If you get periods, you might be familiar with the constant emotional ups and downs during your cycle -- mental fogginess one day, anxiety the next. You're not imagining it; your hormonal cycle greatly impacts your mood. A new wearable called Lutea is hoping to change that, not through medication or supplements but by stimulating your brain.
"Your brain is at the center of how you experience your cycle, from focus and energy to mood and motivation. Yet so often, brain science hasn't been applied to everyday women's health," says Emilė Radytė, a neuroscientist who holds a PhD. She's the CEO and co-founder of Samphire Neuroscience, a female-founded neurotech company.
Lutea is a sleek, headband-like device that uses noninvasive brain stimulation -- known as transcranial direct current stimulation -- to support the areas of your brain linked to mood and focus. You wear it for about 20 minutes a day, typically in the days leading up to your period, while its app tailors your schedule based on your unique cycle and symptoms.
Unlike other wearables that focus on tracking symptoms or stimulating nerves near the source of pain, Lutea works with the prefrontal cortex, the region of the brain tied to emotional control and perception of pain. The result is a device that doesn't just soothe symptoms; it may help retrain how your brain responds to hormonal changes.
"With Lutea, we're bringing decades of neuroscience into a wearable that allows women to feel balanced and in control without drugs, hormones or stigma. Typically, we've been told to push through our symptoms or medicate them away. Lutea represents a different path that's validated by science and designed to integrate into everyday life," says Radyté.
Samphire launched in the UK with Nettle, a hormone-free headband device that can help relieve PMS discomfort and mood swings. It sold out twice before earning industry awards for innovation in women's health. With Lutea, the company is making its debut in the US.
Lutea is now available for preorder at samphireneuro.com for $589, and the company is offering a 30% discount on all preorders, bringing the price down to $412. It's important to note that the app requires a $70 annual subscription, and preorders come with an extended 90-day return policy.