StressEraser Portable Biofeedback Device

Reviews of StressEraser Portable Biofeedback Device

1.) Fantastic device, probably not for "hardcore" meditators
Reviewed by: Russell Christopher Charlotte, NC USA
Rating:
I have a long time, twice-a-day meditation practice which includes breathing techniques, but was curious about this device anyway. So, I bought it on impulse. It is impressive, but simple and easy to use. I'd recommend it to anyone who doesn't have some sort of regular (2-3 times daily) stress-relief practice in place. It's function is simple - you simply breath in, then exhale when the device prompts you to. The tool sort of "teaches" you how to breath based on feedback on the screen, and as you learn to focus on the breath...poof, you stop worrying about other stuff.

After you learn the "how to" part and get regular with your breathing sessions, the additional personal benefit may be more limited. Since I'm already very familiar with using the breath to center myself, this item could become a glorified "breath counter": The ancillary good stuff is that it records a history of how many sessions of breathing I've done and details about same, and the device will always give me feedback on my current state of mind (am I taking slow, well spaced breaths or short jerky ones, etc.)...I'm just not sure that those functions are quite worth the asking price.

Back to YOU, however. I'd absolutely recommend this device for anyone who doesn't do meditation and/or Pranayama regularly. For those folk who want a scientific approach to stress relief and might feel uncomfortable with the spirtual trappings of Yoga / meditation / etc, this thing is also perfect.

The device itself is very solid feeling, and I'm sure would survive multiple..."drop tests" (although I haven't been clumsy enough to try it yet!). You'll also be able to get started with it very quickly without spending tons of time with the instructions.


2.) A little expensive, but it works great for me
Reviewed by: waswhatwer Austin, TX
Rating:
I bought this thing because I was curious about it, thought I'd try it out and intended on sending it back once I convinced myself that it was a glorified breathing machine. Well, the thing works for me so I won't be sending it back.
You can read about the theory behind it at their website, but basically it measures your heart rate variability which in turn is supposed to reflect your emotional state. The device prompts you to breath out at a certain time to bring your HRV to an optimum level, which it measures by giving you a rating of 1-3 cubes at the bottom of the screen, 1 being bad and 3 being good.
The first thing that I wanted to know was whether it accurately reflected my mental state, which I doubted it would. So I've tried thinking about something stressful at random times during periods when I was otherwise relaxed (3 cubes) and it gives me 1 cube pretty much every time. 1 cube definitely feels worse than 3 cubes. I've repeated this many times over and I don't doubt now that it can tell if I've gone from a relaxing state of mind to a stressful one. I can also tell now, based on how I feel, when I will get 1 cube vs. 3. This has turned out to be useful information because I can make myself feel relaxed without having to use the device, so I think the biofeedback component is really useful - it has helped me train myself to relax. It's a bit like a relaxation coach. I still can't get as relaxed on my own as I can using it, but maybe in time I'll be able to.
The next thing I was interested in is whether this thing is any better than just sitting there and breathing calmly. Having convinced myself that it accurately predicts whether I'm stressed, I've tried to test this by ignoring the breathing prompts and just breathing in a nice calm manner and recording how many 3 cubes vs. 1 cubes I got in 15 minutes and comparing that number with the one obtained from breathing based on prompts for 15 minutes. Generally I get about 30-40% more using the prompts. The difference seems to be decreasing, but I think that's because I have learned to breath the way it wants me to w/out the prompts. Basically I'm getting better at using breathing to decrease stress so I don't need to rely on the device as much. At the beginning though, I wasn't too good at using breathing to calm myself.
Obviously I can't tell if this works for everyone, and I bet some people are good at using deep breathing to calm themselves so that they wouldn't benefit so much from this, but I've been pleasantly surprised in that it's not a scam and it has helped me to de-stress without drinking a bottle of wine every night like I used to do (kidding). I'd like to see the price come down though.



3.) The Real Deal
Reviewed by: SanDiegoDude San Diego, CA United States
Rating:
This might seem to be a gimmick along the lines of the thigh-master or the ronco fish-a-matic.

