Hey there! Tara here. If you‘re reading this, you or someone you love probably struggles with anxiety. I know the feeling all too well. Racing heart, tight chest, dizzy head, consuming dread—anxiety attacks are the worst.
As a lifelong anxiety sufferer, I‘m always on the hunt for new coping tools to add to my mental health arsenal. When I heard about CalmiGo—a little gadget that claims to relieve anxiety in under 3 minutes using just your breath—I knew I had to give it a try.
In this comprehensive review, I‘ll give you the lowdown on:
- What CalmiGo is and how it works
- The research behind its anti-anxiety technology
- An inside look at my experience using it for 30 days
- Other users‘ results with CalmiGo
- How it stacks up to other anxiety relief methods
- My honest take on whether it‘s worth the price
I‘ll also share some surprising stats about anxiety, insights from mental health experts, and a few of my favorite self-care tips along the way. If you‘re considering buying CalmiGo or just curious if this trending device lives up to the hype, keep reading!
Anxiety by the numbers
First, let‘s talk about how massive and pervasive the anxiety epidemic really is. According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 13 people globally suffer from anxiety, making it the most common mental health disorder worldwide. In the U.S. alone:
- 40 million adults (19.1%) have an anxiety disorder in any given year
- Anxiety disorders cost the U.S. more than $42 billion a year, nearly one-third of the country‘s total mental health costs
- 63.1% of U.S. adults reported feeling significant stress due to uncertainty over the past year
While a little stress is a normal part of life, frequent, intense anxiety can seriously impact quality of life and overall health. Untreated anxiety is linked to:
- Disability and reduced productivity at work
- Strained relationships
- Increased risk of depression and suicide
- Physical health problems like high blood pressure, IBS, and chronic pain
Clearly, anxiety is no joke—it demands to be taken seriously and treated proactively. But many people still struggle to find effective, accessible relief.
The CalmiGo basics
That‘s where CalmiGo comes in. Launched in 2017, it‘s a multi-sensory device designed to quickly relieve anxiety symptoms anytime, anywhere. The concept was born when co-founder Adi Wallach, who suffered from debilitating panic attacks for years, teamed up with leading anxiety expert Dr. Orna Levin to create a drug-free, portable solution.
Here‘s how it works: When you feel anxiety rising, you simply grab your CalmiGo (I keep mine in my purse), breathe into the mouthpiece, and let the device guide you back to calm through three research-backed methods:
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Exhalation pacing: Ever notice how your breathing gets short and shallow during stress? That‘s because anxiety decreases CO2 in your blood, causing hyperventilation symptoms like dizziness and numb hands. CalmiGo regulates your exhales to be longer than your inhales, which restores healthy CO2 balance and tells your parasympathetic nervous system to chill out.
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Relaxing scent: With each inhale, CalmiGo releases a blast of soothing essential oil—lavender, bergamot, or peppermint, your choice. These aromas stimulate smell receptors in your nose that connect directly to the emotional center of your brain, promoting calm and mental clarity.
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Grounding multisensory feedback: The device engages your other senses too, with gentle lights, vibrations and nature sounds that distract your mind from anxious thoughts and anchor you in the present moment. This is called "grounding" or "orienting," and studies show it can lower your heart rate and stress hormones.
After a 3-minute session, most people feel a noticeable shift from panicked to peaceful. CalmiGo also trains your brain to associate the device with relaxation, so over time, simply touching or seeing it can have a calming effect.
My experience with CalmiGo
I‘ll be honest, when I first heard about CalmiGo, I was skeptical. I‘ve tried my share of anti-anxiety gadgets gathering dust in a drawer somewhere. But the rave reviews and 30-day money-back guarantee convinced me to give it a shot. I‘m so glad I did.
The device arrived within a few days in a sleek white box with the CalmiGo device, a soft-touch silicone sleeve, 2 scent cartridges, a USB charger, and an instruction booklet inside. It was ready to use right out of the box.
At 4 inches long and 1.5 inches wide, CalmiGo is compact and discreet enough to use in public. The medical-grade silicone mouthpiece felt soft and hygienic on my lips. I started with the lavender scent—my go-to for relaxation.
The first time I tried CalmiGo was on a crowded subway ride, a major anxiety trigger for me. As the train jerked and screeched, I felt my chest tighten and pulse quicken. But rather than desperately trying to escape like usual, I reached for my CalmiGo and began to breathe.
Instantly, the device vibrated to life and botanical perfume filled my nose. I focused on matching my exhales to the slowly pulsing lights as ambient music played. Within a minute, I felt my body relax and racing thoughts subside. By the third minute, the panic passed. I actually stayed on for my whole commute!
