StimScience, the neuroscience-based sleep company, has appointed Tim Rosa, a former Fitbit executive, as its new CEO.

Rosa’s appointment marks a step forward for the company’s flagship product line, Somnee, a personalized, smart sleep headband that employs non-invasive, closed-loop neurostimulation to enhance sleep quality and duration.

“With StimScience, the team has pioneered and delivered lab-grade technology in a sleep headband that accurately maps and measures brainwave patterns and applies personalized tES neurostimulation that nudges the brain to sleep,” Rosa said.

With a proven track record in launching world-class brands and products, Rosa is aiming to guide StimScience through its next phase of growth and innovation. As the former chief marketing officer of Fitbit, he scaled the company from a small startup into a household name, with over 140 million devices sold in 100-plus countries. 

“There’s a lot of exciting clinical research and momentum validating the importance of sleep fitness and its impact on cognitive performance, athletic performance, mental health, general health, and even weight loss,” Rosa said. “Wearables have done a great job educating consumers on their general sleep stage trends and insights. The challenge for most consumer-grade devices has been creating a closed-loop, lab-grade diagnostic in combination with a personalized therapeutic that adapts with the user and ultimately improves sleep onset, duration, and/or depth.”

Rosa added that he’s “excited to partner with wearables, sleep products and services, and healthcare to close that loop and improve outcomes for 100 million consumers.”

The Future of Sleep Science?

As the first company to approach sleep improvement through personalized closed-loop neurostimulation, StimScience claims its device is proven to cut the time it takes to fall asleep in half and improve sleep quality with only 15 minutes of use. It also claims Somnee is four times as effective as a melatonin pill, twice as effective as cognitive behavior therapy, and one-and-a-half as effective as Ambien in improving sleep efficiency and duration. Somnee markets itself as the “future of sleep.”

Rosa’s recruitment was backed by Dr. Matthew Walker, PhD, the author of New York Times bestseller “Why We Sleep: The New Science of Sleep and Dreams,” and chief sleep advisor at Somnee.

“Sleep is increasingly recognized as one of the most fundamental habits not only for our day-to-day functioning, concentration, mood, and body health, but also for continued brain and body wellness as we age,” Walker noted.

Venture capital firm Khosla Ventures also supports StimScience.

“We backed Somnee because the team had every component needed to bring forward clinical-grade consumer technology to change the face of sleep. Since our initial investment, this thesis is proving itself out,” said Vinod Khosla, a tech investor and founder of Khosla Ventures. “With Tim at the helm, Somnee can now scale to bridge a foundational health gap and cement itself as an iconic brand that carries weight with consumers, the medical and sleep health communities.” 

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In its efforts to help the fitness and wellness community catch more quality z’s every night, SleepScore Labs is widening its net. 

In partnership with the Lake Nona Impact Forum, SleepScore, the global leader in enterprise-ready sleep science and improvement, will make its SleepScore APIs available across many health and fitness apps. Doing so will enable users of participating apps to sleep better and reap an abundance of ancillary health benefits. In turn, SleepScore APIs will strengthen engagement and retention across those apps. 

“We are delighted to bring the power of our evidence-based sleep improvement solutions to the many great health and wellness apps that would benefit from improved engagement, retention, and outcomes,” said Uma Shivanand, head of product at SleepScore Labs. “It’s our mission to make a meaningful impact in this vital aspect of people’s lives.”

With data from 230-plus scientific studies, 61 peer-reviewed publications and over 360 million hours of contextual sleep data, SleepScore APIs help users unlock improved sleep habits. After gathering a user’s sleep data through wearables, the program logs and compares it before laying out a personalized sleep journey, presenting sleep content material, a cognitive behavioral therapy option and a sleep coaching system. SleepScore users enjoy between 10 to 26 extra hours of sleep per month, the platform says.

With quality rest in high demand, those results promise to drive engagement once applied to new platforms. SleepScore already has a proven track record in that regard, reportedly delivering three to four daily engagements and a retention rate after 30 days of 60%, topping the industry average of 8%. 

The release of SleepScore APIs comes as an emphasis on sleep as a form of personal wellness only continues to grow. Therabody and United recently agreed on a partnership to offer sleep-nurturing amenities on flights after noticing an increase in demand for improved sleep while traveling. 

Centr, Chris Hemsworth’s fitness and wellness platform also recently released a new audio series aimed at improving users’ sleep performance. LumosTech, a sleep-specific tech company, partnered with the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun last season to enhance sleep routines with light therapy products.

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Samsung officially introduced the Galaxy Ring, its latest innovation in wearables, at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona. The new device marks the South Korean tech giant’s first venture into the smart ring category and the emergence of a key competitor for market leaders like Oura.

The Galaxy Ring comes equipped with a variety of sensors designed to monitor key health metrics such as heart rate, sleep patterns, respiratory rate and the time it takes for a user to fall asleep. The information will populate what Samsung calls “MyVitality Score,” which offers personalized health insights based on these different metrics. 

Despite the arrival of a new competitor, Oura CEO Tom Hale called Samsung’s entry into the smart ring space a positive for the industry as a whole.

“New players entering the space is validation for the category and drives us to aim higher to serve our members and community,” Hale told TechCrunch.

Although Samsung has smartphones and smartwatches, the Galaxy Ring caters to different consumer needs, noted Hon Pak, head of the digital health team at Samsung Electronics.

“Our own customers told us, I want choice. I want the ability to have other forms of wearables to measure health,” Pak told CNBC. “And some want to wear the watch, some want to wear the watch and the ring and get benefit from both. Some just want more simplicity.”

The Galaxy Ring is designed to work seamlessly with Samsung’s smartwatches, providing users with a comprehensive overview of their health when used in tandem. One of the most anticipated features of the ring is its ability to monitor noninvasive glucose levels and blood pressure, a significant advancement in health technology. Samsung is also researching how best to use artificial intelligence to give deeper insights into a person’s health. 

“Imagine (a) large language model, acting as my digital assistant, while looking at the context of my medical records, my physiological data, my engagement with a mobile device, the wearables during all of that … begins to bring greater insights and personalization opportunities,” Pak said. “A digital assistant coach is (…) absolutely needed.” 

The smart ring market could grow to $1 billion or more by the 2030s, according to industry estimates. Samsung’s entrance into the space seems to be a validation of the market’s growth potential.

Oura, the category’s leader by far, has around 100 granted patents, with almost 30 pending patents, which could suggest potential intellectual property disputes down the line between major players.

