Women of a certain age may find they are experiencing difficulty regulating their inner thermostats and whether menopausal hot flashes or increasing sensitivity to cold have you constantly adding or taking off layers, there is a new wearable device that may be able to offer some relief.
Changes in hormones and increased sensitivity to slight shifts in body temperature often result in hot flashes for women going through menopause. And both aging men and women may find they are feeling colder. Medications like beta blockers that decrease heart rate and circulation to the extremities or health problems can cause older adults to be more sensitive to cold. And with age, blood vessels may lose their elasticity resulting in a decrease in circulation. As well, the fat layer beneath the skin that helps insulate the body thins with age and the body may be slower to respond to cold; blood vessels may take a bit longer to constrict in order to keep the body temperature elevated in the cold.
Embr Wave founders developed their wearable device while working in an over-air-conditioned lab where they struggled to stay warm while brainstorming on their MIT engineering project. An idea formed in which heating or cooling the individual could not only make people feel more comfortable in their environment, but heating and cooling costs and use could also be reduced. With the prototype development and testing, researchers found that by heating or cooling just the inner wrist, people could be more comfortable in settings they found to be too hot or cold.
Instead of trying to drastically cool down a whole house blasting the air-conditioning or huddling next to the fireplace to stay warm in the winter, the Embr device allows the individual to warm or cool the sensitive inner wrist, creating a natural overall response throughout the body. The Embr Wave Bracelet is rechargeable, lasting between 2 and 3 days per charge and can be programmed with a smartphone app to meet individual needs. A quick cooling or warming 5 minutes mode offers a short burst of heat or cooling and extended, custom and sleep modes can be tailored to fit lifestyle and individual requirements.
Learn more about Embr by following this link to the company website. Currently the product is available in the US and Canada.
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