The Muse Athena headband combines EEG and fNIRS technology to provide real-time neurofeedback for meditation, sleep tracking, and prefrontal cortex oxygenation training.
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A new deep sleep stimulation feature, launching in early 2026, uses audio cues timed to delta waves to deepen and lengthen deep sleep, even without headphones.
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Just 5 minutes a day of Muse use (meditation or oxygenation training) has been shown to improve cognition, reduce stress, improve sleep, and decrease burnout.
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Muse has demonstrated benefits for conditions like long COVID, fibromyalgia, Cushing's syndrome, cancer care, PTSD, and anecdotal improvements for ADD/ADHD and OCD.
Protocols
Concrete recipes — what, when, how much, and why
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Muse Meditation Sessions (EEG Neurofeedback)
WhatEngaging in guided meditation sessions with real-time audio feedback based on EEG brainwave activity.
WhenDaily, or as part of a combined routine with strength sessions.
DoseMinimum of 5 minutes per day.
For whomAnyone looking to improve meditation practice, reduce stress, enhance emotional self-regulation, and potentially clear amyloid beta from the brain.
WhyHelps users learn to quiet their minds and achieve a meditative state more quickly by providing immediate feedback on brain activity. Strengthens the brain through meditation training, downregulates amygdala activity, and may help clear amyloid beta.
Muse's core meditation offering uses EEG neurofeedback to guide users. When meditating, if the brain is active or distracted, the user hears sounds like a storm. As they achieve a state of calm, focused attention, the sounds quiet down, and sustained focus is rewarded with pleasant sounds like birds chirping. This real-time auditory feedback acts as a 'coach,' helping users understand what their brain is doing during meditation and learn to maintain a focused state. This process is designed to 'hypercharge' meditation practice, allowing users to see benefits more quickly than traditional meditation alone. Beyond just calming the mind, meditation with Muse is said to strengthen the prefrontal cortex, downregulate amygdala activity (reducing stress response), and according to recent research, may even help clear amyloid beta from the brain.
Mechanism
EEG sensors track electrical brain activity. When the mind is active or distracted, users hear 'stormy' sounds; as the mind quiets and focuses, the sounds become calm, and 'birds chirping' indicate sustained focus. This auditory feedback reinforces desired brain states.
Exactly. So Muse's meditation tools give you real-time feedback on your brain while you meditate so that you know what you're doing during meditation and so that you can improve.
WhatPerforming exercises within the Muse app (e.g., the 'owl' session) that use fNIRS neurofeedback to increase blood flow and oxygen delivery to the prefrontal cortex.
WhenDaily, or as part of a combined routine with meditation sessions.
DoseMinimum of 3-5 minutes per day.
For whomIndividuals seeking to enhance mental fitness, improve focus, planning, organization, and inhibitory control, particularly as a preventative measure against age-related cognitive decline.
WhyTo strengthen the prefrontal cortex, improve cognitive function, alertness, focus, and executive functions by increasing nutrient delivery (oxygen) to this brain region.
CaveatsThe fNIRS data is not ideal for comparing brain oxygenation between different sessions (e.g., after coffee vs. no coffee) due to its continuous wave sampling method, but it is effective for tracking changes within a session.
The Athena Strength Sessions are a new type of neurofeedback training that leverages the fNIRS sensor to target the prefrontal cortex (PFC). In these sessions, users engage in activities like making an 'owl' move on screen, which is directly controlled by their ability to increase blood flow and oxygen delivery to their PFC. This is akin to a targeted workout for the brain, where the goal is to enhance the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the PFC. The speaker explains that just as physical exercise builds muscle by increasing blood flow to active areas, this brain exercise aims to strengthen the PFC. Improved PFC function translates to better attention, planning, organization, executive functioning, and inhibitory control, which are crucial for daily cognitive performance and preventing age-related decline. The fNIRS technology provides real-time feedback on these physiological changes, allowing users to actively train their brain's vascular response.