In addition to brands like Movano (Evie Ring) and RingConn looking to capture market share by offering differentiating features like a focus on women’s health and no subscription fees, there are rumors that Apple could look to enter the space with a smart ring of its own.

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The key to engaged, productive Gen Z and Millennial employees is an investment in well-being, finds Lifesum, a global healthy eating platform used by Amazon, GE and PayPal.

At the core of Lifesum’s recent 2024 State of Healthy Eating and Well-being report is an eye-opening statistic that nearly 71% of Gen Z and Millennials would quit their job tomorrow in favor of one that better supports their overall well-being. The report also highlights the projected trends stemming from the desires of the most coveted consumers. 

The healthy eating platform surveyed 10,000 Gen Z and Millennials, finding that 69% would be more productive if their employer improved their well-being. Meanwhile, 31% would even consider a pay cut in exchange for a happier and healthier work environment, showing just how invested young workers are in their well-being.

Markus Falk, Lifesum CEO, says the report is a “wake-up call” for employers who need to grasp the needs of Gen Z and Millennials, who he says are redefining company loyalty by prioritizing personal well-being in career choices. 

“The report underscores how a nutrition-first approach can foster long-term well-being, benefiting mental, physical and emotional health,” Falk said. “This, in turn, enhances workplace productivity and satisfaction.” 

An accurate picture of overwhelmed Gen Z and Millennials has continued to materialize, as seen by the American Psychological Association’s 2023 Stress in America findings. The report sounds the alarm that younger populations are not only plagued with stress but demonstrate higher stress levels than the generations before them. Experts say inflation, isolation and difficulty accessing health care are all contributing factors.

With numerous stressors swirling around in the minds of Gen Z and Millennial workers, Lifesum points out that employers can assist staff in resiliency-supporting corporate wellness offerings that benefit staff but also reduce absenteeism, boost productivity and increase a company’s bottom line.

Lifesum’s 2024 State of Healthy Eating and Well-being report dived into factors that the platform says create a fulfilling work experience, such as health and wellness goals, mental health and sleep.

Here are the findings:

Young Consumers Snack Their Way to Wellness  

Gen Z and Millennials ranked their top three health and wellness goals with physical fitness leading the charge (88%), followed by mental health and stress management (71%) and then sleep quality (54%).

Lifesum found that workplace stress is deemed a “critical concern” for young workers, with 75% willing to cut ties with their employer over a toxic working environment. 

The report also highlighted emerging trends in the health and wellness space, with functional foods resonating with Gen Z and Millennials, 73% of whom eat for “enhanced energy,” while 61% are looking for improved mental health. Lifesum found that 40% eat their way to more restful sleep, noting that “snackable supplements” that incorporate valuable vitamins and protein are popular with younger consumers.  

Lifesum projects that this year will see a rise in stress-relieving adaptogenic foods, such as mushroom latte powders, and sleep-inducing foods with melatonin and magnesium.

Target has also ramped up its shelves and ecommerce site with over a thousand wellness-supporting products at cost-conscious price points across skincare, supplements, functional beverages, vitamins and more — seemingly to prepare for wellness-seeking young consumers.

The Intersection of Sleep & Nourishment 

As stress plays a significant role in eating habits and sleep quality, it makes sense that Gen Z and Millennials are looking to improve on all ends — and are aware of the connection between sleep and nutrition. With one in three Americans not getting enough sleep, Mindbody predicted that sleep hygiene will be a top trend for 2024 — a finding supported by Lifesum. 

Lifesum’s report found that 50% of respondents say their dietary decisions are essential to their energy levels during the day, while 83% seriously contemplate modifying their eating habits in exchange for a more restful sleep.

Based on those findings, Lifesum predicts that there will be a rise in foods rich in sleep-inducing nutrients and tech-based solutions such as its sleep tracking feature with Oura, which gives users a behind-the-scenes look into how diet impacts sleep patterns (and vice versa).

“Gen Z and Millennials deeply value the intersection of sleep and nutrition,” Falk said. “Corporate wellness programs will increasingly acknowledge how sleep and nutrition impact productivity and overall well-being, which will lead to a comprehensive strategy that optimizes a healthy work-life balance.”

Drivers of the Longevity Boom

The growing awareness of longevity modalities may have wellness seekers rushing to book IV drips, saunas and cold plunges. Still, Gen Z and Millennials are already ahead of the game, with 51% of survey respondents sharing that they are actively engaged in longevity and well-being practices. Moreover, 56% consider taking “immediate action” to enhance longevity. 

Such data is a solid foundation for a rise in personalized nutrition programs, sustainable and mindful eating habits and mental health programs, according to Lifesum. 

“Organizational culture plays a pivotal role in shaping employee well-being and workplace outcomes,” Falk said. “The report underscores how Gen Z and Millennials use nutrition to promote overall wellness across various aspects of their lives. This will have a knock-on effect for employers and pave the way for nutrition-first corporate wellness strategies that optimize employee health and productivity.”

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Halo Hydration, an advanced hydration and performance drink company behind the world’s first hydrating latte, has entered the new year with a reformulated line of its premium hydration powders, supported by notable ambassadors such as renowned tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou and celebrity fitness trainer Don Saladino.

Having expanded from its e-commerce presence into U.S.-based retail locations, Halo is currently found in Ingles, Cub Foods, United Supermarkets, Market Street, DeCA and AAFES, and is planning additional product launches.

“Halo Hydration is on a mission to inspire how the world hydrates,” said Anshuman Vohra, Hydration founder and CEO. “Our products are meticulously crafted to elevate how individuals feel, perform and recover. We’re excited to introduce these new offerings that provide advanced hydration in caffeinated and non-caffeinated variants.”

Saladino, a fitness expert and trainer who has worked with Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Blake Lively, John Krasinski, Emily Blunt and others, spoke with Athletech News about the importance of hydration to overall wellness and Halo’s next-gen, electrolyte-packed hydration products. 

The Importance of Sodium for Sleep & Energy

“There’s a large population of Americans that are dehydrated,” Saladino, who is training Reynolds for “Deadpool 3,” said. “Hydration is one of the most important components of wellness that I focus on. When sitting and speaking with anyone before an exercise regimen, one of the first questions I ask is ‘What is your water consumption? How is your hydration?’ and then we take the conversation from there.”

Certified organic and low in sugar, Halo Hydration comes in convenient powder sticks for on-the-go hydration. Packed with as many electrolytes and minerals as eight 500 ml bottles of mineral water, it exceeds the electrolyte, vitamin and mineral content of other sports drinks. In addition to its caffeinated Hydrating Latte line, Halo offers non-caffeinated products with hydration powders in Pink Lemonade, Peach, and Mixed Berry flavors.

