Category Archives: Relaxation

NAP26, a power nap system

Nap26Taking a sleeping pill has been part of my bedtime routine for almost a year now because I can’t fall sleep if I don’t take it.  It’s the craziest thing.  I am exhausted when I go to bed and want nothing more than to drift off to lalaland but my brain just won’t let me go there.  I finally told my therapist (yes, I go to a therapist) that I can’t sleep she said "oh, ok let me prescribe a pill for that".   The sleeping pill helps me go to sleep but the problem is staying asleep.  Almost every night, Madelyn wakes up yelling "mama mama".  Tim usually gets up to check on her but once I hear a noise and wake up, I can’t get back to sleep easily or at all.  Tim gets back to sleep within about 20 seconds while I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, counting sheep, reading, or playing games on my iphone until I go back to sleep about 2 hours later.  Needless, to say I don’t get a lot of quality sleep and if you are a parent you probably don’t either.  Enter NAP26.

I was recently given the opportunity to review NAP26, a power nap system that claims that you will feel like you have slept for 3 hours and feel refreshed and rejuvenated after a 26 minute power nap.  My immediate thought was "when am I going to be able to use this? I can’t find 26 minutes to spare".  I was finally able to try NAP26 one afternoon when my husband was home and able to watch the kids.   I snuck into Sebastian’s room where it is nice and dark (our bedroom is where all the cool super nova’s hang out during the day), put on my eye mask and headphones, and played Nap26 on my ipod.  Whew!  Although I didn’t fall asleep the first two times I listened to NAP26, I did hit that point when you feel like you have just fallen from the sky which I think indicates that I was pretty relaxed and almost on the brink of falling into a deep sleep.  Now, when I use the NAP26 system, I am able to fall asleep.  Exactly 26 minutes after starting Nap26, I wake to the gentle sound of birds chirping and feel refreshed and rejuvenated! 

NAP26 is something that I think hospitals should put in the coming
home bags for new parents.  I feel like NAP26 helps me be a
better parent because I can be a total grouch when I am tired.  It’s such a simple process but makes a big difference in my everyday life.  I don’t use it everyday, but when I feel lethargic and really stressed, I pop in my headphones, get in bed and enjoy the soothing sounds of NAP26 and usually fall asleep within just a few minutes.

So what is NAP26?  It is a scientific digital modulation process that inserts precise pulses

and beats that the brain hears. The difference in vibration

between one ear and the other stimulates either deeper

relaxation or alertness.

Now, I just need the Easy2Sleep system so I can stop taking a sleeping pill at night.

Website:  Nap26

The Stress Eraser

StresseraserYou’re stress free?  You must not be a parent… or a human for that matter.

Any parent who can tell me that you don’t get stressed (signs of stress: fast heart rate, can’t rest, lock yourself in the bathroom for an hour, have a glass of wine at 11a.m., etc), please email me with your  coping methods so I can try them and share them with The Mommy Insider readers.  Until then, I want to tell you about one of the most wonderful products I’ve had the opportunity to test recently.

The StressEraser by Helicor is a portable iPod-sized biofeedback device that trains you to optimize your Heart Rate Variability (HRV),a measure of your body’s relaxation level and emotional well-being. The StressEraser is not just a gadget. It will change your life if you use it correctly and consistently. Oh.. and I think all newborns should come with one!

During the two months that I tested the StressEraser, I started with about 15 points during a session which is not so good. What was really bad for me was that I was unable to sit still for the ten to fifteen minutes that you should, to give the StressEraser time to work with you.During the first week of testing, when reading a book, I would get about 25 points. By the end of the two months I was up to about 75 points when reading a book which is an awesome change in my ability to relax.

How does the StressEraser work? You place your pointer finger in the pulse sensor, synchronize your breathing to the screen’s Breathwave, and wahlah.. in a few minutes you will feel relaxed. It’s that easy. The StressEraser gives you a 0-3 point relaxation score for each out breath which is ultimately what the StressEraser is training you to work on.. your breathing. It is recommended that you reach 50-100 points every night or during a session in order to reach a long lasting effect. I felt good for several hours, when I reached 60 points in one session. The StressEraser stores your session scores over days or months so you can see how you track which of your relaxation techniques work best for you and to view your progression. The StressEraser helps you figure out your optimum breathing rate so it is personalized for you and you won’t want to share one unit with your spouse or partner!

If you have been reading my posts for the last year, you know that I am easily stressed and have anxiety issues. The StressEraser has been a great tool for me. I use it in the car when I am the passenger (I hate being the passenger), I use it when I’ve had a tough work day, and at the end of the day when I have a hard time winding down. My experiences with the StressEraser over the last few months has made me feel more confident that I can handle stressful situations with ease, as well as calm down from a hectic day a lot quicker than before I used the StressEraser.

It is habit now for me to use the StressEraser for about 15 minutes before I go to bed which has made a tremendous difference in my quality of sleep.

Why would ANY parent not want to TRY the StressEraser? The StressEraser is available for $299, with a 30-night risk-free
trial, from the StressEraser web site at http://stresseraser.com.

Excerpt from Helicor: Helicor’s StressEraser is an award-winning, portable medical device that relaxes the body and calms the mind in 15 minutes. The StressEraser can be used to quiet the mind before sleeping, rapidly relieve intense stress, and even to stay calm during highly stressful situations. The StressEraser is classified by the FDA as a Class II 510(k) exempt medical device.

Where to buy: Stress Eraser