Surprisingly, it works fabulously - I started using it when I had a couple of business deals that were having problems out of my control. I found myself relaxed and able to make decisions and able to let go of the things out of my control, and able to enjoy my time when I wasn't working w/o worrying about the deals. I was able to compartamentalize things much better than in the past.

I think this device can be called "mediation reminder for non-new-age types." By having the box, which is about the size of a deck of cards, sitting on my desk, I remember to use it, whereas I've never been able to remember to meditate, despite all the positive press about it. I also like that the product literature describes the process as activing your parasympathetic nervous system (which you can confirm actually does exist) rather than painting it as some sort of spiritual journey. I wish this device had existed when I was in grad school.

The benefits of meditation have been scientifically proven, but too often the messengers are the crystal channeling/aromatherapy/past lives types, who while usually sweet people, aren't as believable as say an article in a medical journal. This device is for those who want the physical effects w/o the new-agey story attached. Try it.


4.) seems like a gimmick, but it's not
Reviewed by: SanDiegoDude San Diego, CA United States
Rating:
This might seem to be a gimmick along the lines of the thigh-master or the ronco fish-a-matic.

Surprisingly, it works fabulously - I started using it when I had a couple of business deals that were having problems out of my control. I found myself relaxed and able to make decisions and able to let go of the things out of my control, and able to enjoy my time when I wasn't working w/o worrying about the deals. I was able to compartamentalize things much better than in the past.

I think this device can be called "mediation reminder for non-new-age types." By having the box, which is about the size of a deck of cards, sitting on my desk, I remember to use it, whereas I've never been able to remember to meditate, despite all the positive press about it. I also like that the product literature describes the process as activing your parasympathetic nervous system (which you can confirm actually does exist) rather than painting it as some sort of spiritual journey. I wish this device had existed when I was in grad school.

The benefits of meditation have been scientifically proven, but too often the messengers are the crystal channeling/aromatherapy/past lives types, who while usually sweet people, aren't as believable as say an article in a medical journal. This device is for those who want the physical effects w/o the new-agey story attached. Try it.


5.) genious
Reviewed by: Sarah Brooklyn, NY
Rating:
I've had chronic insomnia for the last five years and have tried everything but still need sleep aides. So far the Stress Eraser gets me to sleep faster and I've been able to cut way back on the dosage of sleep medication. Being someone who practices yoga and meditation, I recognize that the device enables you to get the benefits of those things in much less time and with a fairly guaranteed outcome. While it seems like relaxed breathing is something you could do on your own without a device, it works much better with the device because you can't cheat- when your thoughts wander, it catches you. I try to use it for about fifteen minutes each night but I'm usually falling asleep before I can finish the session. I sleep deeper and my jaw is more relaxed in the morning. Most importantly, it's not medication. And stress is really really bad for you and most ways of combatting it are costly and time-consuming. Once you own one of these you can relax quickly and completely any time you need to. I want everyone I know to have one!

6.) Love it.
Reviewed by: R. Rosenthal
Rating:
I love my Stress Eraser. I have always been one of those people who was into the idea of relaxation techniques and meditation but would always lose focus after a few minutes. My mind would move on to other things.

The Stress Eraser keeps me focused on my breath and also keeps me from "cheating." It measures every breath I take and rates its depth with 1-3 cubes on the screen. The goal is to consistently get 3 cubes. I also like that it counts my deep breaths for me. If I'm having trouble sleeping at night, feeling restless, mind racing, I'll turn it on and do 30-50 "3-cubers" and feel so much more relaxed. I sleep like a log on the nights I do the Stress Eraser. (By the way, the screen has a back-lit option for night time use which is nice.)

You could make the argument that you can breathe deeply on your own and get the same benefits, but if you are like me you just won't get around to it or stick with it without the help of this great little machine.

7.) Works like a charm!
Reviewed by: JLO Miami, Florida
Rating:
I ordered this device and took great care with the packaging expecting to return it within 30 days for the full refund. It was on a whim that I decided to give this device a shot to begin with... I was willing to give anything a shot to see if it could help with work stress.

I've come to the conclusion that this is one of the best investments I've ever made! After ten to fifteen minutes of use I feel extremely relaxed. (I happen to have a portable heart rate monitor and the use of this device drops my blood pressure by 15 to 25 points after a quality 15 minute session!)

