Mindfulness practices in the workplace result in improved health and lower employers costs, according to original research supported by the National Institute on Aging and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, published by the CDC. According to the report, mindfulness is “the intentional and nonjudgmental conscious awareness of the present moment” can be effective in the treatment of difficult and chronic clinical problems. Common mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) programs include meditation, yoga, and martial arts, especially Tai Chi. In 2014, we wrote about the Muse headband: a rechargeable headband that passively monitors brainwaves and uses the data to measure progress while users practice a series of mental exercises in the Muse Meditation app.
Muse recently introduced the Muse 2 headband. The updated wearable’s core purpose and methodology have not changed in four years, but the device itself has additional measurement capabilities. The original Muse device measured five types of brainwaves. The new model adds heart rate and heart rate variability via pulse oximetry and photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors, body movement with an accelerometer, and breathing via the PPG sensors and a gyroscope. Users can monitor a much broader spectrum of factors with Muse 2 than with the original, all in the interest of building a consistent meditation practice.
The first Muse headband cost $300 in 2014 but now retails on the Muse website for $199. Muse 2 is available for $249. The continuously growing acceptance of MBIs as an effective means to treat difficult clinical problems such as chronic pain, mood disorders, and substance abuse indicates a strong continued market for devices like these.