Since then, CalmiGo has become a constant companion. I use it:
- Before stressful meetings at work
- Waiting in long lines
- When I wake up at 2 a.m. spiraling about my to-do list
- Flying (a former phobia)
- Anytime anxiety starts to bubble up
After a month of consistent use, I‘m sleeping better, focusing more, and stressing less. Of course, CalmiGo hasn‘t totally erased my anxiety—I still have tough days. But it‘s an invaluable tool to help me cope and carry on.
Several friends and family have borrowed my CalmiGo and gotten hooked too. My sister, who gets anxious in social situations, brings it to parties and networking events for a quick calm-me-down in the bathroom. A coworker uses it to decompress after tough customer calls. Even my teenage son tried it before a big exam and came out of his room noticeably more relaxed after!
The research behind CalmiGo
Okay, but how does CalmiGo actually work to relieve anxiety on a biological level? The company partnered with top anxiety researchers and institutions to develop the device based on proven science. Let‘s break it down.
We all have a "fight, flight or freeze" response hardwired in our brains. It‘s designed to protect us from danger but can get stuck in overdrive from the constant stresses of modern life. Cue anxiety symptoms like a pounding heart, sweaty palms and catastrophic thoughts.
Deep breathing is a well-established way to switch off this stress response by activating the vagus nerve, which tells your body to relax. In fact, the FDA has even approved a vibrating breathing device called Freespira for treating PTSD-related panic.
But most people DON‘T breathe the right way when anxious. We take quick, shallow breaths, which lowers CO2 in the blood and fuels more anxiety in a vicious cycle. CalmiGo breaks this loop by training longer, deeper exhales that restore healthy CO2 levels, calm the nervous system and stop hyperventilation in its tracks.
The power of scent comes into play too. Your sense of smell has a direct line to the limbic system—the brain region that processes emotions and memories. Certain smells can trigger a relaxation response within seconds. That‘s why lavender, bergamot and peppermint – CalmiGo‘s signature scents – are go-tos in aromatherapy for easing anxiety and stress.
Finally, multiple studies show that engaging your senses with things like sights, sounds and touch "grounds" you in the present and lowers anxiety by giving your mind an anchor outside worried thoughts. It‘s why some therapists have clients hold ice cubes or count red objects in the room during an anxiety attack.
CalmiGo‘s lights, vibrations, and nature sounds serve a similar purpose, absorbing your attention and disrupting the anxiety spiral long enough for your rational brain to come back online. So in just 3 minutes, you go from panic mode to back in control.
Other anxiety-busting devices
Of course, CalmiGo isn‘t the only anti-anxiety gizmo out there. Here‘s how it compares to a few other popular options:
- Muse headbands use EEG sensors to translate your brainwaves into guided meditations for "brain training." It‘s pricier than CalmiGo at $250+, involves an app/subscription, and is more of a preventative tool than an in-the-moment rescue remedy.
- Spire Health Tag is a wearable that tracks your breathing and pings you when it senses signs of stress. Super cool, but again, better for ongoing anxiety management vs. acute relief.
- Touchpoints wristbands emit alternating vibrations that claim to reduce stress by altering your brainwave patterns. But some find the sensation annoying and it lacks the multi-sensory engagement of CalmiGo.
- The Calm Clip is an ear-worn device that uses gentle vibrations behind the ear to promote calm. But it doesn‘t include guided breathing, scent or sound like CalmiGo does.
There are also plenty of non-tech tools I use alongside CalmiGo to keep my anxiety in check—things like daily meditation (I love the Headspace app), regular exercise, chamomile tea, CBD oil, and a gratitude journal.
But I have to say, CalmiGo is the quickest, easiest way I‘ve found to stop anxiety in its tracks when it hits hard and fast. The fact that it‘s portable, discreet, and doesn‘t require me to stare at a screen (like many meditation/anxiety apps) is a huge plus in my book.
The bottom line
So after 30 days, what‘s my verdict? If you struggle with anxiety and want an effective, drug-free way to find rapid relief during a panic attack or bout of acute anxiety, I can‘t recommend CalmiGo enough.
No, it‘s not the cheapest option on the market at $179 for the device plus $12 for replacement scent packs every month or two. But for me, the 24/7 access to science-based anxiety relief it provides is priceless. Plus, CalmiGo comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee if it doesn‘t work for you.
Just remember, while CalmiGo is an excellent tool, it‘s not a replacement for therapy, medication, or other doctor-prescribed treatments if you have a diagnosed anxiety disorder or debilitating, prolonged anxiety. Always talk to a mental health professional if anxiety is significantly interfering with your daily life and wellbeing.
But if you‘re looking for a discreet, portable way to get a grip in those sudden moments of panic, CalmiGo is a powerful little gadget to keep on hand. I never leave home without mine! With a few minutes of focused breathing, soothing scents and grounding sensations, I can ward off anxiety before it ruins my day.
After all, we anxious types have to stick together and share what works. I hope my CalmiGo journey gave you some helpful info and inspiration for your own anti-anxiety arsenal. Remember, you‘re not alone in this fight. Stay well!