“Halo Hydration really is a magical product,” Saladino said. “I know the hydration drink (market) has been very saturated over the last decade, but this is something different. The quality is exceptional, but also, I think the benefits it brings into the human body are next level.”

Saladino touched on the importance of sodium in a healthy diet, underscoring its significance to well-being and fitness. 

“I think people were always under the assumption that salt was bad and actually, salt can be one of the most important nutrients for your body,” he explained. “Sodium is what allows our brain to function, our heart to pump and our muscles to contract. Halo Hydration has packaged a very high-quality sodium content, which is so important for our overall health and performance.”

Although health-conscious consumers may follow a low-salt diet, focusing on lean proteins, vegetables and slow-burning carbohydrates while drinking half their body weight in ounces of water, Saladino warns that they may inadvertently flush out essential nutrients, decreasing valuable sodium levels.

Saladino also reports a positive shift in clients who opt for Halo Hydration as a solution with its quality built-in salt.

“I’m finding that people who are starting to trust the process are getting a lot more benefit out of their energy levels,” he said. “Their performance is going through the roof, and their sleep quality is improving because now they’re not waking up three or four times to pee at night.” 

Mindful Caffeine Consumption

Coffee drinkers may be aware that their daily dose of caffeine is dehydrating, but still look forward to reaching for their morning cup of coffee. As Saladino advises, hydrating with salt first thing in the morning is essential, and with Halo’s Hydrating Lattes, consumers can now hydrate and caffeinate all at once.

“Most of the time when we travel, we get access to really poor forms of coffee for caffeine,” he said. “The coffee bean is one of the most heavily polluted crops out there. Now I can pack a few (Hydrating Lattes packets) in my bag and travel with it.”

As Saladino points out, the Hydrating Lattes packets aren’t too high in caffeine, so they shouldn’t cause unpleasant effects, such as jitters or an eventual crash.

“Two of these packets are going to be the equivalent of, say, one Starbucks coffee so you can go back for that second and not feel guilty for it,” he said. “It’s really a smarter way to consume caffeine; it’s a more thoughtful and controlled way to consume caffeine.”

Halo’s Hydrating Lattes comes in flavors such as Iced Caramel Latte, Iced Vanilla Latte and Iced Mocha Latte, with caffeine sourced from real coffee and a proprietary blend of electrolytes and non-dairy creamer. 

“They’re absolutely delicious,”  Saladino said of Halo Hydrating Lattes packets. “To have just that right amount of caffeine to where you’re alert and you’re able to utilize caffeine to its potential — we want to make sure it’s a supplement that we’re consuming to our advantage, and there is so much incredible research out there on caffeine and coffee consumption in relation to preventing heart disease or cardiovascular health.”

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Wellness is on everyone’s mind, and while related products and services seem to be abundant, some consumers are feeling unsatisfied in specific categories, presenting an enormous opportunity for businesses. 

Between technological developments, product innovation and a rise in chronic disease, the wellness industry growth continues to grow. Some medical experts even suggest that the pandemic prompted many consumers to take charge of their health, either by making more mindful choices or taking increased ownership of their overall well-being. 

Regardless of what’s fueling the industry, here are the seven wellness trends shaping the $1.8 trillion global wellness market this year and where opportunities loom, according to findings from leading management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, which released its Future of Wellness survey.

Women’s Health

According to McKinsey’s data, consumers spent the most on items related to menopause and pregnancy in the last year. However, menopause remains an “overlooked segment,” with a meager 5% of start-ups catering to the needs of menopausal customers.

Other products — such as menstrual and intimate care, fertility support, pregnancy and motherhood and even women-focused healthcare facilities — all provide opportunities for companies to expand their offerings and services to meet the needs of women, notes McKinsey.

Longevity

If there is a predicted wellness buzzword for 2024, it’s “longevity.” The rising adoption of preventive medicine alongside advancements in digital health monitoring and anti-aging products has consumers confident that they can not only survive but thrive. 

The blossoming longevity space had nearly 70 percent of U.K. and U.S. consumers purchasing more longevity-supporting products and services in this area in the past year versus prior years, with over 60 percent of consumers revealing it “very” or “extremely” important to purchase items or services that support healthy aging and longevity. 

It’s also a sector that has attracted a cross-generation of consumers, with even younger people investing in preventive solutions to beat the clock.

Weight Management

It comes as little surprise that weight management would appear on a wellness trends list, especially with the rise of GLP-1 weight loss drugs.

Although McKinsey notes that exercise is still the leading weight management intervention in the U.S., over 50 percent of consumers consider weight loss drugs an effective intervention. In contrast, consumers in the U.K. and China aren’t entirely sold on its promises, with less than 30 percent considering GLP-1s effective.

Despite the soaring popularity of Ozempic and Wegovy, McKinsey acknowledges it’s too early to predict how GLP-1s will affect the consumer health and wellness market but notes that companies should continue to monitor the space.

In-Person Fitness

Great news for the fitness industry: roughly 50 percent of U.S. gym-goers report that fitness is a “core part” of their identity, with Gen Z consumers indicating that fitness is a “very high priority,” finds McKinsey. 

Areas such as in-person fitness classes and personal training are where consumers expect to spend more, according to the report, while maintaining their spending on fitness memberships and apps. 

While encouraging news, fitness businesses need to work hard to retain consumers in an area of wide selection and competition. However, by offering a solid facility, convenient locations and hours, and loyalty programs, fitness businesses are more likely to maintain their clients. Building a strong sense of community and offering out-of-the-box experiences, such as retreats or even nutritional coaching and personalized workout plans, can also help retain clients.

Gut Health

Over 80 percent of consumers in the U.S., U.K. and China report that gut health is vital to their wellbeing, with over 50 percent anticipating it will become a higher priority in the next two to three years. 

That being said, one-third of U.S. and U.K. consumers and half of Chinese consumers wish there were more products to support their gut health.

At-home microbiome testing and personalized nutrition are two areas where companies can zero in on meeting the needs of gut-health-concerned consumers.

Sexual Health

Chances are high that if you wander the aisle of a local pharmacy or department store, you may spot an increase in sexual-health-supporting products than ever before. According to McKinsey, 87 percent of U.S. consumers report having spent the same or more on sexual health products in the past year than in the year before. 

Although such products may have been sold online during the pandemic, retailers have begun to reserve shelf space for in-person purchasing, leading to opportunities for “disruptor brands” to reach new consumers.