Stick with it for a few days... It took about 4 days or so for me to be able to consistently breath at the rate and frequency the machine would recommend, but as soon as I got the hang of it the difference was very much noticeable. I cannot recommend this device enough!

8.) Works as advertised
Reviewed by: John
Rating:
I have one and it works just the way it is advertised. It is compact, light, and yet sturdy. You follow the graph and it tells you when to breathe out. I am very satisfied with this product and can recommend it.

9.) immediate, organic relaxation and overwhelming desire to sleep!--no more meds, thanks
Reviewed by: medigal
Rating:
I'm a generally stressed out medical student who has been on and off antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications for almost a decade. After using the stress eraser for less than five minutes I immediately feel calm and have an overwhelming sense of calm and a desire to sleep. Honestly, I can't imagine getting back on the meds, mainly because they just weren't as effective as using this device and their side-effects are undesirable. As a result of using the stress eraser (10-15 minutes before bedtime) I no longer have trouble sleeping and the sleep I get is always restful, and not ridden with stressful dreams like before.

As a student of medicine I understand that when I'm stressed I am in "fight or flight" mode. This so called "sympathetic" response is amazingly strong and in most people reaches its height during exceptional events, when we need to run quickly, think fast, and flee from danger (we've all heard of the grandmother who lifted a car to save her grandchild. Her sympathetic system activation helped make that possible). As someone prone to anxiety and stress, this "fight or flight" reaction almost seems like the normal baseline state for me. Countering the sympathetic responses are the "parasympathetic" or "rest and digest" state. These turn our body's focus to a lowered heart rate and a restful state.

It makes sense that if our sympathetic responses can be amazingly strong (grandmother lifting car), it reasons that our parasympathetic responses should be at least as potent in a reciprocal way. This device has helped me hone in on the strength of parasympathetic response. This biofeedback stress eraser has shown me that an overwhelming parasympathetic response does exist!

Because the device gives you immediate, positive feedback on your heart rate and how appropriate your breathing is, I can learn how best to breathe to counter stress. Because I'm focusing on the graphical images and striving for a good breathing pattern, I'm engaged as though meditating. Even though I've been practicing yoga for the last 4 years, I've still had trouble controlling my mind and relaxing during meditation without a lot of time and effort. This device has relaxed me more than a yoga session, but in a fraction of the time. Of course I'm still sticking with the yoga because it definitely helps and it's good physical exercise, but I can't go to yoga class every time I'm stressed! What I can do, however, is whip out this little guy and take five minutes out of my day to relax.

THIS IS AN INVALUABLE DEVICE!

10.) Helpful product
Reviewed by: Vicenç Rul·lan Mallorca (Spain)
Rating:
Stresseraser works as advertised. You introduce your finger in the slot and start breathing and watching the graph. Before you use it, it seems that it should not work at all. How do you relax by just breathing after a beep while watching a graph? Well, it works for me. I am used to relax with my eyes closed, but with this device I can relax just by sitting and breathing for some ten minutes.

Why does it work better than just breathing by yourself? I guess that this device provides you with an external assessment/feedback and thus encourages you to keep using it until you have collected a number of points.

The only problem is the price.

11.) It really works
Reviewed by: BedHead
Rating:
When this first arrived, I felt it wasn't teaching me anything I didn't already know (as a few others have mentioned), as I was able to do it perfectly (getting three squares each time) right out of the box. I planned to return it, got authorization for it from the company (who are very easy-going about returns, which makes it worth giving this a try to see if it works for you). Then something really stressful happened a few days later, and I decided to give it one last try. I found it very hard to breathe correctly and get the three squares going, which made me realize I just had not been at all stressed the first few times I did it. This time around, the line created was a jagged mess, and it really did help me to reduce my stress greatly. It is unquestionably pricey, but I also wanted to mention what a high-quality product it is -- heavy, glossy, steel or maybe aluminum? It looks almost like an iPod and is very user-friendly and nicely designed. So yes, it is pricey, but not a cheap piece of plastic like I was expecting. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a chemical-free way to reduce your stress.

