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Vagus nerve stimulators are the latest wellness gadget doing the rounds on social media, promising to calm your nervous system and help you get better sleep.
As a sleep writer, I know not all trending sleep hacks and tech (uh-hum mouth tape) are worth your time or money. However, I've been intrigued by the rise in research on the vagus nerve and vagus nerve stimulation and its impact on sleep.
A couple of months back I tried Pulsetto, a dog-collar device that stimulates the vagus nerve. While I could see its potential, my final verdict was "save your dollars".
Yet here I am giving vagus nerve stimulation a second chance. This time I'm testing Nurosym, a stimulator that clips onto your ear. Here's how my week of testing went...
What is the Nurosym?
The Nurosym is a non-invasive medical device developed by neurotechnology company Parasym. Worn on the ear, it sends targeted electrical signals to the brain via the vagus nerve, priming the nervous system to combat stress and improve sleep.
These targeted signals significantly modulate the nervous system, increasing parasympathetic activity known as the body's natural "rest and digest" response while mitigating the "fight or flight" stress reaction. Parasym’s clinical studies revealed Nurosym can improve sleep by 19% as well as reducing fatigue by 48%.
Dr. Elisabeth Burchi, practicing doctor of psychiatry at Parasym, explains the aim of Nurosym is to restore the rest and digest response in the body in an overstimulated world where people are overwhelmed by stressors.
To clarify, the device is called Nurosym in the UK (which is the one I tested) and NuroPod in the US. They are the same devices, they just operate under different names.
What are the benefits of vagus nerve stimulation?
Firstly, to understand the benefits of vagus nerve stimulation, it's important to understand what the vagus nerve is.
The vagus nerve is a key element in the parasympathetic nervous system that, Dr. Burchi explains carries "parasympathetic fibers in the body" and maintains "balance" between the fight or flight response and the rest and digest one.
When the vagus nerve is stimulated, the body remains in rest and digest and feels calm.
Vagus nerve stimulation involves using a device, be it a collar, ear piece or headband, that sends electrical impulses to the vagus nerve.
This helps lower blood pressure and heart rate, contributes to better cardiovascular health, promotes relaxation, reduces stress and anxiety and provides pain relief, which all lead the way to better quality sleep.
My first thoughts on Nurosym
Setting up the Nurosym was a pleasantly easy process. Unlike a lot of sleep tech these days including the best sunrise alarm clocks and even smart sleep masks, you needn't connect the Nurosym to any compatible app to operate it.
You simply charge it up with the cable provided, clip it over the tragus of your left ear and set the timer and intensity via a four-button remote.
The device comes with an easy-to-follow instruction manual to guide you through the process too. Honestly, it hard to go wrong, even for technophobes.
Putting Nurosym to the test
Despite being a generally ace sleeper (it is my job, after all, to find the best ways and products to optimize my sleep), when I received the Nurosym for testing, I was going through a particularly stressful week. Work was busy during a major mattress sale period and I had other stress lingering around me.
I'm aware of how stress can impact sleep and noticed my sleep scores were starting to dip. So, I was intrigued to find out whether the Nurosym device could help minimize the negative impact this it was having on my sleep.
The first night
Curious but cautious, I clipped the device to my ear, set a 30 minute timer (this time is advised by Dr. Burchi for a beginner), turned the intensity up to 18 (Dr. Burchi explains this will depend on your sensitivity threshold, and I didn't feel any sensation until I reached this level) and laid down, eyes-closed in a fresh bed.
As subtle tingles shot into my ear, I questioned is this really safe? It felt unnerving having the impulses so close to my head. But I persevered and after 10 minutes I got used to the sensation and it did, in fact, start to feel relaxing.
Half an hour and a couple of pages of my book later, I was feeling more relaxed. I removed the device, put my book down and fell asleep in 12 minutes, according to my Oura Ring — a good sleep latency considering I'd spent the night before tossing and turning for 20 minutes.