Sleep

Catching Zs remains the one area where consumers have the most unmet needs, reveals McKinsey — and few tech companies or brands have yet to introduce a way to improve consumer sleep on a holistic level.

The need for a restful night is the second-highest health and wellness priority for consumers, so the need is great for companies to improve sleep quality with data-backed products.

The post These 7 Trends Are Shaping the $1.8T Wellness Market appeared first on Athletech News.

Dr. Biquan Luo, PhD, founded LumosTech and created the brand’s flagship Lumos Sleep Mask in 2016 as a way to combat jetlag. As a student, Dr. Luo traveled frequently between her hometown in Asia and the U.S., and wanted a way to improve her sleep while on the move. Eight years later, the Lumos Sleep Mask is now used by the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun and athletes including Josh Kerr, an Olympic Bronze Medalist and 2023 World Champion in the 1500-meter run.

Kerr told Athletech News he’s been using the Lumos Mask to stay fresh and while traveling to and from races overseas, although he also uses the mask during domestic travel.

“I often race overseas, and the mask has become an integral part of my travel process,” Kerr said. “For a trip from the U.S. to Europe, I typically use the jet lag module starting the day prior to travel, and for 1-2 days after I arrive. When I travel back to the States, the mask allows me to resume training at a high level with very little lag.”

Athletech News spoke with Dr. Luo, who serves as CEO of Lumos, about her journey in founding the brand and how Lumos’ sleep technology can be used by professional athletes and everyday health and wellness enthusiasts alike.

The following conversation has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

Athletech News: Can you tell us about your background and what inspired you to create Lumos?

Dr. Biquan Luo: As a bioscientist trained at the University of Southern California and Stanford, I was always passionate about bringing science into everyday life. My journey of founding Lumos began with a personal struggle—jet lag. While at Stanford, I met Dr. Jamie Zeitzer, a renowned scientist known for understanding how the human body’s natural clock affects sleep. I was an international student frequently traveling between the United States and my hometown in Asia. From this research, I immediately saw the potential ending of jet lag. So Lumos was born as a perfect science-based solution to a problem that I personally care greatly about.

ATN: What’s Lumos’ biggest differentiator is in the saturated sleep tech market?

BL: Lumos stands out in the world of sleep tech through three key differentiators: Firstly, we offer active solutions that actively assist users struggling with poor sleep, rather than just monitoring. Secondly, our passive solutions require minimal changes in user behavior, making them easy to adopt seamlessly into daily routines. Most importantly, our entire approach is deeply grounded in scientific research. With positive data from multiple IRB-approved human-subject studies, we’re on a mission to create evidence-based solutions that empower everyone to pursue their dreams and aspirations without compromising their sleep.

ATN: Can Lumos’ sleep tech be extended to everyday people looking to improve their health and wellness?

BL: The technology behind Lumos offers tailored solutions to people who have poor sleep due to the body’s natural circadian clock, the natural rhythm that determines when we sleep and wake up, being out of sync. The number of people being affected is surprisingly high. In fact, one in three people experience poor sleep due to the desynchronization of their body clock, meaning that they are not sleeping at the optimal time when their bodies are naturally most inclined to sleep. The most commonly known examples are jet lag and night shift. More commonplace yet often overlooked are struggles with falling asleep, waking up feeling groggy or enjoying late nights on weekends and facing challenges returning to the 9-5 routine come Monday. Through resynchronizing the body’s circadian clock, improvements can be expected in these sleep-related issues.

ATN: How has the Lumos Mask evolved over the years?

BL: Lumos started as a product for jet lag and later broadened its scope to encompass various sleep challenges, such as night shifts, difficulty waking up, or experiencing grogginess upon awakening. Currently, we offer multiple modules tailored to different sleep schedules, including our latest addition designed to aid the transition between daylight saving time and standard time.

ATN: Could Lumos look to expand beyond sleep?

BL: Circadian rhythm impacts more than just sleep, and we plan to leverage our expertise to impact a variety of processes. The body’s internal circadian clock influences hormone production, metabolism, physical strength, perceived exertion, cognitive acuity and more. Lumos’ goal is to connect tools and programs to positively impact varied processes including sleep, nutrition and training. We can provide the user with a comprehensive toolkit of tailored solutions to optimize their performance and overall well-being.

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Centr, the fitness and wellness platform founded by Chris Hemsworth, has released “Power Sleep with Chris Hemsworth,” a new audio series designed to unlock users’ potential with the power of sleep. The seven-episode series isn’t just about being lulled to sleep; it offers an approach to unlocking mental and physical potential through adequate rest and recovery. 

Each episode, featuring audio from Hemsworth and backed by the endorsement of sleep experts, focuses on specific aspects of sleep, offering a diverse range of techniques and tips. Research has proven that high-quality sleep is integral for muscle building, fat loss, performance enhancement, injury prevention and mental well-being. The growing global growing for sleep aids, projected to reach $125.3 billion by 2027, underscores society’s recognition of the pivotal role sleep plays in overall health and performance. 

The “Power Sleep” series comprises seven episodes, each with a unique focus and purpose. Each episode deals with common issues ranging from leaving the stress of a hard day behind to providing a guide for waking up energizing and calm for the day ahead:

• Episode 1:  Bring on tomorrow – Sleep with purpose and wake up refreshed.
• Episode 2:  Goodnight, tough day – Leave a busy day behind and kick-start recovery with a breathing technique that will calm your nervous system. 
• Episode 3: The body at sleep – A meandering, ASMR-inspired sleep story about the restorative journey your body goes on at night.
• Episode 4: Beach bliss – Part soundscape, part guided meditation – listen as Chris guides you from the beach through the waves.
• Episode 5: Repeat after me – Use the power of repetition and slow wave music to reduce activity in the cerebral cortex and calm a worried mind.
• Episode 6: SOS get back to sleep – When you’re awake in the middle of the night, this audio helps you set the stage for sleep.
• Episode 7: Wake up energy – Waking up well is a key part of a quality sleep routine. Use this audio to create calm, focused energy for the day ahead.

Centr’s New Strategy

Centr’s new sleep series is the latest among several recent announcements and updates for the company. The brand has tapped Asensei to create AI-powered fitness experiences driven by advanced computer vision for human movement and fitness equipment recognition.

Centr released a new line of at-home fitness equipment, including a Centr 1 Home Gym, a functional fitness cable machine and accessories that are available at Walmart.com and in 3,000 Walmart stores nationwide. Centr also recently entered the competitive fitness space, partnering with Hyrox on custom-branded equipment.