12.) Breath your way back to a clam peaceful feeling
Reviewed by: Feeling Better in PA USA
Rating:
A simple to use tool that helps you breathe stress away. It does take a little practice to learn the proper breathing technique. It is worth the effort. For maximum benefit it should be used every day. I use it before falling asleep each night, the perfect way to end a day. I sleep better, I feel better.
Small and lightweight can be carried in a pocket or purse. Use it anytime you need a stress break. Instead of drinking a cup of coffee, have a stress eraser break. Can be used anytime, anywhere.
I love it.


13.) Excellent and it works!
Reviewed by: Mike W CO
Rating:
The Stress Eraser is really effective and works. I have learned from using this how to relax and that some of my breathing is not as relaxed as I had thought before. You have to make time every day to meditate and do proper breathing. I have noticed myself and others spend far too much time with improper breathing. Stress really does affect your life negatively and can cause health problems if steps are not taken to change it. The Stress Eraser is an excellent tool, but it won't do anything for you unless you use it!

14.) Nice product
Reviewed by: Sunil Bharitkar los angeles, ca United States
Rating:
This is a great product. I have been doing yoga/meditation for years. Both are great techniques for relaxation. With this device I am better able to get a focused effort as I am in sync with my breath. Great after some intense workout like cardio/weights etc.

15.) surprisingly helpful
Reviewed by: Edward M. Melendez Austin, TX
Rating:
With its somewhat spendy pricetag, I was fairly skeptical about the device. Its competition is definitely yoga classes or other means of practicing meditation and breath control. I think those are great options for managing stress. The beauty of this device comes from time savings (I get meaningful benefit from a 7 minute break with the device) and its portability, so I can use it most anywhere, although a relatively quiet and undisturbed location is ideal. It's also great for winding down before bed.

For me, the effect is like a quick nap; relaxing and energizing. It's uncanny.

As other commenters have pointed out, it's well-built and and presented with good documentation, not that most people would need the documentation. It's intuitive to get started with and use.

Try it. If it works for you, it's money well spent.

16.) Amazing device for dealing with insomnia
Reviewed by: Heather
Rating:
I've had this device for a couple of years. I use the StressEraser for around 20-25 minutes before bed each night and I fall asleep faster and sleep better. No complaints, no caveats. Yes, you could probably find the same benefit from disciplined meditation and focused breathing but I find it is enormously helpful to have the onscreen feedback to help focus my thoughts. Well worth the price.

17.) Great product!
Reviewed by: james scottsdale, AZ
Rating:
This product has been a great way for me to practice my deep breathing on a regular basis. It's fun to see how you are doing and it's very interesting to see how your breathing patterns change due to stress. My teenage kids also found it to be very relaxing.

18.) Really Does Erase Stress
Reviewed by: Arnold C. Morgan Upper Westchester, New York
Rating:
I have been exploring and using stress reduction methods for 20 years or more. This little machine is easy to use and gives you immediate audio and visual feedback. In addition, it gives a read-out of your accumulated points so you know when you have done enough to elicit your 'relaxation response'. As someone with 'attention deficit' (ADD), I found regular meditation to be frustrating as my mind would frequently go drifting off. With the Stress Eraser I am kept on task with moment-to-moment feedback. I have found my sleep has improved greatly (especially returning to sleep after middle of the night trips to the bathroom). I liked it so much I bought one for my wife who is loving it too. I bought mine from the company for $179 + shipping. Found much better deals online for my wife's. Buy it and use it. It will improve your life.

19.) Long time user-I love this gizmo!
Reviewed by: God Bless Everyone, No Exceptions Peachtree City, GA USA
Rating:
I confess. I go product and self-help book hopping habitually, but this is the one product I'll use for the rest of my life. Just checked my history-I've used my Stress Eraser 963 times in three years. It's great for insomnia. If I use it before I go to sleep, I get much better rest. Sometimes I don't, so I'll wake up eyes wide open and swear there is no way I can go back to sleep, but this device will do the job! It's like ingesting the perfect anti-stress medicine. You feel it right working its way through the body right away and the better-than-drug like effects will stay with you for hours. I even like to use it before discussing difficult family matters with my spouse so I can keep level headed. I'm no soldier, but I can't help but think the Stress Eraser would be useful for our men and women in combat, too.