Mechanism
fNIRS sensors measure oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin in the prefrontal cortex. The neurofeedback (e.g., an owl flying) responds to increases in blood flow and oxygenation, training the brain to actively upregulate oxygen delivery to the PFC, similar to how physical exercise strengthens muscles by increasing blood flow.
You're literally doing a targeted exercise for your PFC to increase the nutrient delivery.
Muse Digital Sleeping Pill
WhatListening to guided stories or sounds as you fall asleep, with the Muse headband adjusting audio parameters based on brain activity to facilitate sleep onset and re-sleep.
WhenAt bedtime, when trying to fall asleep or re-sleep after waking.
DoseAs needed.
For whomIndividuals experiencing difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.
WhyTo improve sleep onset latency and overall sleep quality by gently guiding the brain into sleep and back to sleep if awakened.
CaveatsRequires listening to audio, so headphones might be preferred if sharing a bed.
The Muse Digital Sleeping Pill is an existing feature designed to help users fall asleep more easily and improve overall sleep quality. Users choose a story or sound to listen to as they prepare for sleep. The Muse headband monitors their brain activity, specifically predicting when they are about to enter N1, the first stage of sleep. At this point, the system intelligently adjusts the audio's volume and other parameters to gently guide the brain into sleep. Once the user is asleep, the audio automatically fades out. If the user wakes up during the night, the system detects this and reactivates the audio experience to help them fall back asleep. This feature has been in the market for three years and has been supported by studies demonstrating a 20% improvement in overall sleep quality and a 55% reduction in sleep onset latency (the time it takes to fall asleep).
Mechanism
The Muse tracks brain activity as the user transitions from wakefulness to sleep (specifically N1, the first phase of sleep). It then dynamically adjusts the volume and parameters of the audio story to cue the brain to fall asleep. Once asleep, the audio turns off. If the user wakes up, the experience resumes to help them fall back asleep.
The digital sleeping pill tracks your brain as you move from wakefulness into sleep, predicting when you're going to move into N1, which is the first phase of sleep, and it starts to adjust the volume of a story that you're listening to.
Muse Heart Meditation Sessions
WhatMeditating while listening to real-time audio feedback of one's own heartbeat, specifically the sinusoidal arrhythmia related to breathing.
WhenAs desired, potentially daily.
For whomAnyone interested in stress reduction, improving self-awareness of bodily functions, and optimizing HRV.
WhyTo improve interoception (awareness of internal bodily states) and train Heart Rate Variability (HRV), which is negatively correlated with stress.
Muse offers specialized meditation sessions focused on the heart, where users hear their own heartbeat as a drum beat. This isn't just a static beat; it's a real-time auditory representation of their sinusoidal arrhythmia – the natural fluctuation of heart rate with breathing. As a person inhales, their heart rate increases, and as they exhale, it decreases. The Muse makes this cycle audible, allowing users to directly perceive their Heart Rate Variability (HRV). The speaker emphasizes that high interoception, the ability to sensitively understand one's internal state, is negatively correlated with stress. By making HRV audible and providing a visual graph of its fluctuations, these sessions help users train their interoception and potentially optimize their HRV, leading to better stress management.
Mechanism
The Muse device captures heart rate data (via PPG) and translates the natural fluctuations of heart rate during breathing (sinusoidal arrhythmia) into an audible cue, like a drum beat. As the user breathes in, heart rate increases and the beat speeds up; as they breathe out, heart rate decreases and the beat slows down. This real-time auditory feedback helps users become more aware of their internal physiological state (interoception) and learn to influence their HRV.
So what you're hearing in the uh heart meditation is actually that cycle. You're literally hearing your heartbeat increase and speed up and decrease and slow down.
Muse Breath-Focused Meditations
WhatEngaging in guided breathwork practices (e.g., box breathing) with real-time feedback on breath rate.
WhenAs desired, to either energize or calm down.
For whomAnyone looking to utilize breathwork for physiological regulation, stress reduction, or energy modulation.
WhyTo shift physiology through controlled breathing, enabling users to either energize themselves or achieve a state of calm.
