I Tried MindLax, the Buzzworthy Sleep Tech — a 20-Minute Nap Left Me Dramatically Refreshed

Hi to everyone who values sleep above all else — I’m Hide, tech journalist and part-time house-husband.

I was half skeptical, but it worked really well.

MindLax is sleep tech that improves sleep quality by effectively promoting alpha waves. I got the chance to try the new model before its release. As always, I’ll give you the pros and cons with no sugarcoating.

## Vibration and sound lull you to sleep surprisingly well

What surprised me first was how comfortable it was — I dozed off even when I wasn’t sleepy. MindLax sends vibration through the metal plate in the center while playing music said to be effective at promoting alpha waves, guiding you to sleep.

The music plays from near the vibration plate, but lying down, it feels like it’s coming from everywhere. More on this later, but you can also adjust the volume while keeping the physical sensation, which is nice.

Another plus is that using it regularly improves your sleep quality. According to the maker’s research, using MindLax daily for seven days lets you fall asleep 70% faster and increases deep sleep time by 80%.

I’ve been using a gadget called Muse that visualizes meditation through brain waves. Its sleep support plays fitting music and ambient sounds that follow changes in your brain waves to help you fall asleep smoothly.

MindLax, on the other hand, claims to improve sleep quality itself with daily use, which really got my interest.

When I actually used it, like I said at the start, I just dropped off even when I wasn’t sleepy. And after dozing for about 20 minutes and suddenly waking up, my head felt incredibly clear.

That’s my personal impression, but in the US, a difference in brain waves has actually been shown. According to Dr. Imran Khawaja, an MD and Fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, MindLax’s vibration and sound increase alpha waves — the waves your brain puts out when it’s most relaxed — which promotes sleep and increases blood flow to the hypothalamus to improve its quality.

I used to run a relaxation salon (I’ve since handed it over), and I did ear acupressure there too. I experienced a similar improvement in sleep back then. It hasn’t been medically proven whether ear acupressure works on the autonomic nervous system, but that distinctive heavy, drowsy feeling is similar.

I felt the same with the electrical therapy used in sports chiropractic, too. It’s a treatment where electrodes on your arms and legs send a low-frequency current, and I felt that same sudden drowsiness and heaviness.

With both, dozing off after the treatment left my head really clear, so I think they had a similar effect. What I love about MindLax is that you can get that kind of sleep improvement easily at home without going to a salon or clinic.

Rechargeable and portable — so convenient!

Besides being usable at home, it being rechargeable made it really easy to use. The mat and unit are very light, so you can start using it anywhere — the couch, the bed, wherever.

It also comes with a travel case, so you can take it on business trips. Handy for a power nap at a rest stop on the highway, too. It works on car seats, and if it’s charged, you don’t need to plug anything in.

## The vibration is strong because it uses aviation-grade metal

I was also surprised by how strong the vibration is for something this compact. Judging by the battery, I didn’t think it could pack something that big, but you’ll probably be surprised by the strength the first time you use it. Small and big vibrations rolling in, synced with soothing ambient sounds — it felt more restorative than getting a massage.

I also liked that some modes cut back on ambient sounds. Relax mode includes lots of ambient sounds like birdsong and waves, but sleep mode is mainly just vibration and frequency tones.

I worried whether the sound would bother my partner sleeping in the same bed, but that wasn’t a problem either. Sleep mode doesn’t have many sounds that bother anyone, and there’s a feature that lowers the audio to 20% while keeping the vibration feel, so you can use it yourself without disturbing the person next to you.

You can also change the vibration strength separately, so if you lower it to just where you still feel the effect, sharing a bed should be fine.

A must-have for anyone dealing with autonomic nervous system issues, for meditation or better sleep?

Honestly, I didn’t expect it to work this well, so I’m surprised. I even worry that raving this much sounds sketchy (lol). But I think most tired businesspeople would feel the effect. It felt like a must-have.

I was going to write about downsides, but honestly there aren’t many. Considering what you’d spend going to some kind of treatment, doing it easily at home pays for itself.

If I had to pick something, maybe the fabric on the unit didn’t quite suit me? (lol) You could lay a towel on top or use the dedicated washable cover, but it gave me a feeling like the rustly swish of a windbreaker, which I don’t love…

But my wife said, “This material feels amazing!” so it’s very much personal preference. You get the same effect lying on your side or stomach, so it works even if you toss and turn (lol).

Of all the sleep tech I’ve used, this is the product where I felt the biggest change.

Official site: MindLax Where to buy: MindLax Sleeping Mat

This story was originally published (in Japanese) on Yahoo! News Japan Expert.