20.) unbelievably effective
Reviewed by: sossupportdotnet
Rating:
As somebody who is very stressed out and lives high strung life this is the perfect way to settle down. The time flies by as you concentrate on earning "points" and its surprisingly a nice way to relax. Would recommend to anybody. Especially people who have trouble calming down at night.

21.) Very relaxing
Reviewed by: Petievi Larchmont, NY
Rating:
This gadget is good if you need to meditate and chill out. Just be sure to use it.

22.) C Clark's review is ignorant
Reviewed by: S. Damon New York, NY United States
Rating:
While I haven't used this product, my guess that C Clark hasn't either, based on his/her 1-star review. Otherwise, he'd have given a more constructive and informative review. There is not one shred of information about the product in the comment. Please keep in mind that he was supposed to be writing a product REVIEW. Therefore, I'm giving 5 stars to counter his/her artificial 1-star. But unlike C Clark, I will provide some helpful information (but please ignore the 5-stars).

C Clark seems ignorant of biofeedback, which is a proven modality we use on patients (to help fight pain). The point of bioFEEDBACK is the feedback. Clinical setups monitor brainwave, breathing, skin resistance and heart/pulse rate. This appears to just monitor the heart rate. Can the count-to-ten method monitor any physiological activity REALtime? How does that system provide constant feedback? The fact is, the manual method cannot train you to optimize breathing or meditation, whereas this can. That's the whole point of biofeedback: to train the body to 1) recognize stress; 2) optimize techniques to fight stress.

Considering how much a therapist charges, this is not expensive IF IT WORKS. The tools learned is something one can use for the rest of one's life. And a much longer life, at that.

23.) Vite devenu indispensable
Reviewed by: Franck Nice
Rating:
Il m'a fallu une bonne dizaine de jours avant de trouver le moyen de bien me servir de cet appareil : faire des expirations longues (je compte jusqu'à 5 en insistant bien sur chaque nombre), des inspirations courtes et pas trop fortes (j'imagine une rotation au niveau de mon buste, je parcours le cercle en remontant lors de l'inspiration), le tout les yeux fermés et si possible assis en tailleur dans l'obscurité. Ainsi j'obtiens le plus souvent des bons scores.

J'utilise cet appareil longuement (100 points) avant de m'endormir et plus brièvement (40 points) dans la journée si j'ai le temps.

Il m'est devenu indispensable, je me sentirais perdu si je ne l'avais plus.

Je conseille fortement, c'est très utile pour bien faire une relaxation axée sur la respiration.
A noter qu'il existe d'autres techniques de relaxtation (sur la détente musculaire ou la visualisation) pour lesquelles j'utilise plutôt des enregistrements sonores (relaxation guidée par la voix et éventuellement la musique).

24.) Good For Discipline
Reviewed by: Jason Ferney Kansas City, MO
Rating:
If you think this is some gizmo that relaxes you without fuss or effort, you better stick with your Valium or Xanax. This product makes you work at relaxing: You will only get out of it what you put in to it.

Upside: Yes, it works once you learn to work with it. You will relax and even fall asleep if you want to. It encourages you to discipline your body to relax itself. If you can't or won't do that, it will be utterly useless to you.

Downside: I agree, it's expensive. It doesn't have features I would expect such as cumulitive analysis features combining all of your previous sessions. All it does is allow you to set the date so it can keep a running tab on how much you use it. The menus to the options are confusing and not very interesting. The "BREATHE" button I found to actually be useless once I got the hang of it. To be honest, I didn't think the "BREATHE" feature was very useful at all. All it does is tell you what your best exhale count is. Woo-hoo.

Overall, I think this is promising technology with promising benefits. I'm definitely not as stressed as I used to be. But this unit would be like what the Apple II is compared to today's home computers. The next generations of the StressEraser will definitely need improvements.

25.) One-trick pony
Reviewed by: Trevor Burnham Ann Arbor, MI
Rating:
This is an expensive gadget that essentially teaches you one breathing exercise, and teaches it well: Inhale slowly, through your nose, until your lungs are nearly full, then exhale for about 3 seconds. Pause for 1 second, then repeat. Of course, seeing your body's response to this relaxing pattern is much more useful than just hearing it described, and it is relaxing indeed.

