Muse S Headband Review

I have been practicing meditation for an hour a day for the last 16 years. Meditation has changed my life. Nootropics Expert^® is a manifestation of this practice. As well as a more loving relationship with my wife and family. And a healthier, happier life.

So, when I first heard about Muse^®, I knew I had to learn more about this technology. And share with you my Muse^® Headband Review.

If you currently follow a meditation practice and want to deepen your practice, then this review is for you.

But even if you’ve thought about starting meditation and think it’s too hard. Or you want to start but don’t know how. Then Muse^® may be worth checking out.

Who and What is Muse?

Muse^® was developed by and is owned by a Canadian neurotechnology company called InteraXon, Inc based in Toronto, Ontario.

The company was founded in 2007 by a team of neuroscientists, engineers, and designers. Their goal was to develop technology that made it easier for anyone to build a meditation practice.

The team at InteraXon designed a brain computer interface in the form of a headband. And the related software applications to help build a mediation practice.

Anyone who has practiced meditation seriously know its effects on living a healthier and happier life. This is how it’s done using Muse^®.

What is the Muse S headband?

The Muse S headband is a wearable device designed to be a real-time coach to help with meditation and sleep. It uses a proprietary EEG technology that measures your brain wave activity, heart rate, and breathing.

Using the app on your phone you get real-time feedback to help you achieve deeper meditation states and mindfulness.

What are the benefits of meditation?

Meditation has been shown in clinical study after clinical study to offer a ton of benefits for both mental and physical health.

Regular meditation practice can:

• Reduce cognitive decline due to aging[i]
• Turn down the volume of monkey-mind (mind wandering)[ii]
• Boost concentration[iii]
• Quickly reduce anxiety[iv]
• Increase IQ[v]
• Support executive function[vi]
• Improve working memory[vii]
• Enhance sociability[viii]
• Increase pain tolerance[ix]
• Reduce migraine headache pain and tension[x]

What are brainwaves?

Meditation works by altering brain wave patterns.

Brain Waves are action potentials or electrical impulses produced by neural activity in your brain.

Brain Wave patterns closely correlate with your thoughts, ability to think clearly, and your mood (emotions).

Your brain produces five primary brain waves: alpha, beta, delta, gamma,  and theta:

– Delta brain waves (0.5-4 Hz): Associated with deep sleep, the subconscious mind, and unconsciousness.

– Theta brain waves (4-8 Hz): Linked to dreaming at night. Or visionary experiences while meditating. You can slide into a theta brain wave pattern during meditation. This is the entry to your subconscious mind. It’s associated with creativity, sudden insights (an ah-ha moment), and the ability to move information from short-term to long-term memory.

– Alpha brain waves (8-12 Hz): Alpha is the primary brain wave pattern for going into a meditative state. It’s that place where you’re not quite asleep but not quite awake either. But at the higher end of Alpha you’re more focused yet still very relaxed. Alpha brain waves are associated with super-learning, flow states, and joy. It’s the border between your conscious and subconscious mind.

– Beta brain waves (13-30 Hz): The most rapid brain signaling pattern is called beta brain waves and is your normal, waking consciousness. Beta is associated with concentration, arousal, alertness, and cognition. But at its highest wave form it is associated with anxiety, disharmony, and feelings of dis-ease. We meditate to reduce Beta brain waves and to help reduce stress and live healthier lives.

– Gamma brain waves (30-80 Hz): Associated with peak concentration and high levels of cognitive functioning. Rapid memory recall, heightened perception, focus, quick processing speed, creativity, and feelings of happiness and peacefulness. Going into the zone.[xi]

How the Muse S headband helps with meditation

The traditional method of meditation is a challenge to many because there is a learning curve involved. You learn to sit, slow your mind, and maintain a level of pure awareness for extended periods.

I first learned to meditate with the help of Victor Davich’s book “8 Minute Meditation”(Amazon).

8 Minute Meditation is a combination of focusing on your breath while noting bodily sensations and watching your thoughts (open monitoring) non-judgmentally. And amazingly effective even for the beginner.

The Muse S headband on the other hand transforms the practice of meditation into a more tangible, goal-oriented experience.

As you meditate, the headband and app monitors your brainwaves. And translates this data into audible feedback through the app on your phone.

For example, when your mind is calm and focused, you might hear the peaceful sounds of a gentle breeze.

But if your mind begins to wander, the audio feedback sound of waves, wind, or rain shifts to reflect this change. Gently guiding you back to a state of mindfulness.

Rather than dreading your meditation practice because it’s so hard to do, this real-time feedback can be a powerful motivator.

Helping you stay engaged and committed to your meditation practice.

The Muse app also provides detailed post-session reports, allowing you to track your progress over time. And identify patterns in your meditation practice over time.

How the Muse S headband helps with sleep

Many come to Nootropics Expert^® to find out which nootropic supplements are best for sleep. Insomnia seems to be of epidemic proportions in our crazy paced society.

This is how Muse does their part to help you sleep. The Muse S headband sleep tracking option provides a comprehensive analysis of your sleep patterns. Including the duration and quality of different sleep stages (light, deep, and REM).

One of the features that attracted me to trying this device is the “Digital Sleeping Pill” function. This is a collection of sleep-inducing audio sounds designed to help you fall asleep faster. And return to sleep if you wake during the night.

The headband and app respond to your biometric data in real-time. Adjusting the audio to promote deeper relaxation as you drift off to sleep.

The next morning, you can review detailed sleep reports, learning more about your sleep patterns and helping you to identify why you are having problems getting a good night sleep.

Using this data can help and guide you to make the changes you need to improve your quality of sleep. With the goal of helping you sleep through the night.

The Pros and Cons of the Muse S headband

Pros:

1. Advanced technology: The Muse S headband uses proprietary EEG sensors to provide accurate, real-time feedback on your mental state.
2. Versatility: The device serves dual purposes as both a meditation aid and a sleep tracker.
3. Comfortable design: The soft, lightweight headband is designed for extended wear, even during sleep.
4. Extensive guided content: The app offers a wide range of guided meditations and sleep programs.
5. Detailed analytics: You receive comprehensive reports on your meditation sessions and sleep patterns.
6. Motivational tool: The gamification of meditation may help you stay committed to your meditation practice.

Cons:

1. High cost: With a retail price of around $400, the Muse S represents a significant investment.
2. Subscription required: To access the full suite of features and content, you need to pay for a premium subscription.
3. Learning curve: Some may find it challenging to position the headband correctly for optimal sensor contact. And the app can be complicated for many and take some getting used to while navigating through all the options.
4. Dependency concern: There is a potential risk of becoming overly reliant on technology for meditation. Which could hinder your development of self-guided meditation practice.
5. Limited language support: The app is currently only available in English, which may be a barrier for non-English speakers.
6. Battery life: The Muse S headband requires regular charging, which some might find inconvenient.

Where to Buy a Muse Headband

InteraXon sells two different headband options. The Muse S Headband and the Muse 2 Headband.

The Muse S Headband is a soft fabric headband which can be worn day or night. This option is the most comfortable to wear if you are looking for help with sleep.

The Muse S Headband device is currently available for $399.99 USD. Or you can bundle the Muse S Headband with a 1 year Premium Subscription which gives you all the options available on the app for $494.98 USD.

The Muse 2 Headband is a lightweight plastic type of material that hooks around your ears. The front is lined with fabric and contains the EEG sensors.

The Muse 2 Headband device is currently available for $249.99 USD. Or you can bundle the Muse 2 Headband with a 1 year Premium Subscription which gives you all the options available on the app for $344.98 USD.