Mechanism
The Muse senses the user's breath rate and provides feedback to help them synchronize their breathing with guided practices. This allows for conscious manipulation of breath patterns to influence the autonomic nervous system, leading to desired physiological states (e.g., calming with slow breathing, energizing with faster breathing).
So the breath we are able to sense your uh breath rate and so we have breath focused meditations like box breathing etc. And it is tracking your breathing and letting you know if you're breathing in time with the guide to help you shift your physiology.
Muse Body Stillness Meditations
WhatMeditations focused on achieving physical stillness, with feedback on body movement.
WhenAs desired, particularly for beginners.
For whomBeginners to meditation or neurofeedback who want to understand the system and their body's response.
WhyTo help users find stillness in their body and understand how their physical state interacts with the neurofeedback system.
Mechanism
The Muse tracks body movement and provides feedback, guiding the user towards a state of physical stillness. This helps users become more aware of their physical presence during meditation and how it relates to their mental state.
And then body is helping you just find stillness in your body. Sometimes a good one for beginners to to just see how the system works and how your own system works with it.
What's new
Personal practice updates, fresh positions, predictions
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Muse Athena: Dual-Sensor Neurofeedback Headband
The latest Muse headband, Athena, integrates both EEG (electrical activity) and fNIRS (functional near-infrared spectroscopy) to track brain activity, making it the only device to combine these two modalities.
Why this matters: This dual-sensor approach offers a more comprehensive view of brain function, combining electrical signals with blood oxygenation data, which is a significant technological advancement for consumer neurofeedback devices.
Background
Previous Muse versions relied solely on EEG to track electrical brain activity for meditation feedback. The addition of fNIRS brings a new dimension to brain monitoring, similar to what fMRI machines measure in a lab setting.
The Muse Athena headband represents a significant upgrade by incorporating fNIRS technology alongside its traditional EEG sensors. While EEG measures the electrical activity of the brain, fNIRS tracks blood oxygenation in the prefrontal cortex. This is analogous to how fMRI machines in research settings observe which parts of the brain 'light up' due to increased oxygen consumption during tasks. The device uses red and infrared light to penetrate the skull and measure oxyhemoglobin (oxygen delivered) and deoxyhemoglobin (oxygen utilized) at the blood-brain barrier, providing insights into both the demand and utilization of oxygen by the prefrontal cortex. This allows for a more direct assessment of brain 'work' and metabolic activity.
Now we've added a second sensor modality into the device and this is the only device that contains both fneers and EEG. So FNS is functional near infrared spectroscopy.
Prefrontal Cortex Oxygenation Training (Athena Strength Sessions)
The Muse Athena offers 'strength sessions' that use fNIRS neurofeedback to train and upregulate oxygen delivery to the prefrontal cortex, aiming to improve cognitive function.
Why this matters: This is a novel application of neurofeedback, directly targeting brain blood flow and oxygenation, which is distinct from traditional EEG-based meditation and offers a 'brain workout' for mental fitness.
The Athena headband introduces a unique training modality focused on increasing oxygen delivery to the prefrontal cortex (PFC). This is achieved through neurofeedback exercises, such as the 'owl' session, where users learn to control an on-screen owl's movement by increasing blood flow and oxygenation to their PFC. The rationale is similar to physical exercise: just as moving muscles sends oxygen and nutrients to those areas for growth, intentionally increasing blood flow to the PFC can strengthen it. This type of training is designed to improve 'brain fitness' or 'mental fitness' by enhancing the nutrient supply to this critical brain region, which is responsible for attention, planning, organization, executive function, and inhibition. Unlike traditional EEG, which measures electrical activity, these sessions directly target the metabolic activity of the brain.
So in the owl one, what you're trying to do is make that owl move based on an increase in blood flow to your prefrontal cortex and an increase in oxygen delivery to your PFC.
Deep Sleep Stimulation Feature (Early 2026 Launch)
Muse is developing a new feature, launching in early 2026, that uses precisely timed audio stimulation during deep sleep to amplify delta waves, thereby deepening and lengthening deep sleep.