But after several days' practice, I find that the biofeedback has become superfluous. In a way, that's good: I've learned something from this device that no book could have taught me. But it also means that I don't have any more use for the thing, after paying a lot of money for it. Fortunately, there is no shortage of stressed-out people for me to pass it along to.

26.) Well built product
Reviewed by: Ruchir Godura
Rating:
It is easy to use and well constructed. Packaging, fit and finish is something you would expect from an Apple product.
Does it work? Still too early to say, but I like using it-helps me relax. In fact I tend to fall asleep while using it! Breathing exercise is a well known stress buster and used in yoga as well (pranayam). This device provides you feedback on how your body's nervous system reacts to your breathing and guides you to optimize the breathing cycle in order to maximize the calming effect. Sounds good in theory and is far more convenient to use compared to doing yoga or other meditative exercises.

27.) Not a miracle, but a helpful tool
Reviewed by: Hack Writer Austin, TX USA
Rating:
The stress eraser was not easy to master, one has to hold it in a particular position to make it work. If you tend to have cold hands, you need to warm them first (such as rub your index finger, use a heating pad, wash hands in warm water and dry thoroughly). When I use the stress erasure, i experience anxiety relief during and immediately after the session. But I have to use it consistently throughout the day to get all day relief. It is particularly effective for middle of the night insomnia. It hasn't made it possible for me to stop using anti-anxiety meds, but I haven't increased my dosage since I began using it. It is very expensive, but anyone who suffers from extreme anxiety knows that even a little burst of relief and having some degree of control over the condition is priceless.

28.) Sort of like a personal trainer for relaxing
Reviewed by: Chad Abney Texas
Rating:
I've enjoyed using the product and it does help me to relax. Of course, if you will simply pause several times a day and focus on relaxed, deliberate breathing for a few minutes, you will achieve most of the same effect. Trouble is, who does that without some prompting? The StressEraser helps make this effort more interesting and helps you focus through both visual and auditory cues. The first few minutes that I use it, nothing seems to be going on, but if I continue for about 5 minutes, I become very relaxed. I use it each night before bedtime and also usually in the middle of the workday, at lunch.

29.) Works well, fairly intuitive
Reviewed by: Todd B Indiana
Rating:
I bought this product after learning about the subject of heart coherence from HeartMath. The writers at HeartMath claim one of the best ways to enter coherence is to focus on feelings of love, appreciation, gratitude or compassion. What I have noticed when I am using the StressEraser is that if I am not looking at the screen but am instead only using the beeping sound to know when to exhale while mentally focusing the way HeartMath recommends, my readings usually go into the 2-3 cube territory and my breathing naturally starts to match my HRV w/o my trying to do so. When I am actively looking at the screen and using my eyes to watch the HRV line go up and down to time my breathing, the coherence is not nearly as good.

So I enjoy that function. The LED screen is nice, but is somewhat distracting. I notice when I am getting jagged readings in my heart rate variability, closing my eyes and focusing on positive emotions puts me back into coherence.

But that raises the question of do I even need a biofeedback device if simply focusing on positive emotions puts me in coherence. But having a string of 2 and 3 cubes in the upper right corner when I open my eyes is nice to see and shows that I have been entering coherence.

So all in all, the device seems to work but it seems to more 'record' my meditations rather than 'guide' them. When I am entering coherence by focusing on positive emotions, my breathing and HRV sync up naturally and I really don't think I even need a biofeedback device at that point.



30.) Proceed With Insight
Reviewed by: Professional Consumer Charlotte, NC
Rating:
I do own this machine and I think it is a cool tool to have, but I would not necessarily recommend this for someone on a budget who is looking for bona fide relaxation solution.

Some meditation traditions focus on almost exclusively attending to your breath. This means focusing on your breath without really trying change it. Other traditions focus on changing your breathing. Either way, these methods are free and can be more rewarding in my opinion.

Yes, this is a biofeedback machine, but it works under the loosely woven premise that it will stimulate your vagus nerve and make you more relaxed. Another way to stimulate this nerve is by exercising. Try spending 30 minutes a day walking. If you do buy this machine, try a few sessions with the machine. After that, try some cardio and then using the machine to see where you are. You will be astonished that simply exercising may produce the same effects your just paid >$250 for.

