HeartMath CEO Bruce Cryer has heard from top executives around the world that their employees are feeling stressed. Whether it’s a 401k, a mortgage or simply concern over employment status and health, employees are continually burdened by what life is throwing at them.
“I’m hearing, ‘I’m really worried about my people,’” Cryer said. “You didn’t used to hear this from CEOs.”
Boulder Creek-based HeartMath provides products and training in an effort to help people reduce stress while becoming more efficient workers and healthier in day-to-day life, Cryer said.
“People are more receptive and more eager to take charge of their health and well-being than ever before,” he said.
HeartMath was founded in 1991 by Doc Childe and today ships its products to 60 countries. The company provides training to thousands of health professionals and employees, including those at Boeing and Dow Chemical.
HeartMath has 50 employees at its Boulder Creek facility. The technology and techniques the company uses are based on years of scientific research, Cryer said.
The company has developed the emWave Personal Stress reliever, a device that uses a computer chip to monitor heart rate and then trains the user to breathe at a pace that steadies his or her heart rate to a more “coherent” pattern.
Much like a well-oiled machine, Cryer said, a smooth, consistent heart rate performs more efficiently than a chaotic drum-beat heart rate.
“It’s less about what the heart rate is and more about the pattern,” Cryer said.
A user typically takes a few times to figure out how to steady their heart rate by using the emWave’s biofeedback, but Cryer said it’s not just the technology that helps relieve stress — it’s the process.
“Just breathing isn’t enough,” said Cryer, who added he uses the emWave each morning to start his day on a positive note. “You need to focus on something positive.
“HeartMath is a unique collection of really hard science with simple techniques combined with common sense,” he said.
For information: visit www.heart
math.com.
At a glance
WHAT: HeartMath Transforming Stress, Transforming Lives workshop
WHEN: 8 a.m. June 29
Where: Stanford University School of Medicine
INFO: 800-450-9111
