Thanks to the likes of Headspace and Calm, it's now easier than ever to practice meditation and live more mindfully. At the tap of a button, we have access to hundreds of meditations tools that can help with everything from reducing stress and anxiety to boosting mood and focus, and even improving sleep.
But, if you struggle to switch off when using meditation apps on your phone, or are easily distracted by incoming notifications, an app-free device could be just the thing you need to help you introduce mindful moments into your day. Cue - Melo.
The latest meditation aid to land on our desk, Melo is a handheld breathing device that helps you practice mindfulness anytime, anywhere. And, thanks to its travel-friendly design and simple, yet effective concept it might just be our favourite yet.
What is Melo?
Melo is a breathing device designed by the masterminds at TheaWellbeing in London. A miniature piece of kit, it will fit comfortably in the palm of your hand and is the ultimate travel-friendly sleep aid.
It uses a simple combination of vibrations and expanding and contracting light rings to guide you through breathing exercises proven to reduce stress and restore feelings of calm.
It’s beginner-friendly, rechargeable and comes with a range of accessories so you can attach it to your keys and keep it with you, always.
How does Melo work?
When we feel stressed or anxious, our breathing becomes fast, short and shallow and we live in fight-or-flight mode. Melo encourages us to take deeper, longer and slower breaths to reset our nervous system. By slowing down we reduce our breathing rate and our heart rate, and we kickstart our body’s rest and digest response, which is a direct neutraliser to our fight-or-flight response. This reduces stress in the body, aids relaxation, and leaves us feeling zen.
The Melo does this with three simple breathing exercises that have been designed for three levels: beginners, intermediate and advanced. The beginner pattern encourages you to inhale for a count of four and exhale for a count of four. The vibration of the device and the changing colours of light rings will guide you through the exercise.
Thea Wellbeing
The intermediate pattern encourages you to inhale for a count of four, hold for four, exhale for four and hold for four (a technique also known as box breathing), while the advanced pattern demonstrates the 4-7-8 technique in which you inhale for four, hold for seven and exhale for eight.
Start with the beginner pattern and work your way up to advanced. Total bliss could just be a few breaths away…
Is Melo worth it?
If you're new to meditation and breathwork, Melo could be the perfect companion to support you in prioritising your wellbeing. The subtle vibrations and changing light will gently guide you through the exercises as you become more familiar and comfortable with noticing your breath (a key component of meditation and breathwork).
Thea Wellbeing
For city-dwellers and those who are always on-the-go, Melo might just be the reminder you need to pause on your morning commute. Thanks to its mini size, it will easily fit into your handbag or laptop case.
As a mindfulness meditation practitioner, I'm already very familiar with these techniques but I found Melo encouraged me to pause more throughout the day and re-set my nervous system. I've also loved sharing it with family and friends when they're feeling stressed, encouraging them to take time for themselves.
While it's not the most affordable piece of tech (coming with a £50 price tag), if you struggle to meditate it could be a small investment that transforms your wellbeing, and a device you return to for years to come.