Good luck.

31.) Interesting, but does it work
Reviewed by: Looks Good CA
Rating:
Opening the box there are a bunch of cards, make sure you read them since one of them tells you how to put the batteries in the correct direction. The instruction booklet really does not saying what the graph being displayed comes from? Just to exhale slowly when you hear the beep or see the triangle at the top of the screen.

Two weeks and I am still struggling to get three bars (what you are supposed to be doing).

Six weeks later I am wondering whether I have less stress. Is my body or mind less stressed? I really not sure and the 30-day money-back has gone by.

Too expensive for what you get. Starting out I think it gave me more stress, then it reduced. I think I will go back to meditation, its free.

32.) Worked well for two weeks
Reviewed by: D. Springer St. Louis, MO
Rating:
I purchased this item directly from the manufacturer to take advantage of the warranty and I'm very glad I did. The unit worked as advertized for two weeks--although it was a bit tricky to get the hang of--but then it just stopped displaying correctly and would turn itself off. I contacted the company and was told they could try troubleshooting with me but wouldn't confirm that the item was defective. I ended up sending it back and was charged a lot for shipping both ways. Definitely not worth two weeks of use. Buyer beware on this one!

33.) May be OK if it works
Reviewed by: Bill K.
Rating:
This product seemed to work at times and at others I turned it on, inserted my finger, and a dotted line just proceeded across the middle of the screen. I gave it a few minutes and nothing happened. Then I tried warming up my hands and reinstalling the batteries but no luck. Maybe I have a weak pulse or something? Or maybe it's just defective.

The two times it did work I found that breathing out to a count of seven and breathing in to a count of eight quickly resulted in continuous 3 dot scores. I got 40 in a row ten or so minutes after opening the package. Maybe its chief value is in telling you what your ideal breathing pattern is. But in all fairness, I do think it worked a little better when I followed the prompts.

Three dot scores don't necessarily result in happiness, however. I found myself getting angry that I had just spent about $150 on a machine that didn't take much effort to get right. Then I noticed that even though I was getting angry I was still getting three dot scores which irritated me more.

Anyway, I was going to use it for about 30 days in a row and see if regular use really did make a difference in generally making me feel less stressed or better as a whole. But it just wasn't working most of the time so I returned it.

34.) $299 placebo?
Reviewed by: Kokopelli Austin, TX
Rating:
I am a retired doctor and thought this would be the perfect "scientific" way to reap the benefits of meditation, which have eluded me in the past. Unfortunately, either my unit is defective or it's extremely difficult to coordinate one's breathing with the little triangles that come up very quickly and very erratically. There is a mechanism that supposedly allows you to adjust the triangle appearance rate to suit your breathing, but I couldn't tell that it does anything at all. It actually stresses me out to try to use this device. Note that I have only had it for a couple of days, so I will keep trying, but at this point, I'm ready to send it back. Also, based on the "feedback" it gives the user, I really don't understand what it is measuring. It simply can't be sensitive enough to detect what it purports to detect without being very much more complex than it is. On the plus side, it does appear to be well made of quality materials. But I'd say it's definitely not worth the price. Unless you're into placebo effect... which is not a bad thing, actually.

35.) Don't buy this
Reviewed by: M. Irby New York, NY United States
Rating:
Don't buy this. It breaks down and no one from the company will ever call you back.

36.) Device didn't work properly
Reviewed by: Alan Watts San Francisco, CA
Rating:
On the infrequent occasions when the StressEraser worked, it seemed to deliver what it advertised, but most times it didn't work at all. Instead, a straight line of dashes appeared across the screen. I called the number given in the manual for problems such as this, and was told that because I bought the product through a third party (Amazon) and not directly from the StressEraser company, the person I was speaking to wasn't authorized to help me. (Then why put the number in the manuals that all buyers receive?) I returned the product.

