Since I’m at a workout class almost every single day, I use a lot of\u00a0Hyperice products\u2014particularly their mini massage gun, the\u00a0Hypervolt Go 2<\/a>\u2014to help me feel better\u00a0fast<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, I recently found that I wasn\u2019t at my best when it came to my workouts, and it was because I was neglecting one of the most important aspects of my recovery: sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As we all know, sleep is crucial for tons of our daily functioning<\/a>, from boosting our immune systems<\/a> and mental health<\/a> to helping with workout recovery and increasing focus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While I usually read a book<\/a> until I\u2019m ready to fall asleep, I noticed that in the summer, my bedtime was getting later and later (blame the extra hours of sunlight for that!). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfortunately, my wakeup time stayed exactly the same, and I was too tired in the morning\u2014but too wired at night\u2014to really do much about it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When I asked my friends for help, many told me to meditate before I went to bed<\/a>. But despite using guided meditation apps, I couldn\u2019t get myself calm enough to go to sleep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, when I discovered the\u00a0Core by Hyperice<\/a>\u00a0on the brand’s site, I knew I just had to try it. And honestly? It completely changed the game for me.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n While the Hyperice brand normally creates several tools for muscle recovery, from massage guns to compression boots, the Core is different in the sense that it doesn\u2019t work on muscle recovery at all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead, it\u2019s a meditation tool that consists of both an app and a small, dome-like device that you hold while meditating. The Core device contains electrodes on the surface, and you hold the device while you meditate using a meditation option from the app. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Designed by founder Sarah McDevitt, the Core was created to help reduce anxiety<\/a>. The company refers to it more as a meditation \u201ctrainer\u201d than a device\u2014aka, it\u2019s supposed to help teach you how to meditate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUnlike other meditation apps, Core is both an app and a handheld meditation device designed to track heart rate<\/a> and stress levels,\u201d says Star Sage, senior director of business development at Hyperice. \u201cThe beautiful, ergonomic trainer uses its built-in electrocardiogram (ECG) and biosensors to track heart and nervous system data. Each session uses multi-sensory (vibration and lights) guidance with daily classes from expert instructors to create personalized, trackable results, where you will see your progress.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Essentially, the Core allows you to monitor variables such as heart rate and pulse and uses gentle vibrations to guide your breathing. It also gives you a record of each session on the app when you\u2019re done, so you can see how you\u2019re doing as the session ends. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The purpose of the Core is to make you more aware of your breathing and heart rate while meditating, putting you in a calm, relaxed state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the brand, you can use the Core by Hyperice any time you like, but I chose to specifically use it before bed to see if it would help me fall asleep faster. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Essentially, all I did was choose a meditation from the app (I had multiple options, ranging from breathwork to fundamentals to stress relief), and then held the Core in my hands. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I was directed to make sure my thumbs were on some of the dots (sensors) while I meditated, but that\u2019s pretty much all the instructions the manual gave me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDepending on the type of session, the vibrations will either guide you in breath technique training or serve as a gentle reminder to help keep your attention focused,\u201d says Sage. \u201cDuring each meditation, Core\u2019s ECG biosensors measure your heart and nervous system. The Core app displays your biofeedback and insights to show the impact meditation has on your mental and physical wellness.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n While meditating, I could see the real difference when it came to the Core and how different it was from other meditation apps on the market.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n For one, there was a constant vibration the entire time I was using it, and while I first thought the sensation would be distracting, it was actually great. Basically, the vibrations pulsate\u2014speeding up and slowing down\u2014all while the app tells you how many seconds to hold your breath and how long to wait between them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This gave me something tangible to focus on, and it made me realize when I was off-track, due to the constant vibrations and reminders. This made the Core a true \u201ctraining device\u201d in my eyes. It could tell when I was distracted and not following its cues\u2014and then, it quickly brought me back into focus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After the meditation, I could see my stats and use them to track my progress. The app shows you a few main measures you need to pay attention to: BPM or heartbeats per minute, heart rate variability (HRV) or the time between each heartbeat, how long you were in Calm state, how long you were in Focus state, and the number of minutes you meditated (trained) overall.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n There was a constant vibration the entire time I was using it, and while I first thought the sensation would be distracting, it was actually great. