We Tried The Zenowell Vagus Nerve Stimulator To See If It Could Actually Help Us Relax

Everyone is looking for new ways to relax, whether it's box breathing, weighted blankets, or watching ASMR videos. Many of these methods work by engaging your parasympathetic nervous system, also known as your "rest and digest" mode. A major player in this system is the vagus nerve, which isn't just one nerve but a network of fibers stretching from your brain all the way down to your large intestine.

The Food and Drug Administration has already approved implanted devices that stimulate the vagus nerve to treat epilepsy and depression (via the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research). Some implanted vagus nerve devices may help with weight loss. Now, companies are developing non-invasive devices that target the vagus nerve through the ear. A branch of the vagus nerve lies close to the surface of the skin there, so these devices send gentle electrical pulses into the auricular branch to stimulate the vagus nerve and promote relaxation.

ZenoWell offers two auricular massage devices designed to target the vagus nerve, with claims that they can boost sleep, reduce stress, and relieve pain. I tried both devices to see whether they could actually help me sleep better and calm my stressed-out body.

The Vida Vagus Nerve Stimulator has three pulse settings: sleep, meditate, and relax. The sleep mode delivers a steady pulse for about seven seconds, followed by three shorter pulses. The meditate and relax modes feel nearly identical, each giving a steady four-second pulse followed by a four-second pause. The Luna also offers the sleep, meditate, and relax modes but also includes a relief setting. The relief mode is different, producing very short pulses that feel a bit like acupuncture and are said to help with headaches.

Both devices are smaller than an average cellphone and resemble an MP3 player with a single earpiece attached. There's just one earpiece that's fitted for your left ear. Why your left ear? More on that a little later. I found the Luna to be easier to hold thanks to its oval shape, while the Vida is thicker and rectangular with rounded corners. On the plus side, the Vida has a much larger screen than the Luna, which is handy if you don't want to squint or reach for your glasses.

Each device also comes with a gel kit that includes a lubricant pen and a small spray bottle. You'll need to moisten the earpiece with either the gel or water to help the electrical pulses conduct properly. A carrying case and a USB-C charger are also included.

The first time I tried the Zenowell Vagus Nerve Stimulator, it reminded me of my TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) unit for muscles. I played around with the different modes and intensity levels (0 to 30) to see what felt right. Once I landed on the meditate mode, I sat on the couch and scrolled through my phone. I wasn't impressed ... yet.

Rather than do something that stresses me out, I decided to take the vagus nerve stimulator to my meditation cushion. Since the device has its own timer, I set it for 20 minutes of silence. The subtle vibration on my ear gave me something to focus on, keeping me present. Every time my mind wandered, the gentle pulse brought me back. Hmm.

The 20 minutes passed without me feeling restless. When I checked my wearable tracker, I noticed some interesting changes. My heart rate variability went up, and my heart rate went down. That told me my parasympathetic nervous system was kicking in.

I tried meditating a few more times but got interrupted by my barking dogs. Even so, I realized this device is a nice support for meditation. And because it isn't connected to your phone, you won't get distracted by pings or notifications while you're trying to find some peace.

The Zenowell Vagus Nerve Stimulator might not be for you if you are looking for something that brings immediate calm, like the feeling of someone rubbing your shoulders. You need to spend a little time with it and give yourself a chance to settle. It also might not be effective if your mind is deeply engaged in other activities such as watching videos or driving. In those situations, you may not notice the vibrations because your body is already sensing many other things in your environment.

Both devices come with a default setting of 20 minutes, so if you want to spend more time relaxing you will need to restart it. If you prefer a shorter session you can pause it or turn it off. It would be helpful to have an option for a longer duration, especially for sleeping. Did it improve my sleep? No, but maybe if I used it for a few weeks.

The earpiece takes some practice to prepare and fit correctly. You can use either electrode gel or water to get it ready, but too much gel can feel sticky and too little will not provide enough conductivity. The earpiece is also limited in its sizing. Even though it has a removable silicone tip, it only comes in one size. I found the silicone tip to be too large, but when I removed it, the fit felt a little too loose.

You may still wonder why Zenowell provides an earpiece only for the left ear. Zenowell explains that most clinical studies use similar devices on the left ear to improve sleep, ease anxiety, and relieve pain. A 2019 review in Frontiers in Neuroscience said that the left ear is used because stimulating the right side is more closely linked to heart rhythm control, making the left side safer. It is also safer to apply stimulation to the ear rather than the neck.

According to the review, stimulating the vagus nerve through the ear activates areas of the brain tied to mental alertness and emotional regulation. Sending electrical pulses through the vagus nerve may help with chronic conditions such as pain, inflammation, and metabolic syndrome. Although these studies are small and more research is needed, they indicate that stimulating the auricular branch of the vagus nerve may help the brain rewire itself and restore broken feedback loops.

I was a little skeptical about trying this product. I have seen many yoga and breathwork promos claiming to activate the vagus nerve. Whether these practices or devices truly do that matters less to me. What's more important is whether they bring some calm to my stressed-out life. For me, this device complemented my wellness practices rather than replaced them.

In sum, I would recommend one of the Zenowell vagus nerve stimulators if you have trouble with meditation or other calming practices that ask you to sit quietly. They will not help if you continue to engage in anxiety-triggering habits like doomscrolling on social media. By giving your mind something gentle to focus on for about 20 minutes a day, a Zenowell vagus nerve stimulator could help bring a greater sense of calm to your life.