The new product launches are part of CEO Andrew Sugerman’s plans to turn Centr into a connected health and fitness “ecosystem” where consumers can engage with a wide array of fitness and wellness-related physical products and digital content, all under the Centr brand.

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Most travelers or workers with variable sleep schedules have intense routines. Blackout curtains, sleep medications and caffeine have been prior solutions to such problems. But what if there were a way to use natural light to solve such sleep issues, even while on the road? 

The Lumos Sleep System from LumosTech uses science and engineering to help consumers stick to a personalized sleep routine, even during hectic travel schedules. The mask uses patented light technology to simulate a gentler version of morning sunlight to wake you up, acting as a natural stimulus. The system also allows you to input your current sleep habits and anticipated schedule to design a best-fit program. 

Good sleep is dependent on circadian rhythms. Jamie Zeitzer, an associate professor at Stanford University, discovered that short pulses of light delivered while people were asleep could change circadian rhythms. Vanessa Burns and Biquan Luo, co-founders of LumosTech, came across Zeitzer’s research and licensed it for a sleep mask. The Lumos Mask delivers 3-millisecond flashes of light to shift your internal clock three to four hours while you sleep, as pulsing light is more effective than constant light for shifting your schedule. 

Athletech News put the Lumos Mask to the test for several months to see how the product fared in different sleep situations. 

Pros

The mask is soft and doesn’t get too warm despite its thickness from the hardware. The cover is machine washable, allowing for the removal of its hardware. Those who sleep on their faces might find the mask too bulky for comfortable sleep. However, as a side sleeper, I found the mask fairly comfortable despite my initial reservations due to its size. The best way to use the mask is while sitting up, which makes it ideal for travel. Because the hardware is at the front of the mask, while leaning against a travel pillow or one’s hand, the bulkiness is less apparent. Another major benefit of the mask is that the straps are adjustable, which prevents it from slipping off one’s face during the night. 

Although I have sensitive eyes that water in bright sunlight, I found the light bright but not jarring as a wake-up call. The warm light was reminiscent of sunlight, as opposed to a harsher form of light. 

The app is well organized and allows for a lot of precision when entering information about upcoming travel plans or night shift schedules. The app is very centered around personal routines, which one could see as either a positive or a negative, depending on your schedule. Under “Set Schedule,” the options are “Schedule Trip,” “Night Shift,” “Adjust Bedtime” and “Rise & Shine.” For “Schedule Trip,” you can input your flight’s departure and arrival times and locations. It can even take layovers into consideration. For “Night Shift,” it allows you to input the day that you start your shift, how many nights are included in the rotation, and sleep and wake times during a night shift rotation, and during a normal day. For “Adjust Bedtime,” you can change your sleep schedule based on if you want to go to sleep and wake up earlier, or go to sleep and wake up later. 

Cons

Because of the Lumos Mask’s hardware, it’s not as flexible and soft as other sleep mask alternatives on the market. There were a few nights when I felt the hardware against my face while lying on my side. However, it does stay put due to the adjustable straps, which helps keep the hardware in place at the front of one’s face. 

Many of the app’s options, particularly “Schedule Trip” and “Night Shift” are more time-intensive and complicated. For someone with a long journey or a night shift schedule, the mask might be a great fit. For someone who merely wants to casually use the mask on an overnight flight to wake up after a nap, it may be too complicated. For “Rise & Shine,” you can use a Sunrise Alarm to start your day. This was the most flexible option, since if you already had an alarm pre-set, you could adjust it. However, the app does now allow for a simple naptime wakeup call if you hadn’t already pre-set an alarm. 

Final Thoughts

The Lumos Mask is a fantastic sleep solution for the pervasive problem of jetlag and scheduling. I was impressed by its rigorous inputs and algorithm for calculating how best to adjust one’s sleep schedule. The mask seems best for someone with a difficult travel or night shift schedule, like athletes or healthcare workers. 

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Oura, the company behind the innovative smart ring, and Talkspace, a leading online behavioral health company, have partnered to give users new ways to share their personalized sleep data with licensed therapists. 

Oura’s newly launched Share Report feature allows users to share their data with healthcare professionals. It compiles comprehensive reports showcasing their sleep quality and daily movement patterns over specific time frames. The data is shared at the discretion of the Oura ring user, ensuring privacy. 

“Both Oura and Talkspace believe in pioneering new ways of integrating physical and mental health, helping people to improve their quality of life,” said Dorothy Kilroy, chief commercial officer at Oura. “Oura’s Share Report allows practitioners a complete picture of how their patients are doing in between visits. This can have a ripple effect; the more fluent and literate people are about their own bodies, the better equipped they are to have helpful conversations with providers about their mental health and overall wellbeing.”

Talkspace therapists can use this data to tailor their treatment plans, goal setting and progress tracking more effectively. Sleep can be an effective marker of mental health.

“Sleep quality is one of the first items assessed on our patient intake,” said Katelyn Watson, chief marketing officer at Talkspace. “By bringing together Oura’s capabilities with Talkspace’s clinical expertise, we are empowering members to look holistically at how they can improve their health and well-being at work and in life.”

Oura has not only developed the Share Report feature but has also provided guidance to Talkspace’s extensive network of licensed therapists, psychiatrists, and psychiatric nurse practitioners. This support ensures that these professionals can interpret the data effectively and incorporate it into their clients’ care plans.

To celebrate the partnership, Oura and Talkspace are offering promotions to their respective members for a limited time. Oura members will receive a $40 discount on any purchase of the Oura Ring, along with one complimentary month of the Oura App subscription when joining Talkspace. In return, Talkspace will provide Oura Members who choose to pay out-of-pocket with a $100 discount on their first month of Talkspace services.

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Studies about sleep and lighting appear to be everywhere these days. Sleep experts are still discouraging blue light or bright screens before bed and encouraging blackout curtains for one’s bedroom. However, blackout curtains can be controversial aesthetically. Also, those who travel frequently need an alternative option. Enter sleep masks. However, not all sleep masks are made equally. Cue Dream Recovery Performance Sleep Masks. 

Dream Recovery is committed to elevating sleep, one product at a time. The company’s products include sleep masks, pillow cases and its “Dream Tape,” a mouth tape designed to unlock the power of nasal breathing to optimize oxygen intake, reduce snoring, and improve sleep quality. Dream’s pillowcases and masks are created with 30 momme silk, the highest quality.

