The week I got to test an Apollo Neuroscience wearable was extremely productive, but I still have my doubts.
Relieve stress and anxiety with wearable technology
Built in accordance with a University of Pittsburgh study, the Apollo is an app-controlled wearable ($349, or $32/month) that claims to regulate your mood with the calming effects of inaudible sound waves. Depending on the setting, it’s supposed to help with relaxation, focus, anxiety, stress or sleep.
Normally I’d let something like this pass, but after the top-rope soul crusher of 2020, I’ve become more proactively interested in practices like chill-out apps and other at-home mental health boosters. I ordered an Apollo and went through my weekly routine with a gently buzzing non-watch on my wrist or ankle, just to see what it would do, but after eight days I’m still not sure how much good it did.
Out of the box, the Apollo is a small, curved plastic device that could be mistaken from a distance for a wristwatch or a smartwatch with sleep mode. It charges via a USB Micro-B cable that plugs into the bottom, so you can’t charge and wear it at the same time, and comes with two velcro straps that let you secure it around your wrist or ankle.
