I was born premature, taken by C-section because my mum had toxemia. It became a matter of taking me early and hoping for the best or both mother and child might die.

Two and a half months early and taken by force. Talk about a traumatic birth! They told my mum if I’d been a boy I wouldn’t have lived.

That early trauma, coupled with an extreme introvert personality (and undiagnosed mild Asperger’s), meant I got bullied a lot from elementary through high school.

All of this combined to entrench my nervous system into a constant state of ‘fight’, as in the fight/ flight/ freeze pathway. Forty-plus years of living like that takes a toll.

Nothing I’d tried in the past, from traditional talk therapy to EFT/ tapping, helped ease that. For that matter, no one conned to the fact that I stayed permanently in this tightly wound state of fight readiness. Not until my forties anyhoo.

Then I discovered Apollo Neuro and decided ‘what the hay. I’ll give it a go.’ Apollo quickly became the second best investment in tech I’d ever made.

My Kindle gets first place there. I finally had a Starfleet PADD and a portable library, even if tablets fit that function better today!

What Is Apollo Neuro?

Apollo Neuro consists of a small device you strap to your wrist or ankle. It sends out a pattern of vibrations that ‘talks’ to your nervous system using the language it speaks. It can retrain a nervous system stuck in the ‘fight/ flight/ freeze’ pathway and strengthen the ‘rest and digest’ pathway. I prefer my ankle.

How Does Apollo Work?

As mentioned, this nifty device talks to your body through low-frequency vibrations that you cannot hear. It doesn’t track biometrics like a Fitbit. Indeed, the device only has two buttons, used to adjust the intensity of the vibrations and repeat the last setting in the event of Bluetooth or WiFi failure.

Over a five-year period, neuroscientists created and tested Apollo.

Apollo can improve:

• Heart rate variability
• Sleep quality and quantity
• Calmness
• Physical recovery
• Focus

High heart rate variability (HRV) indicates resilience to stress. It lends itself to myriad benefits such as:

• Improved focus
• Lowered blood pressure
• Better sleep quality and quantity
• Pain tolerance

Mode Options

The neuroscientists learned specific patterns of vibration help different things. The app that controls Apollo has seven modes.

Energy/ Wake Up

This mode gives a boost of energy that matches the level of drinking espresso, especially to those sensitive to it. You can use it to start your day, anytime you feel bored and sluggish, or to feel more alert.

Social/ Openness

Get stressed at social gatherings, or need to bring your mood and energy up? The Social mode can help if being social stresses you out. It also enhances creativity.

Clear Focus

Have a project to work on or need better focus? Clear Focus settles the nervous system and helps you ignore distractions. It also helps if you feel nauseous or have a headache. (It will not help a dehydration headache. Drink water.)

Rebuild/ Recover

This setting can ease the effects of acute physical and mental stress, including working out or dealing with special people such as rude, entitled customers. Choose Rebuild/ Recover if you feel sick or plain worn down, or after long travel, especially flying.

Meditation/ Mindfulness

Meditation/ Mindfulness helps connect mind and body. It can serve as a prelude to an established meditation practise or take the place of the physical benefits of meditation. To get the spiritual and mental benefits, you’ll need to actually meditate. In addition, you can use this mode before Clear Focus to set up a state of flow.

Relax/ Unwind

Need help getting settled before bed? Relax/ Unwind helps to relieve stress fast and prepare for sleep. It helps you enter into deep relaxation. Using it before Meditation/ Mindfulness can be a potent combination. It can help with the aftereffects of severe acute stress or during travel.

Sleep/ Renew

As the name suggests, use this mode before bed to fall into a restful sleep. Using it during sleep helps promote the body’s natural renewal system.

My Experiences

I started using Apollo in late February 2022, about six hours a day. In the beginning, I had high blood pressure and a higher than average resting heart rate of 76-83. My resting HR is now 65, and my blood pressure consistently lower.

I still have a long way to go in rewiring my nervous system, but I feel calmer on a daily basis. I’m less reactive and slowly coming out of the chronic ‘fight’ state. I’m more willing to try new things, and I’m more assertive.

I have mildly severe ME, and stress of any kind can trigger a shutdown level flare. Apollo helps me deal with frustration over increasing limitations. Before I got COVID in September of 2021, I was in the low moderate range, still able to work and do walking, so long as I prepared properly.

Today the ME is a full-blown disability. I can no longer work outside of the house. Instead, I do freelance copy and content writing and editing. So if you need a copywriter, drop me a line! I’ve also returned to my fiction writing and my art.

I can no longer walk even moderate distances. I have orthostatic intolerance, have fainted numerous times and come close several more times. It can even happen just standing stationary.

My brain forgets to tell my body to breathe (central apnea). For me, this can happen while awake or while asleep. It plays roulette with my heart, giving me bouts of arrhythmia, tachycardia, and bradycardia, and once shot my blood pressure dangerously high.

My memory bailed on me. For someone who highly valued their intelligence, this demoralises me. I have whiteboards littering the house walls that serve as memory boards, ensuring tasks get done.

So, as you can see, the frustrations are enormous. Apollo has helped me find acceptance and equilibrium, and for that I am so very thankful.

The only downside is the velcro band wears out and I’ve already needed a new one. The price of a new band pales in comparison to the benefits. That goes for the cost of the device itself, too.

Energy/ Wake Up

This mode does indeed energise me as espresso does, but with no jittery side effects from high caffeine. And unlike needing caffeine to wear off, you just need to turn Energy/ Wake Up off or move to a different mode. I use this setting when I wake up or when I’m struggling to stay awake.

Social/ Openness

As an extreme introvert and closet Aspy, I’ve used this mode when I need to interact with people, both family friends at home, and out at gatherings.

A recent success came in the form of Star Trek: The Cruise (V). I partook in the whole group exercises at Mary Chieffo’s improv session. I even howled to send the fallen to Sto’Vo’Kor! That success still makes me feel good.

Clear Focus

I use this setting when I’m working or crafting. It helps me ignore distractions for sure. It helps combat mild brain fog from the ME, though it does not help with

Rebuild/ Recover

If I start Rebuild/ Recover as an ME flare begins, it can sometimes help mitigate the severity.

Meditation/ Mindfulness

This mode helps me find that meditative state and enhances my philosophical musings, too. Meditation/ Mindfulness helped keep me calm on two long flights recently. I’m not afraid of flying, but I have demophobia, a fear of crowds or being crowded. As you might imagine, a cramped plane is not the ideal environment!

Relax/ Unwind

I use this setting when I feel wound too tight and to settle before bed.

Sleep/ Renew

I’ve had least success with the Sleep/ Renew setting. However, that stems from the ME, which has wreaked havoc on my sleep. During the day, or when it’s not practical, I’ll fall asleep at the drop of a hat. When I should be sleeping? Well. I’m wide awake…

Case in point- it is 434am. I woke at 215am and have been awake ever since and I figured why not use the time to write this review 😹

Takeaway

Apollo Neuro delivers low-frequency vibration bursts to communicate with the nervous system in a language it understands.

Pros: It can help improve heart rate variability, which improves quality of life. It can break states of chronic fight/ flight/ freeze and restore the mind-body equilibrium.

Cons: high price, band velcro wears out fast.

Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