Athletech News tried out Dream Recovery’s 3D Performance Sleep Mask and its O.G. Performance Sleep Mask for several months to see if the masks are worth the hype.

All products featured on Athletech News are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission

Overall

The O.G. Performance Sleep Mask and the 3D Performance Sleep Mask are similar in many ways. Both were made with 30 momme silk, have 8 layers of silk stuffing to create maximum darkness, an adjustable nose bridge and cool-tech silk. The masks were built for active and side sleepers. Their main difference is that the 3D Performance Sleep Mask has a contoured eye section for reduced pressure on the eyes throughout the night. 

Pros

The masks’ designs are sleek and beautiful. The O.G. Performance Sleep Mask and the 3D Performance Sleep Mask designs are very similar except for the raised areas around the eyes. Both appeared high-quality and luxurious, in part due to their 30 momme silk. After wearing the masks for months on end, I was surprised that they held up so well after repeated hand washing and use. The masks’ adjustable nose bridges were also very comfortable, despite my initial concerns about them interfering with sleep. 

I was also impressed that the elastic head strap seemed to fit different head shapes and sizes well. It felt snug but not oppressively tight. It also felt very cool, even during the warm summer months. 30 momme silk can more effectively regulate body temperature, even compared to slightly lower quality silk, like 25 momme. As someone who can be heat-sensitive, I never once felt too warm in the mask.  

Cons

Both the 3D Performance Sleep Mask and the O.G. Performance Sleep Mask are priced at $60, which is expensive for a face mask. However, I could immediately discern a difference between Dream Recovery’s masks and cheaper versions. I found myself reaching for the sleep mask at night because it was so comfortable to wear and successfully kept out any light. The Slip Sleep Mask, a competitor that uses 22-momme silk, is priced at $50 for its flat mask and $55 for its contoured mask: only a small discount despite the lower-quality fabric. 

However, I found my O.G. Performance Mask came off my face several times a week during the night. This resulted in my being woken up by natural light in the mornings. This may not be an issue for those with larger heads. I found that it occurred less frequently with the 3D Performance Sleep Mask, perhaps because of its raised eye sections. However, the contoured design did get pushed out of place more easily than the flat sleep mask, which some sleepers might find disruptive, particularly those who plan to use the mask in a bed. Those who plan to use the masks during travel would likely not face these issues. 

Final Thoughts

Dream Recovery’s sleep masks are high-quality and a great investment if you need a new way to keep out the light. If you’re a particularly active sleeper and have a smaller head, the O.G. Performance Sleep Mask may not stay on all night. Even so, the masks are a fantastic, high-quality and comfortable way to improve your sleep quality. 

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LumosTech, a sleep technology company, has formed a strategic partnership with the Connecticut Sun of the WNBA for the 2023 season designed to change how coaches and support staff use wellness technology to enhance athletic performance.

By incorporating LumosTech sleep masks into the routines of Connecticut Sun players, the partnership will explore how advanced sleep technology can impact performance in professional sports. 

Based on research conducted by Stanford University and backed by NASA, the Lumos Smart Sleep Mask can enhance sleep routines using light therapy, the company says.

The mask is equipped with LED bulbs and enables users to regulate their internal circadian rhythms, or the body’s “internal clock.” By employing individualized light therapy programs, the mask can address specific needs, thereby mitigating disruptions in the sleep cycle and enhancing overall performance and wellness. The mask can also combat jet lag, a common issue faced by athletes and teams traveling across different time zones.

“(The WNBA) has the most intense travel schedules of all major sports,” said Dr. Biquan Luo, founder and CEO of LumosTech. “After introducing our product to the WNBA training staff at their annual conference, it became clear that we had a shared vision of using Lumos to further boost athletic and cognitive performance for the CT Sun.”

For professional athletes, schedules often involve rapid turnarounds and transitions between time zones, which can have a large impact on both physical and mental well-being.

“There are instances when we are playing a game on the east coast and 36 hours later, we’re in a different city on the west coast,” said Nicole Alexander, head athletic trainer for the Connecticut Sun. “The Lumos sleep mask has changed the way I travel and helps my body prepare for the next time zone.”

“The mask allows (athletes) to alleviate sleep cycle disruptions that occur with travel, and in turn, enhance their performance and wellness,” noted Kyle Pfaffenbach, a performance nutritionist affiliated with LumosTech. “This really inspired us to start looking deeper into the unmet needs of sleep that come as a result of demanding travel schedules and how it impacts performance optimization in professional athletes.”

Pfaffenbach noted that over the past few years, “there has been an increase in sleep science research, and now we need ways to apply this information for athletes, military personnel, and folks interested in performing at their best.”

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All products featured on Athletech News are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission

Samsung has added a comprehensive range of fitness and health-focused features, personalized guidance and enhanced performance capabilities in its newest wearables, the highly anticipated Galaxy Watch6 and Galaxy Watch6 Classic.

With its recent Galaxy Watch6 updates, Samsung has placed an emphasis on fitness capabilities and improving users’ sleep patterns. Users can benefit from body composition analysis, which offers a comprehensive snapshot of their physical state, aiding in goal setting and progress tracking. The Personalized Heart Rate Zone feature tailors running intensity levels based on individual capabilities. In addition, the new Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification feature adds to the watch’s ability to comprehensively assess heart health. This watch can detect heart rhythms suggestive of Atrial fibrillation (AFib), even during sleep.

The Galaxy Watch6 series also offers different features aimed at providing insights into sleep quality and facilitating better habits. Users can use the watch’s Sleep Score Factors, such as sleep cycle, recovery and awake time, to gain a deeper understanding of their sleep patterns and make informed adjustments.

Additionally, Samsung has introduced Sleep Messages, co-developed with the National Sleep Foundation, which gives users detailed feedback about their sleep health, empowering them to make meaningful changes. Enhanced Sleep Coaching offers users personalized instructions and reminders. Sleep Consistency also shows how consistent the user’s sleep and wake times are, and provides a personalized Sleep Animal Symbol that designates sleep type. The watches also help to create ideal sleep environments by adjusting home electronics settings and activating Sleep Mode to minimize distractions.

Other health-focused features include the newly launched Skin Temperature API, allowing users to access advanced infrared technology. For example, the Thermo Check app allows users to measure the temperature of their favorite meal before dinner time or the ocean before jumping in.  

The Galaxy Watch6 and Galaxy Watch6 Classic went on sale August 11. 

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The Oura Ring is one of the best wearables on the market for those who want a subtle but chic option. The ring feels pervasive in the market: everyone from Prince Harry to Jennifer Aniston to Kim Kardashian seems to be wearing it.

