Santa Barbara’s Shiftwave explores technology designed to help regulate the nervous system

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to move from one task to the next without ever slowing down. Researchers and wellness innovators continue looking for new ways to help people manage stress, improve recovery, and restore balance.

Based in Santa Barbara, Shiftwave is one company developing technology designed to help regulate the nervous system and support sleep, recovery, focus, and stress management. What began in a local psychophysiology lab is now being used by firefighters, professional athletes, and everyday people.

For Shiftwave co-founder and CEO Dr. Mike North, the idea grew out of a moment that changed the way he thought about stress.

"Then all of a sudden I just notice I'm just running so hot and I'm not thinking clearly," North said. "And I think that's one of the challenges in this world, is not just the tools to do something about it, but the awareness that this is actually happening to us."

Years before launching Shiftwave, North was hosting a Discovery Channel television program when he asked psychophysiologist Alan Macy to measure participants' stress responses during an episode focused on road rage.

"All of a sudden there were all these wires over me, and on the computer screen we could see all the biometrics," North recalled. "It's like, 'Oh wow, this is like the dashboard for the human condition.'"

He says seeing those measurements in real time sparked a new idea.

"And if you can measure something, now you can modify it, you can change it. But if you can't measure it, then you just don't know what you're doing."

After returning to Santa Barbara, North partnered with Macy to establish a psychophysiology lab at the Santa Barbara Center for Art, Science and Technology, laying the foundation for what would eventually become Shiftwave.

The technology combines four synchronized elements into one experience: full-body vibration, guided audio, a zero-gravity position, and a blackout eye mask. According to the company, the combination is designed to minimize distractions, encourage relaxation, and support nervous system regulation.

As the technology evolved, it expanded beyond the lab and into homes and community spaces.

One early supporter was longtime Santa Barbara resident Richard Alexander, who opened his Brinkerhoff Avenue location so others could experience Shiftwave.

"It's pretty neat to give people a good feeling," Alexander said. "It's a good way to start your day."

Among those who tried the technology was Ian Kellett, who said the experience helped him disconnect from the constant stress of daily life.

"I'm often stuck in 'on,'" Kellett said. "When I got into this chair... it was the fastest way I've ever seen where I got into that parasympathetic off space."

Each session is built around one of more than 75 guided protocols, with programs designed for different goals including stress management, sleep, focus, recovery, and resilience.

Today, Shiftwave says its technology is being used by a wide range of people, including firefighters, professional athletes, Ukrainian survivors, and everyday users.

"Fundamentally, what we found is we could drive the human system into a very regulated state, very quickly, mediated through the autonomic nervous system," North said. "The autonomic nervous system is what's communicating to all the systems of the body on how they should regulate themselves."

For Alexander, the greatest reward has been introducing others to something he believes can make a positive difference.

"People are becoming more aware," he said. "It's got a future for helping people in a time when people need help."

For more information on Shiftwave and the works they are doing, you can visit their official website.