Exploring the Effects of Muse and Spire on Stress Management
Exploring the Effects of Muse and Spire on Stress Management
The goal of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of Spire and Muse on stress management. The study will be implemented as a 2-arm randomized controlled pilot study to assess the effect of either device on stress management from the end of baseline to closeout.
Both Muse and Spire are recent technologies that could improve our understanding of stress management and enhance quality of healthcare. The goal of this study is to evaluate if Spire and Muse help individuals self-manage stress. Spire has been designed as a discrete clip-on tracker that monitors changes in respiration rate. With the companion app, this device displays breathing rates in real time and alerts the user through push notification in times of tension. Studies show that controlled breathing reduces stress. On the other hand, Muse is a headset device that uses EEG (electroencephalogram) sensors that measures electric brain frequencies. Muse guides the user in a form of simplified meditation by giving feedback in real time (i.e. calm, neutral, active) and audio clues to improve concentration. Previous studies have shown that engaging in meditation has the potential to reduce anxiety and stress.
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