Therabody SmartGoggles Review | CNN underlined

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If you’ve ever been in bed with a migraine, you know what a literal and metaphorical headache it can be. (I’ve had intermittent migraines since high school and prescribed medication for when they strike.) An estimated 52 percent of the world’s population is dealing with active headache disorders, according to a 2022 analysis published in The Journal of Headache and Pain and they try everything from Botox to acupuncture to daith piercings for pain relief.

Therabody’s new SmartGoggles offer a less invasive solution. This high-tech eye mask (from the company that popularized percussive massage gun therapy) combines massage, heat, and vibration to relieve headaches and reduce facial tension.

Massage gun maker Therabody recently released SmartGoggles, a high-tech eye mask designed to help relieve facial tension, eye strain, and headaches using features like heat, vibration, and massage. The devices also pair with an app to deliver relaxing audio content and track relaxation results.

It’s not just migraine sufferers who benefit: The average American spends more than 7 hours a day in front of a screen, according to data from DataReportal. Just two continuous hours of screen time puts you at risk for eye strain and dryness, blurry vision and headaches, according to the American Optometric Association.

Since I’m prone to migraines and spend an embarrassing amount of time staring at my computer and phone all day, I was curious to see if the SmartGoggles would be enough to stave off the headache and soothe some of the eye strain induced by the screen. Here’s what I found after testing them for a week.

What We Liked About Therabody SmartGoggles They are portable and foldable

Ashley Matthew

At first glance, SmartGoggles look like a cross between a sleep mask and a VR headset. I hadn’t planned a trip during the test, but I imagine they pack nicely in a suitcase or carry-on to deal with travel-induced headaches They measure 7.9″ by 3.5″ when unfolded, but fold up at 5.5 inches by 3.9 inches . Plus, they use a USB-C charging cable (the same as my GoPro and MacBook), which eliminates the need to travel with another cable. Overall, they’re quite comfortable, with a padded interior and an adjustable head strap. I felt a decent amount of extra pressure around my cheekbones even when the device wasn’t in massage mode; they weigh a full pound, which is a lot to have resting on your face.

Once the glasses are turned on, there are three modes to choose from: Focus, Sleep and SmartRelax. SmartRelax is the most advanced, as it’s powered by SmartSense, a proprietary technology that uses your biometric data (read: your heart rate) to optimize your experience. During a session, a tiny sensor inside the glasses detects your heart rate and uses it to create a personalized vibration pattern to help you relax faster.

Ashley Matthew

During a five-minute session, my heart rate dropped from 61 beats per minute to 54. The other two modes use a combination of heat, vibration, and massage to help you get into a more focused state of mind or prepare you for sleep. In the TheraMind section of the partner app, there are additional preset programs, such as Settle Into Sleep, Midday Motivation, and Find Your Zen that include guided meditation (I found I relaxed more without any audio).

What we didn’t like about the Therabody SmartGoggles

Ashley Matthew

Like most Therabody devices, SmartGoggles connect via Bluetooth to the app, where you can choose your program, adjust heat and vibration levels, and set session times from five to 30 minutes. But there are also the controls on the goggles: just two small buttons above the left brow that control heat and vibration. I found those buttons completely useless, because even when I was able to find the correct button while the glasses were on my face, I still had to peek around the app to see what exactly I’d changed. Maybe it just takes a little more practice, but for me the point of using them was at least to escape the extra screen time, so I preferred to set everything up on my phone and then leave it on for the duration of the session.

I’ve done multiple sessions in all three preset modes and found them to be quite similar. During each one, the device massages the area surrounding the eye sockets, expanding and contracting to target certain pressure points (think: the temples, where the eyebrows frown). I didn’t feel noticeably more alert after a Focus session, or more sleepy after a Sleep session; I felt equally more relaxed after each one (which isn’t a bad thing!). Overall, I actually would have welcomed more pressure. The device pressed hardest on my temples, but when I get migraines, they almost always occur in the inner corner of my right eyebrow. The one day I had a headache while testing, I had to push down on the center of the device to get even some of the pressure I wanted. The headache hasn’t gotten worse, but it hasn’t dissipated either.

Ashley Matthew

I’m not sure I see SmartGoggles as a cure for future migraines, but that doesn’t negate the benefits they confer. I felt noticeably more relaxed after each time I used them, whether it’s from the massage, heat, and vibration or simply because I’d forced myself away from a screen for up to half an hour. I’m a big believer in the placebo effect and think that just the ritual of doing it once a day could play a big part in relieving physical or other stress for many people, and make it a regular part of a bedtime routine. it could be a great way to relax. For anyone who stares at a screen all day or is looking for supplemental headache treatments, Therabodys SmartGoggles could be a worthy investment.

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