Why this matters: This is a significant advancement in sleep technology, offering a non-invasive way to actively enhance deep sleep quality by directly interacting with brainwave patterns, potentially improving cognitive function in older adults.
Background
The development of this feature stems from research collaborations with labs in the US and Spain, which explored stimulating delta waves in older adults with mild cognitive impairment to improve daytime cognitive function.
Muse is set to release a groundbreaking deep sleep stimulation feature in early 2026. This technology works by continuously tracking the user's brainwave activity. Once the user enters deep sleep, the Muse precisely monitors their delta waves, which are approximately 1200 milliseconds long. It then delivers a subtle audio sound, either through the phone's speaker or headphones, timed specifically to the upswing of each delta wave. This precise timing is designed to amplify the delta activity, leading to deeper and longer periods of deep sleep. A key innovation is the system's ability to dynamically adjust the audio volume. By monitoring the EEG activity, Muse can detect if the sound is too loud and might wake the user, and then titrate the volume down to ensure effective stimulation without disturbing sleep. This intervention aims to improve overall sleep quality and, by extension, cognitive function.
And then we have a super cool intervention coming out uh in early 2026 that helps you deepen your deep sleep with audio stimulation on the upswing of every delta wave.
Muse as a Clinical-Grade Sleep Lab Alternative
The Muse headband, particularly the Athena model with its PPG sensor, provides highly accurate sleep data, including full-spectrum EEG and delta wave amplitude, making it a more effective sleep tracker than wrist or finger devices.
Why this matters: This positions Muse as a viable alternative for clinical-grade sleep measurements, offering insights into sleep stages (like deep sleep depth) that are typically only available in polysomnography (PSG) labs.
The Muse headband, especially the Athena model, is presented as a superior sleep tracking device compared to wearables like Whoop, Oura, or Ultrahuman rings. While those devices rely on Heart Rate Variability (HRV) as a proxy for sleep quality, Muse directly tracks brain activity via full-spectrum EEG. This allows it to accurately identify sleep stages, including deep sleep, and even measure the amplitude of delta waves, which indicates the 'depth' of deep sleep. This level of detail is typically only available in a polysomnography (PSG) lab. The device's PPG (photoplethysmography) sensor also contributes to its ability to act like a sleep lab, tracking heart rate and blood oxygen levels. This capability has led to its use in clinical sleep studies by institutions like the Mayo Clinic and the DoD.
The only way you can know if you're really in deep sleep is by tracking your delta waves. So Muse tracks full spectrum EEG. In deep sleep, we know not only are you in deep sleep, but how deep is your deep sleep.
Muse for OCD and ADD/ADHD
While not a medical device, Muse has shown promising results in studies for OCD symptom reduction and anecdotal benefits for individuals with ADD/ADHD by improving frontal lobe activity and focus.
Why this matters: This highlights the potential therapeutic applications of neurofeedback for specific neurological conditions, offering a non-pharmacological approach to managing symptoms.
Muse, while explicitly stating it is not a medical device for diagnosis or treatment, has been explored in research for its potential benefits in conditions like OCD and ADD/ADHD. A study on OCD by Dr. Lawrence Holly observed meaningful changes in YBOCS (Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale) scores and electrophysiological brain changes in individuals using Muse, suggesting a shift away from OCD-like brain patterns. For ADD/ADHD, which is characterized by hypoactive frontal lobe executive function, many individuals, including the expert, have anecdotally reported significant improvements in focus, memory, and managing multiple tasks through consistent Muse use. The device's ability to train attention and potentially increase prefrontal cortex oxygenation may contribute to these observed benefits.
Personal experience
I'm one of them. I'm one of those people who had terrible ADD and through the course of using Muse's various tools have noticed dramatic improvements in my ability to focus, to be able to remember to do things, to manage multiple conversations simultaneously, to stay on track.
Muse has been used both to improve OCD symptoms in that study and they could see real changes in the brain that indicated that those that those that those symptoms didn't just change in life but actually your mind their minds had changed.