Oura heavily markets its ring’s abilities to help users with their sleep: it promises accurate sleep tracking, more restful sleep and other comprehensive insights to enhance your health.

Athletech News tested the Oura Ring for several months to assess its strengths and weaknesses and deliver a final verdict on whether it’s worth the hype.

All products featured on Athletech News are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission

Intro

The Oura Ring is a large ring that is offered in several styles: a sleek, circular design (Horizon), or a plateau design (Heritage), offered in silver, black, stealth (dark grey), gold or rose gold. On the inside of the ring, sensors collect biometric data. It measures blood pulse volume in your finger, body temperature, movement of the hand that’s wearing the ring and the time of day. It uses these inputs to determine Sleep, Activity, and Readiness scores. 

Pros

One of the Oura Ring’s best qualities is its form. Some wrist wearables don’t transition as well from day to night, or feel bulky. Even when I forgot to put on another wearable during a run, my Oura Ring saved the day and tracked my workout. Although its information was not nearly as comprehensive as some of its competitors, the ring tracked my route, pace, splits and overall distance. I also felt comfortable wearing it to everything from a casual jog to an evening event. 

Oura Ring’s cycle tracking was also incredibly comprehensive. It measures body temperature daily and uses past cycle history to prevent periods. The company recently partnered with Natural Cycles to deliver hormone-free birth control. Instead of measuring a user’s temperature every day with the Natural Cycles digital thermometer, the Oura Ring measures it automatically while you sleep. Its app then uses the company’s algorithm (combining period and cycle data with temperature readings) to predict fertility status each day.

With perfect use, Natural Cycles is 98% effective and 93% effective with typical use. Many use their Oura Rings and Natural Cycles as a sole form of birth control, which has largely received positive reviews. The Oura Ring and Natural Cycles partnership is an easy-to-use, accurate alternative to hormonal birth control options. 

The ring’s sleep features are also some of the best in the market. It measures Total Sleep, Efficiency, Restfulness, REM Sleep, Deep Sleep, Latency and Timing. In a comprehensive “Sleep Contributors” section of the app, you can quickly scan to assess your sleep.

Oura Ring answers many of the questions you may have previously had about your sleep, like why you remain tired even after a long night of sleep. It can detect small changes in your surroundings. For example, if your bedroom is warmer one evening, the Oura Ring will tell you the impact that had on your body temperature and sleep. It also provides a cumulative perspective on your sleep, providing weekly and monthly trends and potential areas of improvement. The app also includes guided meditation exercises you can follow. Oura Circles is a fun way to keep up with friends. In practice, I often didn’t remember to check in on friends’ scores, but for those who desire additional accountability, the feature is a great new addition. 

As someone with smaller hands, I worried that the ring would feel uncomfortable and intrusive in my day-to-day life. However, after a few wears, the Oura Ring began to feel natural. Even when my finger size fluctuated during the day and overnight, or even during travel, the ring felt comfortable on both my ring and middle fingers. 

Lastly, one of the best features of the ring is its long battery life. For busy, on-the-go consumers, only charging your wearable once every five to seven days is a game-changer. 

Cons

While the product is fantastic, the Oura Ring’s app needs a makeover. It lacks easy-to-view graphics and instead requires frequent toggling between the three scores. I desired one view that would more seamlessly allow me to take stock of my day, perhaps more like the Apple rings view. More generally, I found Oura’s overall app design to be less favorable than other platforms. It was fairly monochromatic and overly simplistic. Competitors’ apps were far more condensed, which made it easier for me to quickly take stock of my night of sleep of daytime activity. 

Another con of the Oura Ring is that it was difficult to do strength workouts while wearing one. I have smaller fingers, and I found it getting in the way of barbells and kettlebells. I was also worried about scratching the Oura Ring, which seemed fairly easy to do during everyday use. It’s also not as refined about measuring output during weightlifting and is far better equipped to measure cardio activities. For serious weightlifters, competitors’ products (like Whoop) might be a better fit. 

In terms of appearances, I had some people comment on its size relative to my finger. I talked to some women who felt like it was too large, appearing more like menswear jewelry. However, because the ring is so popular, particularly among women, it felt more like an on-trend fashion statement than an eyebrow-raising choice.  

Lastly, many consumers have been disappointed with the company’s (newly) established subscription plan. The Heritage style ring price starts at $299, and the Horizon style price starts at $349. The subscription is around $6 per month. While this is a small amount, for those who balk at the idea of any recurring subscription, the Oura Ring may not be the best fit. 

Overall

The Oura Ring is one of the best wearables for consumers who are tired of wearing bulkier wrist wearables or want a seamless way to track their health. The ring’s fashionable and comfortable design made it seamless to wear the ring 24/7 for several months, even as someone who is sensitive to bulky accessories.

However, if weightlifting is your main fitness activity, it might be best to turn to other wearables. The ring is particularly useful for those who desire more accurate cycle and sleep tracking capabilities and are not as fixated on their wearables’ app design or usability.

Overall, the Oura Ring is a fantastic wearable with explosive growth that speaks for itself. 

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Endel, a generative music app that creates personalized sound environments to match user activities, is on a mission to help users relax, focus and sleep. The app reacts to the time of day, weather, user heart rate and location to create unique compositions. Powered by neuroscience, Endel conducted a survey that demonstrated users’ 7x increase in focus and 3.6x decrease in stress with regular use.

To learn more about Endel’s unique approach to sound environments, Athletech News spoke with Oleg Stavitsky, CEO and co-founder at Endel, about why the company has been so successful, what’s in store for the functional sound market and how to improve one’s sleep quality.

Athletech News: Tell us a bit about your background and what led you to create Endel.

Oleg Stavitsky: It’s not just my background we have to talk about. Endel has six co-founders and I’m one of them. We’ve collectively worked for over 10 years together, and before Endel we had built another company that was called Bubl, which was a digital art app for kids. That company was acquired here in Germany by Fox & Sheep, which at the time was one of the biggest kids app publishers and developers in the world. So we all moved to Berlin, and when Fox & Sheep themselves got acquired by Haba, which is a German toy-manufacturing company, we all left and almost immediately transitioned to start Endel.

The six of us are almost like a family. We call ourselves an artistic collective. Sound always played a very important role in everything that we do, and back in 2017 when we were thinking about what we were going to work on next we just saw this emerging functional sound space taking off. Apple at the time just released their Airpods, so it was clear that the smart speaker revolution was there and sound was becoming increasingly more mobile. It wasn’t just music – all of those functional sound playlists had been growing – so we felt like there was a product to be built. This category needed a proper product and thus Endel was born.