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n According to the app, the lower your BPM, the more relaxed you are, while your HRV should be higher<\/a> because that indicates higher resilience to stress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Calm state indicates your mind and body are at rest and your parasympathetic nervous system (responsible for the body\u2019s rest and relaxation response) is dominant, which means you\u2019re more likely to respond kindly to anything that\u2019s stressing you out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Focus state indicates that you’re physically relaxed, but your mind is still active and engaged\u2014and it knows this because your breath and heart rate aren\u2019t synced together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I found this distinction really cool because a lot of times, I\u00a0thought<\/em>\u00a0I was meditating in the Calm state, but the stats don\u2019t lie: I was clearly thinking about something else!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Having this awareness was great for me because it truly gave me something to focus on, and I loved the meditations offered too since there were so many options to choose from, ranging from five to 30 minutes in length. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the span of a week when I used the Core five times, my Calm percentage went up from 35% to 52%, and my HRV went from an average of 49 to 55. <\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Sage, most Core users see an improvement in HRV within eight sessions, which automatically makes them calmer throughout the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I definitely noticed it was much easier for me to fall asleep on the days I used the Core, and I wasn\u2019t cranky or moody the next day because of it. And yes\u2014I crushed those workouts so much harder too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n While the company doesn’t specify the Core to be used simply as a device to help sleep, I personally found the combination of deep breathing techniques and soothing meditations available helped put me in an incredibly relaxed state. This made it much easier for me to fall asleep.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n While I\u2019d tried tons of meditation apps in the past, the Core was different because it could tell immediately when I was zoning out or staying focused, and I was able to measure my heart rate using the app too.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n I personally found the combination of deep breathing techniques and soothing meditations available helped put me in an incredibly relaxed state. This made it much easier for me to fall asleep.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n My stress levels immediately went down after using the app, which,\u00a0according to studies<\/a>, can also help sleep quality. I fell asleep more easily and woke up more refreshed, which I owe to the Core by Hyperice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re someone who gets distracted while meditating and would like some help to do so, I highly recommend trying a meditation device. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The gentle vibrations and reminder to keep focusing on your breath set them apart from other traditional meditation apps, and I personally felt like this helped me not get distracted while I meditated\u2014something that using simpler apps or trying to meditate on my own didn\u2019t do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I chalk that up to the constant reminders to follow my breath, along with the calming ritual of using the device right before bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The best way to make sure a meditation device helps you achieve your goals is to use it consistently\u2014which I know can be easier said than done! <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, studies have shown that long-term meditation can change the way your body reacts to stressors<\/a>, therefore making you more resilient to the issues that trouble you on a daily basis. This means that over time, you\u2019ll be calmer and in a more relaxed state on the daily, thereby making it easier for you to fall asleep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You should also make sure to keep track of your progress on the device, taking note of your HRV and state per session, so that you\u2019re aware of your resting state before bed. Your goal is to make sure your HRV keeps going up and that you\u2019re in the Calm state longer and longer each time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n By allowing you to keep track of these tangible goals, the Core meditation device can help you see how calm you are while meditating and improve your progress.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n A meditation tool can be anything that\u2019s used to increase your focus and reduce distractions while meditating\u2014whether that\u2019s a bolster you sit on, some sound bowls to keep your hands and brain occupied, an app that helps guide your breath, or a higher-tech device like the Core by Hyperice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The purpose of a meditation tool is to simply make your meditation more effective for you. What works for one person may not always work for another, however, so make sure to test out the various tools available on the market to find one that works best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are a number of different objects that can help with meditation, but here are a few of the top ones available on the market right now. Some help ground the space and body, some keep you comfortable, and still others help you tune out distractions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n See if any of the below options tickle your fancy:<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog-staging.saatva-node-stage.tsc-starts-coding.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/core-by-hyperice-2-607x800.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhat is the Core by Hyperice?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How I used the Core by Hyperice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog-staging.saatva-node-stage.tsc-starts-coding.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/core-by-hyperice-3.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nDoes the Core by Hyperice help sleep?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Should you use a meditation device to help you sleep?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s how to use a meditation device to your advantage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What is a meditation tool?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What objects can help with meditation?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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