Thync: The Neurotech Startup Revolutionizing Mood
Less stress and more calm?
These days it seems like trying to mitigate stress and keep a good mood all while getting decent sleep is the next biggest task. Whether it’s an overload of school, sports, work, extracurriculars, or home responsibilities, we’ve all — at some point — felt the difficulties of trying to balance life, rest, and happiness.
We all know that the key to improved mood and energy is sleep. So why don’t we get enough of it?
While the average teenager is supposed to get 9 hours minimum of sleep every night, they often end up getting 7–7.5 hours. For adults, it’s even worse. With 6.8 hours of sleep as the national average, 40% less than what’s recommended, it’s safe to say that most of America is not resting enough.
72% of Americans report needing more or better sleep — Hatch.co
And according to a Freeletics study, the average American wakes up in a bad mood 300 times a year. The top causes including rejection, overwhelming tasks, low-self esteem, disconnect, small annoyances, and — what some of us know too well— exhaustion.
So whats the solution here?
Thync is the neurotech startup using neurostimulation and bioelectricity to improve quality of life. While some of their main products include works on using our smartphones to treat psoriases, the Thync Calm and Energy wearable, aims to control stress levels, improve quality of sleep, and increase energy and mood.
Through activation of neck and back nerves with low level electrical stimulation, the Thync Calm and Energy wearable has the potential to change the lives of millions. And with reduced stress, sleep, and improved mood as such an integral yet under-prioritized part of so many lives, this might just be what’s needed.
How does it work?
To use the Thynk Calm and Energy wearable, you must first download an app that corresponds to the small triangular device. Placed behind the neck, you can then control the wearable with the mobile app, using settings such as
By improving your mood through releasing stress, and further sending these low level electrical signals into the neurons that control mood, stress, and sleep, the Think Relax pro is able to bring those who use it into a calmer state.
Issues
There has been a bit of customer backlash on the product though, including claims ranging from app malfunctions to the device simply not working for them. Though they work to improve these app functions, it is also important for customers to remember that there is a chance they may not see immediate results, but 4–6 weeks of consistent usage can dramatically improve stress, mood, sleep quality, and energy.
Additionally, there has been some skepticism regarding the rather high price of the device. Ranging from 150$ to 200$, this isn’t a product that everyone can just…get. And with the lack of immediate results, it often doesn’t seem worth the investment for customers on the fence.
Funding
The total disclosed funding for Thync is currently 13 million dollars, here are the key investors.
- Khosla Ventures — With over 5 billion in assets, this venture capital firm focuses on early stage tech startups in biotech, healthcare, and clean tech sectors. Some of their notable investments include Instacart, Academia.edu, and Cosaint technologies.
- Andressen Horowitz — Founded by Marc Andreesen and Ben Horowitz, this venture capital firm has a number of notable investments including Twitter, Foursquare, and Ripple.
- Noosphere Ventures — This 2014 founded capital market company aims to “transform high potential companies into definitive market leaders”. They are populary known for their investments in space ecosystem industry.
While we wait for Thync to improve
If you — and very reasonably — don’t feel like spending upwards of a $150 on the wearable, or simply don’t want to wait 4–6 weeks for results, here are some tips to better sleep and improved mood!
Sleep
- Create a bedtime routing and pick a specific time frame to go to sleep
- Take a cold shower before you hop in bed
- Exercise 2–3 hours before it’s time to sleep
- Put your phone across the room before you get in bed
- No all-nighters!
- Practice some bedtime yoga or pilates
- Listen to an audiobook to which you have no interest
Mood
- Eat some dark chocolate
- Let some sun in — open up those windows
- Get yourself laughing
- Give a compliment
- Get creative
And most importantly, tell yourself you deserve to rest and be in a good mood. Because you just do.