It may be placebo or the act of reading that helped me wind down, but I was impressed by Nurosym at this point.
The rest of the week
For the rest of the week, I stuck to a 30 minute Nurosym session each night as part of my wind-down routine. Bar one night where I used the Nurosym between finishing work and heading to the cinema.
On this night, my Oura Ring predicted I fell asleep at 20:21 when I was in fact mid-film in the cinema.
Had the Nurosym calmed my nervous system that much my heart rate dropped to sleeping-level while watching a movie? Potentially, considering my ring is usually a lot more accurate.
Besides, the other nights I used the Nurosym I put it on in bed while simply laying down relaxing without any other stimulation.
Even if it wasn't the Nurosym directly improving my sleep, testing the device reminded me to take time to sit and relax at bedtime rather than getting carried away scrolling Instagram reels (though you shouldn't pay $900 for a device when all you need a little discipline to do this in the first place).
Anyhow, once used to the tingling sensation in my ear, I started to enjoy using the Nurosym and soon associated the sensation with relaxation.
I increased the intensity by a level or two each night, reaching 25 by the end of the week which didn't feel too intense, but certainly felt more powerful than my starting point.
By the end of the week, my sleep score had seen recovery, keeping above 80 every night I used Nurosym. I was also feeling much better rested than I was at the start of the week.
Are there any drawbacks?
As a non-invasive device, the risks are generally low with Nurosym. But there are some considerations to make.
For example, it can be too stimulating for highly sensitive people, can cause temporary dizziness and skin irritation at the application site. Plus it's not advised for pregnant women, people with sleep apnea or people with implanted electrical devices like pacemakers.
Though it is generally safe to use alongside existing treatments or medications, if you're unsure whether Nurosym is suitable for you, it's recommend you consult your healthcare provider.
The only other drawback is the expensive of the device. At $900/£599, it is a hefty investment and will only be worth it for people whose sleep is severely disrupted by stress or anxiety.
Nurosym vs Pulsetto
As aforementioned, the Nurosym is the second vagus nerve stimulator I've tested, behind the Pulsetto. So, how do the two compare?
If money was no object, I'd buy the Nurosym over Pulsetto. Personally, I found it more comfortable to wear (I am super squeamish about things touching my neck) and it was easier to slip on each night.
With Pulsetto, applying an electrode gel felt like a faff and if it wasn't applied properly, or the device moved out of place when laying down, you couldn't feel the stimulation.
But of course, Nurosym is a lot more expensive than Pulsetto. For a device that could, after all, offer nothing but a placebo effect, I'd rather be $224 worse off than $900 worse off.
Verdict: Is the Nurosym worth it?
Honestly, after testing, I wouldn't advise the average sleepers rushs to buy the Nurosym.
It's a great device with plenty of certified science verifying how it can help reduce stress and improve sleep.
But, costing more than even the best mattresses we've tested this year, it’s a huge investment that will easily blow your sleep budget. With the risk of Nurosym being a placebo effect, the average sleeper is better off investing in creating a comfortable, supportive sleep set up to get the best quality ZZZs.
That said, people who lead highly stressful lives, and are seriously struggling to sleep because of that, would benefit from a vagus nerve stimulator. And in this case, I recommend Nurosym over Pulsetto.
Though there are other, free sleep-promoting habits one should try first. Here's a quick list:
- Stick to a consistent sleep schedule: Waking up at the same time each day helped me get good sleep while handling the stress of college.
- Take an evening walk: Our senior sleep writer Ruth swears a stroll later in the day tells her brain it's time to relax.
- Maintain a familiar bedtime routine: Our sleep editor Nicola says a well-established nighttime routine, no matter your age, can help align your circadian rhythm so you fall asleep faster.
- Write a to-do list: Our senior sleep writer Frances finds writing a to-do list for the following day helps your mind feel calm before hitting the hay.
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