I’ve Used Apollo Neuro for 4 Years. Here’s My Honest Review & the 2 ‘Vibes’ I Can’t Live Without
Between step trackers, smart watches, and rings that promise to track every aspect of your health, the wearable market is crowded these days, so I’m always impressed when I find a device that I consistently come back to. For the last few years, that’s been Apollo Neuro, a device that works by stimulating your vagus nerve to soothe anxiety, boost your mood, energize you, or help you fall asleep — or all of the above, depending on when and how you use it. Apollo isn’t the only vagus nerve device out there (TruVaga is another option gaining popularity), but it’s the one I’ve gravitated towards for going on five years (!), which, with how fast the wellness industry moves, feels like four times that.
So what do I like about Apollo Neuro and who would I recommend it to? Here’s my honest review of this effective vagus nerve stimulation device.
What does the Apollo Neuro do?
Apollo Neuro works by stimulating your vagus nerve, which is a cranial nerve that starts at your brain and passes through your neck, chest, and abdomen. This nerve plays an important role in regulating your nervous system, as Jessica Addeo, an OT and nervous system clinician, previously told FlowSpace. “[It] manages how the body responds to stress and is responsible for kicking off your different stress responses,” she explains, including fight or flight and more relaxed states.
Apollo Neuro uses vibrations to ease your nervous system into different states. The brand actually bills itself as “Touch Therapy Tech” to underscore how important touch and rhythm can be for your nervous system. So, you use the device by placing it against your skin, either strapping it around the inside of your wrist or ankle or clipping it to your shirt or bra so it rests against your chest. It produces vibrations against your skin that send a message to your nervous system to calm down, get ready for bed, or get energized for the day.
You turn on the device via the app, where you can have the option to schedule certain times for use or simply pick a “Vibe” in the moment. Apollo Neuro offers the following Vibes, which correspond to different vibration patterns:
- Energy
- Social
- Focus
- Recover
- Calm
- Unwind
- Sleep
- Power Nap
You can also pay for a premium membership, which offers five premium vibes (Good Evening, Joy, Good Morning, Good Night, and Love) as well as SmartVibes, which uses AI to recognize when you’re about to wake up during the night and plays vibrations to help you stay asleep. The premium membership also offers Oura Ring integration, if you’re looking to use your wearables together.
What are the side effects of Apollo Neuro?
According to the brand, Apollo Neuro is “safe and non-invasive, and has no significant side effects” from routine use (which is considered three hours a day, five days a week, day and night). After four years of use, the only side effect I noticed at one point was some irritation and itchiness on my wrist. This may have been due to wearing the band too tightly, the band getting old, or just changes to my skin, as I didn’t experience that for the first few years of use. I’ve since switched to wearing the band around my ankle and haven’t experienced any irritation since.
Is Apollo Neuro worth it?
I’ve used my Apollo Neuro since 2021. At first, I used it as much as the brand recommended, weaving it into my day as much as possible. I used the Energy Vibe to wake up, Calm to meditate, Focus to work, Social when I was out and about, Unwind when I was ending the day, and of course, Sleep when I was in bed. I liked using all those modes, but in the years since I got it, my use of Apollo Neuro has evolved a bit.
I now use Apollo Neuro to sleep and wind down for the night — so, the Sleep and Unwind Vibes. The Sleep Vibe remains the standout for me, especially when I went through a period of insomnia and sleep anxiety last year. I turned up the intensity and placed the device squarely on my chest to help calm my heart rate and the physical anxiety I was feeling, and found that it (along with some journaling) was one of the only things that helped me get back to a regular sleep schedule. My insomnia improved, but I still wear it every night on my ankle, and where the vibrations against my skin never fail to lull me to sleep.
The Unwind Vibe has also become a beautiful addition to my nightly routine. I like to use it after I’ve gotten in bed for the night, when I’m settling down to do read before sleep. It’s especially helpful if I’m coming off a stressful day of work or if I’ve doomscrolled a little too long in the evening and need help soothing my anxiety.
While I’ve also loved using the other Vibes, these two are my go-to’s that keep me coming back to my Apollo Neuro night after night — and I swear by the effectiveness of the Sleep Vibe in particular. I’ve found it helps to calm and ground me, and I don’t see myself taking it out of my routine any time soon.
