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Mental health awareness week: Anxiety gadgets to help you find your zen

 (Muse)
(Muse)

The conveyor belt of ‘pub?’ texts and planning notifications might mean you’re just about ready to throw your phone in the Thames, but don’t go all digi-detox quite yet; in fact, the right technology can be a weapon for quelling covanxiety.

From smart headbands that sync soundscapes to your body movements, to bracelets that calm a racing pulse on your first day back into the office, these are the gadgets to help you chill out.

For sweet dreams: Simba orbit weighted blanket

Hugs might be off-limits for a few more days but a weighted blanket is the closest you can get in product form, using weight to give you the feel of a protective embrace. People with anxiety typically have poor-quality sleep and Simba’s weighted blanket is scientifically proven to help calm that racing mind to let you drift off.

Through a cutting-edge system of nano-beads in quilted pockets, it harnesses the science of deep pressure therapy to apply a relaxing, even pressure. It’s available in two weights, 6.8kg and 9kg.

To experience the optimum benefit, just choose the blanket that’s 10 per cent or less of your body weight.

£169, simbasleep.com

For getting into meditation: Muse 2 headband

Even plugging into a Calmscape or Headspace course can’t always shut out the noise of a busy brain.

For fully immersive meditation, the Muse 2 headband harnesses all the senses — brain activity, heart-rate, breathing and body movements — to build you a bespoke soundscape: for example, your heartbeat played back as a simple, soothing drum, or translating your brain activity into weather sounds.

Muse’s free phone app tracks your progress in real-time, lets you review your data and helps you set goals to build a rewarding meditation practice.

From £199.99, choosemuse.com

For keeping focus: Doppel calming bracelet

Muse’s headband works wonders when you want total immersion but sometimes a more subtle calming method is needed if you’re in a busy aisle in Sainsbury’s or braving the office for the first time in half a year.

The magic of Doppel’s pulse-calming bracelet is you can still hack your heartbeat but no one has to know. It can be worn 24/7 and works by creating a silent vibration on the inside of your wrist that feels like the lub-dub of a heartbeat.

Slower rhythms help to calm you down, faster rhythms keep you focused, just like music — pair with the app to set your tempo.

£175, feeldoppel.co.uk

For relieving tight shoulders: Vibrating massage pillow

Gizzmo’s vibrating massage pillow is for those moments anxiety feels physical, relieving tense shoulders and kneading out any tightness in the back.

Strap it to your favourite chair and settle down to 15 minutes of heated relaxation after a moment of panic. It’s specifically designed to massage acupuncture points in the neck using soft, springy massage balls, while the massager head can be directed clockwise or anti-clockwise.

£59.79, gizzmogadgets.com

For a mood boost: Neom moment of calm pod

Essential oils are proven to reduce anxiety by lifting the mood and Neom’s wellbeing pod not only pumps these out into your home, but also helps to humidify and purify the air.

Choose moment of calm as your starter pack if you struggle to wind down: it combines wild rose and neroli to promote inner peace and help you relax.

Fill the pod’s tank with cold water, add up to 10 drops of the scent and it’ll instantly release a fine mist of aromatherapy oils in a scented vapour at the touch of a button.

£100, neomorganics.com