37.) doesn't work
Reviewed by: ron clairmont New York City, New York
Rating:
The machine performed for a few minutes. Then it kept telling me that my finger was squeezing the sensor. (My finger was barely touching the sensor.) Then there was a problem with too much light in the room. In semi-darkness there was still too much light. I called the manufacturer twice. The person answering said the matter would have to be taken up with another department. The second time she said she would "personally walk the request over to the other department." I never heard from them. Trying to return the item, I was told that it had to be in the original packaging (how often can you open an item without destroying the original packaging?). Buyer beware!

38.) Tried 2..both didnt work...
Reviewed by: Casavecchia Boulder, CO
Rating:
Buyer beware. Amazon was good with the return process though. 5 stars for that part of the deal.

39.) Did not get any value
Reviewed by: Meditation
Rating:
I purchased this StreeEraser with some expectations that it would help. I found it of no help and do not recommend it for anyone, unless they have money to waste. Also, the refund was discounted by 10% despite what the Ads for this little machine says in every magazine.

40.) Snake oil
Reviewed by: lwndw123 Connecticut, USA
Rating:
Yes, I can synchronize my breath with the device. And?... Nothing. No impact on stress. The same category as "miracle diet", "miracle supplements" and alternative medicine

Back to store!

41.) Wheres the help and benefits?
Reviewed by: C1ANDY CA
Rating:
Tried this thing and received no help from the seller. They don't seem to know anything about the product. Don't know who they are, but I have better use of my time and money.

Features of StressEraser Portable Biofeedback Device

Portable biofeedback device for relaxation training, activates the body's natural relaxation response by synchronizing breathing with heart rate.

The StressEraser is an award-winning, FDA-regulated, portable biofeedback device that helps you learn to activate your body's natural relaxation response in minutes — without the use of medication.

Is there stress in your life? Now more than ever, you need the StressEraser^®

The premise behind StressEraser stress relief is simple and has been used in practice by physicians, psychologists and meditation experts for more than three decades. This state-of-the art medical technology fits in your pocket and is drug-free and non-invasive. It uses a finger sensor to convert your pulse into a wave form. This wave guides you to synchronize your breathing with your heart rate cycle.

We all know that slowing down your breathing can slow down your heart rate and help you relax. The StressEraser cues you to not only slow your breathing but, just as importantly, to synchronize your inhales and exhales with the natural cycle of your heart rate.

Using an infrared sensor, the StressEraser measures HRV from the pulse in your fingertip and displays it as a wave.

Bad Waves. When you're stressed, your wave is jagged and spiky.

Good Waves. When you're relaxed, your wave becomes smooth and consistent, like a sine wave.

How It Works
From beat to beat, your heart rate naturally increases and decreases in a cycle, known as HRV, or Heart Rate Variability. Using an infrared sensor, the StressEraser measures HRV from the pulse in your fingertip and displays it as a wave. HRV is considered to be the most accurate, non-invasive measurement of your nervous system activity. HRV biofeedback is clinically proven over decades of peer-reviewed research to promote stress relief and relaxation training.

The wave is like a window into your nervous system. When you're stressed, your wave is jagged and spiky; when you're relaxed, your wave becomes smooth and consistent, like a sine wave.

How You Use It
The StressEraser uses simple biofeedback symbols — squares and triangles — to cue your breathing. Triangles indicate the "peak" of the wave — that is, the fastest point of your heart rate in your HRV cycle. Squares provide a scoring system for your waves, so you know when you are focused and breathing properly.

Your goal is to time your inhale/exhale rate so that you begin your exhale at the moment that the triangle appears at the wave peak. It may take several triangles for you to completely sync up, so be patient. There's no hurry! Remember your goal is to relax.

Studies show that HRV biofeedback shows more benefits over time. After a few days and weeks, you'll be able to relax in just minutes. The more you use it, the better you'll feel!

What's in the Box
StressEraser personal biofeedback device, Owner's Manual, Quick-Start card, Warranty registration card, two AAA batteries, protective case


1.) StressEraser Breathwave shows impact of breathing on heart rate;
2.) Daily Points help you establish performance benchmarks;
3.) Timer allows you to set session limits;
4.) Sound option enables you to use with eyes closed;
5.) Screen light enables you to use the StressEraser in the dark;

Package Height x Length x Width: 8 in. x 8 in. x 5 in.
Package Weight: 1.1 lbs.

Accessories for StressEraser Portable Biofeedback Device