ATN: Why is Endel’s approach to sleep health unique?

OS: For two reasons. Number one, because this proprietary, patented, scientifically validated technology that we’ve built generates sleep soundscapes personalized to you. No one else in the market is doing something like this. We built our soundscapes in consultation with world-leading sleep scientists. For example, Dr. Roy Raymann, who designed Apple’s bedtime functionality, helped us design Endel sleep soundscape.

Number two, unlike everybody else, we’re thinking about sleeping phases, because you can’t just say “sleep health.” When you say sleep, you need to think about a wind-down phase, which begins before you’re even in bed. This is when your parasympathetic nervous system in theory should be activated. That means your blood pressure goes down, your muscles relax and your body prepares itself for a sleep session. Then the so-called sleep onset phase is when you’re in bed, but not asleep yet. The quality of that phase is determined by how quickly you fall asleep. In the sleep phase itself, the quality is determined by how many times you wake up throughout the night. Obviously, the less the better.

So, our approach is unique because we’re firmly rooted in neuroscience and because we create our soundscapes using generative AI. These two things combined make our soundscapes unlike anything else on the market.

ATN: What gap is Endel filling in the market?

OS: When we talk about the market, I talk about the functional sound market, which is this vast ocean of content. That largely consists of white noise soundscapes or playlists with white noise or dishwasher sounds or fan sounds. There’s just a lot of, I don’t want to say junk, but there’s a lot of content that can’t be qualified as music. Yet, it’s there. People listen to it, and then someone collects royalties on that.

We believe there’s a gap, in the sense that there’s no artist-driven, scientifically engineered sleep content in the functional sound space. So this is the gap that we’re filling because we’re building our sleep soundscapes not only in collaboration with world-class sleep scientists, but we’re also building them in collaboration with some of the biggest artists on the planet, like Grimes and James Blake. We have collaborated with both of them.

The future that we’re imagining is that more and more of your favorite music artists are going to start releasing their sleep soundscapes in collaboration with Endel. Very soon you’ll be able to fall asleep to many of your favorite artists.

ATN: If you had to give three tips for better sleep, what would they be?

OS: Number one, no blue light, or ideally no computers and no gadgets, at least one hour before bedtime. Number two is temperature. You want your bedroom to be cool because your body actually needs to lower its temperature in order to fall asleep.

Number three, use Endel. Because in reality, you can’t always do the first two tips for various reasons.

ATN: Can you explain the importance of functional music?

OS: I think the importance of functional music kind of explains itself because sound is very powerful and it’s the easiest way to control your environment. The fact that functional music as a market is rapidly growing is just a testament to the power of sound and the power of music. A lot of people have recognized that, and they are turning to sound to help them feel better or feel different. They’re self-medicating with sound. People are using sound to help them fall asleep. They’re using sound to help them concentrate, to help them overcome panic attacks and anxiety or to help them meditate.

Functional music in general is extremely important and as a category, it’s only going to grow. Today we estimate it to be 10 billion streams a month across all platforms and DSPs, which is roughly 5% of all music listened to. I think this category is on track to be 10% if not more, of all music listened to on the planet.

ATN: What are Endel’s goals, both short- and long-term?

OS: Endel has two goals. Number one, we’re building Endel into the platform for functional sound, and that means that we see ourselves as the Spotify of functional audio. That is a long-term goal. In order to get there we want to power the traditional music industry. We want to help music artists expand into this category by using our technology.

Short-term, we want to use our technology to turn your favorite music into functional soundscapes so that you can fall asleep, relax and focus with a scientifically engineered soundscape version of your favorite music. That in turn is going to pave the way for Endel to become the platform for functional sound.

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Amazon Music has a playlist that may be music to the ears of those who struggle with stress and sleep.

Endel, a sound wellness company that employs generative AI and neuroscience, has partnered with Amazon Music to provide wellness playlists designed to reduce stress, improve sleep, and increase productivity.

It is the first collaboration of its kind for Amazon Music, with the new sleep playlist, “Sleep Science,” recently launching on the music platform. 

With sleep fitness gaining traction and numerous wearables focusing on the quality and length of catching Zs, Endel has focused on gently easing a listener to sleep – which many people struggle with. In fact, the sound wellness company points out that with anxiety and depression rates at an all-time high, two-thirds of adults are failing to receive the recommended eight hours of sleep each night.

Enter the eight-hour “Sleep Science” playlist by Endel, designed to put listeners in a deep and restorative sleep and begins with an Amazon Original track by Kx5 (Kaskade and deadmau5), which was produced using the track “Escape.” 

The first track, as described by Oleg Stavitsky, CEO and co-founder of Endel, is a sleep version of the hit dance festival song that was morphed into a sleep track using Endel Pacific, the sound wellness company’s patented technology. Endel Pacific, an AI-engine, creates tracks that follow natural sleep phases, meant to prepare the brain for sleep and then ensuring the listener falls into a restful sleep – and stays snoozing.

The sound features synths and vocals and was processed to create a high-quality, relaxing soundscape that activates the parasympathetic nervous system.

The sound wellness company has also collaborated with musician James Blake last year to create an ambient soundscape experience, “Wind Down.” 

Endel, which began as an artists’ collective, operates on the premise that we are not evolving quickly enough for the world we live in, and that our bodies and minds are unfit for the current environment.

“Generative AI is a hot topic now, but we’ve been applying this technology for years, in radical ways designed to expand music’s possibilities and formats, and to transform how we interact with sound,” Stavitsky says. “Working with Amazon Music demonstrates how valuable an artful application of AI can be to large music business players and how engaging the sonic results can be for listeners.”

Stavitsky, who told TechCrunch in 2021 that he considers himself an ambient-music nerd, explained that while he enjoys listening to vinyl, the experience of listening to records would be disrupted by having to tend to the vinyl player. He dreamed of something more perpetual, and he wanted to merge neuroscience into the experience as well, with personalization. Stavitsky also shared that he was a big fan of Brian Eno, known as the ‘father of ambient music,” who also believes in the concept of eternal music.

The Berlin-based sound wellness company has attracted investors Major Lazer’s Jillionaire, Amazon Alexa Fund, and Avex, and announced a $15M Series B last year, led by Waverley Capital (investors in Headspace, Wondery, FuboTV, Roku), and True Ventures (investors in Fitbit, Peloton, Blue Bottle Coffee, and Ring).

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