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Is there something vaguely disconcerting about a medical device that comes with a "Quick Start" guide? Don't be scared: InterCure's RESPeRATE is fairly harmless as medi-gadgets go, a specialized audio player that is designed to calm you down, slow your breathing, and lower blood pressure with continued use. Operation is fairly simple: A strap stretches around your torso, measuring when you breathe, while headphones offer musical and verbal cues that gradually slow your breathing down. A cycle runs 15 minutes, and you're supposed to use it four times a week.
With my starting blood pressure already at a scant 104/63, reducing it any more could kill me, but sessions with the RESPeRATE did lead to a level of calmness and relaxation, and a resting pulse rate 15 bpm lower than before. For what it's worth, InterCure says its therapeutic blood pressure claims have been tested in multiple clinical trials, with the average reduction measuring 14/8 points. Me? I'm just a bit surprised; this is the first time in history technology has been effective at lowering my blood pressure rather than raising it.__ —Christopher Null__
WIRED Very soothing; effective at helping you relax when you're feeling wound up. Simple controls, works intuitively. Stows conveniently in a self-contained package, despite the tangle of cords it uses. Compact; about the size of a Discman.
__TIRED __Extremely costly: For 300 bucks, you're basically getting an MP3 player and some headphones. (But cheaper than a heart bypass.)
$299, resperate.com