Recommendations
Products, supplements, and tools mentioned in the episode
4 items
Muse Athena Headband
Tool
The latest brain-sensing headband from Muse, combining EEG and fNIRS technology for comprehensive brain health tracking and training.
The Muse Athena is the newest iteration of the Muse brain-sensing headband, representing a significant technological leap. Unlike previous models that relied solely on EEG (electroencephalography) to measure electrical brain activity, the Athena integrates fNIRS (functional near-infrared spectroscopy). This dual-sensor approach allows it to track both electrical signals and blood oxygenation levels in the prefrontal cortex. This means it can provide neurofeedback for traditional meditation (EEG-based) and also offer 'strength sessions' that train the brain to increase oxygen delivery to the PFC. Additionally, it incorporates PPG (photoplethysmography) for heart rate and body movement tracking, and offers advanced sleep monitoring capabilities, including the upcoming deep sleep stimulation feature. It's designed to be comfortable for all sleep positions and is presented as a more accurate sleep tracker than wrist or finger devices due to its direct brain monitoring.
So there's the Muse 2, which is the classic device that we've had for the last few years. And this one does u the meditation and tracking your brain only. And then the Athena does the meditation and brain tracking plus the fneers plus the sleep.
The classic Muse device, primarily focused on EEG-based meditation and brain tracking.
So there's the Muse 2, which is the classic device that we've had for the last few years. And this one does u the meditation and tracking your brain only.
Recommended for decreasing inflammation and supporting myelination of neurons.
The expert recommends fish oil as a foundational supplement for brain health. Its primary benefits are cited as decreasing inflammation throughout the body and being crucial for the myelination of neurons. Myelin is the fatty sheath that insulates nerve fibers, allowing for efficient electrical signal transmission. Maintaining healthy myelination is essential for optimal brain function as one ages, making fish oil a key component for long-term cognitive health.
Um, we should still all take our fish oil because fish oil is important for decreasing inflammation. It's also important for the myelination, the little fatty um sheath on the outside of your neurons.
Mentioned as a complementary brain health tool that Muse has been used to validate.
The expert acknowledges red light therapy, specifically mentioning Violite, as a beneficial tool for brain health. They note that Muse devices have been used by Violite to demonstrate the efficacy of their red light therapy by showing measurable changes in brain activity. This suggests that while Muse offers a unique form of neurofeedback, it can complement other brain-optimizing technologies like red light therapy.
Um red light solution is great. We work closely with Violite and actually they use Muse to demonstrate that their red light therapy really has an effect because you can see the change in brain activity.
Lines worth pulling out — contrarian, specific, or perfectly phrased
6 items
The only way you can know if you're really in deep sleep is by tracking your delta waves.
This highlights the unique capability of Muse to provide clinical-grade insights into sleep depth, distinguishing it from other wearables.
You're literally doing a targeted exercise for your PFC to increase the nutrient delivery.
This vividly explains the mechanism and benefit of the new fNIRS-based 'strength sessions' as a direct brain workout.
So, we can actually titrate the sound volume that's delivered in order for it to just keep deepening your deep sleep and not wake you up.
This describes a sophisticated, user-centric design element of the upcoming deep sleep stimulation feature, addressing a common concern with audio-based sleep aids.
The most important place to meditate is the place you'll actually do it.
A practical and pragmatic piece of advice emphasizing consistency over idealized conditions for meditation practice.
And by week six, you're at the point where, hey, I'm actually seeing consistent changes in my life. You know, I'm noticing that I'm less reactive. I'm noticing that I'm more focused.
Provides a clear timeline for observable, real-world benefits from consistent Muse use, making the abstract concept of 'brain training' tangible.
So, we have lots of studies, there's over 200 studies published in Muse, lots of studies that show that just five minutes is sufficient.
Emphasizes the low time commitment required to achieve significant results, making it accessible for busy individuals.
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Educational summary of the cited expert source — not medical advice. Open the source recording linked above and consult a qualified physician before acting on any protocol.
