple heartbeat tracking to monitor HRV, an important measure of overall health and fitness.
Research shows that abnormal heart rhythm affects the nervous system and adrenal function.
Inner Balance offers an immediate insight into your state of coherence and provides help on how to improve the heart, mind, body balance.
For those suffering stress, anxiety, insomnia and general poor health, Inner Balance could improve health and even negate the need for drugs.
Price:
Inner Balance Bluetooth (sensor for iPhone/iPad and Android) is priced at $159. Inner Balance Lightning (wired Sensor for iPhone / iPad) is priced at $129.
+ Visit the Inner Balance website
5. Unyte (iom2)
The iom2 is similar to Inner Balance in that it measures your body's Heart Rate Variability (HRV) to determine a Resonance score, which is a reflection of your state of stress or relaxation.
A higher HRV correlates with an optimal, relaxed nervous system state, positive emotions, and improved health.
Unyte guides you through breathing and mindfulness and relaxation techniques to teach you how to maintain awareness of your nervous system state and in turn directly influence your HRV.
How does it work?
Unyte uses an OLED screen called iom2 that transmits information to a software program, which can be accessed on a computer or mobile device.
The system provides real-time feedback as it guides you through an interactive session that aims to increase your Resonance score.
Like Inner Balance, Unyte uses a biofeedback sensor clipped to the ear, which measures heart rate variability (HRV) and galvanic skin response.
You can select from a collection of more than 50 interactive experiences called Journeys and follow the guide and breathing indicator.
Journeys can be in the form of step-by-step rhythms, a body scan meditation, and biofeedback events. Real time resonance changes will occur depending on ho your body responds during the journey.
You can then track your progress in an online dashboard, where you'll find a summary of your results.
If you have a VR headset, you can enjoy interactive sessions too.
What makes it special?
The Unyte iom2 helps you gain more awareness of your thoughts, feelings, and emotions, guiding you through your meditation and into deeper states of relaxation.
It's built upon the same principle as the Heartmath Inner Balance; however, it's the Journeys that make it different.
These interactive programs guide you through step-by-step relaxation training in interactive environments such as forests, mountain ranges, and seas.
Price:
The Unyte iom2 is priced at $199. The monthly fee for the immersive journeys is at $4.99 and is billed as $59.99 annually.
Wearable Meditation Devices – In Summary
All of the devices in this list have unique properties, and deciding on what's best for you is simply a case of deciding what experience you want.
The Muse 2 will appeal to those who want a sleek, modern-looking meditation device but without the advance features of brainwave entrainment or light visuals.
For those who understand the benefits of binaural beats and brainwave entrainment in general, BrainTap is a good option. It also has the additional light pulsing therapy built into the visor.
Similarly, the Limina combines brainwave music and light and sound therapy, offering a unique visual experience that none of the others provide. It also doesn't require a Bluetooth connection or a phone to operate an app either.
Heartmath's Inner Balance and Unyte's iom2 are very unique in their approach to measuring HRV and synchronizing the mind with the heart. Both offer a guided experience, but Unyte's ‘Journeys' in arguably more immersive – albeit a paid extra.
The choice is yours.
Lucas says
I want your review about neorythm !!! This page is amazing. I’m trying to decide. Now I’ll share with my friends. Thank you !!!!
bbfreak says
I’m still looking into it. I’ve been studying the literature they provide on the website but I’m still not clear on all the technical details of how it actually works: what technology it is using, what control the user has over the frequencies being played, etc.
wip says
Just to confirm that you think braintap is the best option in terms of what it can do- regardless of needing to be plugged into a phone etc. I got a little confused with your summary comparing it with the limina.
thanks
bbfreak says
If you don’t mind the app aspect then BrainTap is probably the best option in terms of innovation. Lumina will appeal to those who don’t want a Bluetooth connection.