The Sensate is a non-invasive vagus nerve stimulator (nVNS). A smooth, pebble shaped gadget that sends out electrical pulses along the vagus nerve to de-stress the nervous system.

Type: Vagus nerve stimulator
Best for: Combating stress and anxiety
Dimensions: 6.95 x 6.25 x 10.75cm
Weight: 0.385g
Warranty: 90 day money back guarantee
Price: $299/£299

The idea is that during times of stress, you place the Sensate on your sternum, where it rests along the pathway of your vagus nerve.

From here it sends out vibrational pulses and infrasonic resonance (low frequency soundwaves). These help stimulate your vagus nerve, which should lower sympathetic nerve activity (fight or flight) and increase parasympathetic nerve activity (rest and digest).

You do this while listening to a calming soundscape via the app for between 10-30 minutes, as per Sensate’s recommendation.

While there are physiological ways of stimulating your vagus nerve for free (for example, humming, meditation and brief cold water exposure), the Sensate is a low-lift option that produces an immediate calming effect. Do you need it? Probably not, especially not for $299. However, as someone who struggles with underlying stress and subsequent 3 a.m. wake ups, I do recommend it.

I was even strongly tempted to wear it like an oversized necklace to a mildly fraught family lunch. But I abstained. Instead, I’ve been using the Sensate immediately after finishing work in order to decompress and transition into relaxation mode, and then once again before bed.

The combination of my blackout eye mask with soothing soundscapes and vibrational pulses is akin to taking a tranquilizer dart to the neck; I’m yet to use it before bed without falling straight asleep afterwards.

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