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Diet, exercise, medications, and various cognitive therapies have been long-term staples for many people looking to achieve optimal mental health and wellness. Still, as technology evolves, more non-invasive tech solutions are being created to help tackle or prevent mental health disorders – and the results have been a game-changer for many users.
These technologies also carry advantages as many have little to no adverse or long-lasting side effects, do not require a significant recovery period, and many can easily be integrated into each person’s daily schedule. Below we list six of the latest digital tools in the on-going crusade for optimal mental health and overall wellness.
FocusCalm
The neurons in your brain send information from one to another using certain electrical pulses. As those signals make their way to your scalp, the FocusCalm EEG headband (and App) records them through sensors on your forehead. It’s like a heart monitor – but for the brain. When you are in a calm state, your brain gives specific signals that are measured using an AI algorithm. It then calculates a score based on 1250 data points in your brainwave signals. A low score means your mind looks busy and active. A high score means you are focused and calm.
The Science: The idea of neuroplasticity is that activities like meditation, neurofeedback, and brain games can train your brain to heal itself in different ways. By using this type of neurofeedback, the FocusCalm Headband trains your brain for better focus and a calmer mind. With the positive feedback you get from the device, your brain also learns to prefer being relaxed and alert. FocusCalm is a brain-machine interface company incubated in the Harvard Innovation Lab. Their latest project is Somos Education in Brazil, who as part of their “science of learning” initiative, is launching the world’s largest neuroscience-enabled education platform to help students understand how to learn more effectively and improve their wellbeing.
BrainsWay
Neuromodulation allows the interpretation of insights from cognitive neuroscience into targeted therapies in neurology and psychiatry. Today’s range of non-invasive neuromodulatory technology includes devices such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), transcranial electrical stimulation (TES), and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), to name a few. One popular treatment for Major Depressive Disorder or MDD is transcranial magnetic stimulation and has been approved for major depression since 2008. This treatment uses magnetic fields to change the activity in specific areas of the brain. According to the Mayo Clinic, it involves placing an electromagnetic coil on the forehead and does not require surgery. One company, BrainsWay, has been FDA-cleared to treat MDD through its H-coil technology. The technology works by utilizing a magnetic field that directly reaches deeper brain regions, regulating the neural activity of these structures related to depression – specifically the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
The Science: Repeated peer-reviewed studies have found TMS or Deep TMS (dTMS) to be a highly effective treatment that can facilitate an improvement in patients’ mental health, alleviate symptoms of depression and contribute to a greater quality of life. As a non-invasive procedure, TMS is considered well-tolerated, with no adverse or long-lasting side effects. It also does not require a significant recovery period.
InBody
The InBody Test is a non-invasive body composition analysis that provides a detailed breakdown of your weight in muscle, fat, and water on an InBody Result Sheet. InBody feels that BMI (Body Mass Index) is an inaccurate way of measuring how healthy you are. Instead, they focus on a person’s body fat to weight ratio, also known as “percent body fat.” InBody feels that measuring your percent body fat allows you to focus on fat loss and not just weight loss. The test can take anywhere from 15-120 seconds, depending on the model used. InBody allows you to understand your weight, set goals, measure your strength, and track progress.
The Science: A 2005 cross-validation study published by the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition evaluated the accuracy of eight-polar bioelectrical impedance analysis for assessing total body water (TBW) and extracellular water (ECW) in severe obesity. The InBody 3.0’s results were compared to results found from the Br dilution method. The study concluded that the InBody offered accurate estimates of TBW and ECW without the need for population-specific formulas or empirical equations.
Lumosity
Non-invasive software applications accessible online and mobile devices include gaming systems that target the brain’s specific cognitive and/or emotional systems. One application, Lumosity, claims to improve memory and focus. This software tool can be used across all devices and is available for desktop, IOS, and Android. The application takes cognitive training exercises developed by leading researchers and adapts them into easy-to-learn brain games. It claims to sharpen cognitive skills such as memory, attention, processing speed, and problem-solving. It also tracks your progress to maintain your brain training habit.
The Science: There have been over 20 peer-reviewed publications in academic journals using Lumosity games or assessments. In one study, scientists conducted a randomized trial to study whether cognitive performance improves after training with Lumosity. The test group trained with Lumosity, and the control group trained using crossword puzzles. After ten weeks, the Lumosity group improved in performance across a battery of cognitive assessments and improved more than double as much as the control group did. The Lumosity group showed statistically significant improvements on subtests of working memory, arithmetic reasoning, and processing speed.
Galaxy Fit2
The Samsung Galaxy Fit2 is a fitness tracker that has tracking steps, calories burned, sleep (REM cycles and total sleep time), and heart rate all in one device. It also has an optical heart rate monitor to allow continuous monitoring, heart rate data during exercise and to enable stress monitoring. The Fit2 also offers smartwatch-style features like notification support, music controls, and a collection of watch faces you can sync over from the Samsung Galaxy Wearable app. The device also claims to be water-resistant up to 50 meters. There’s compatibility for both Android and iPhones, and the stated battery life goes up to 15 days on a single charge.
The Science: Samsung Electronics is working with Calm, an app for sleep, meditation, mindfulness, and relaxation, giving consumers access to the service via Samsung Health. With this partnership, users can track everyday activities, get coaching tips, and connect with healthcare professionals in real-time, straight from their phone or wearable device. However, Samsung’s commitment to better mental health goes beyond tracking steps and heartrates. Hoping to reduce South Korea’s rising suicide rate, Samsung Electronics, Gangnam Severance Hospital in South Korea, and virtual reality content maker FNI Co. Ltd. joined forces in 2017 to develop VR tools to diagnose and treat mental health disorders. Samsung states the initial focus would be cognitive behavior therapies for suicide prevention and psychological assessment. The final product will be used in hospitals, dementia centers, and schools.
mHELP
Mental Health Evaluation and Lookout – or mHELP – is a pilot program that is creating a tool that uses advanced machine learning and a wide range of sensors provided on smartwatches to detect signs and symptoms of high anxiety. It then directs the smartwatch wearer, in this case, college students, to the appropriate mental health resources.
The Science: A team of researchers led by Farzan Sasangohar, assistant professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Texas A&M, is responsible for this wearable monitoring tool. The device will be triggered by negative indicators, such as anxiety patterns of heart rate and self-reports by the smartwatch wearer, prompting the wearer to engage in therapeutic activities. These activities include mobile self-assessments, educational content, and self-management tools, such as biofeedback and mindfulness exercises. After the pilot program, researchers hope to expand the app to other college campuses.
The information in this article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please refer to your doctor or healthcare provider for any information and treatment regarding health, wellness, and mental health disorders.
