Sona Reviews 17

I mainly decided to try sona for my anxiety which I've struggled with in the background for a little over a year now. I've done 24 sessions now and what I'll say for others is this: it isn't an instant miracle fix, but it IS amazing.

I've been starting my days with the 10 minute sessions which has reduced my nervousness in the morning really well. I still get anxious but, compared to a month ago, I feel like I'm slowly getting more resilient to it. It doesn't effect me physically any more and I can push through so much more in my day to day.

As an added bonus, my HRV has gone up by 30 on average and I'm not sure whether it's the reduced anxiety or something else but I've been sleeping much better, especially in the last week. I had a small issue with the connection but the team member that I reached out to sorted it out very quickly and I haven't had an issue since. So, even though it isn't a miracle, if you're looking to get a hold on your anxiety specifically, then I couldn't recommend it more.

I bought the SONA before it was manufactured, around 7-8 months ago I think, I was initially worried that it could have been a scam or a legit company that could go bust before manufacturing it because it was a startup business with no track record, so bought it on trust and I'm so glad I did, the communication while waiting for delivery was brilliant, it was delayed twice by a month or two but they quickly contacted me to let me know the reason why , plus they actually gave me some money back because of that delay, by then the trust was in. As for the SONA wearable itself, the design, the fit and comfort, its all brilliant, As someone who buys regularly on Kickstarter and through retail, tech on first generation devices usually have some shortfalls where they can't iron out through software you have to wait for gen 2, but so far I can't find fault with this hardware. The app, is easy to use, for now on my devise I do have to sign in every time I use it but I suspect that's an easy software tweak they can fix, but it's not much really as I got it to remember my log in details so I just press connect each time. The levels of vibration/electrical signal is very variable to suit your needs, the amount of time and choice of music is great and varied and the breathing exercises are great
Using it- I've been using mine for around 4 weeks now I think, I use every morning when I get up and every evening before I go to bed, and I'm very impressed in how I feel afterwards, I use the music breathing and obviously the electrical signal to my vagus nerve, but sometimes I will use a different meditation app with it so it doesn't turn off when you come of the page and open another app. It relaxes my system down no end, i can view my pulse and my HRV in real time in the app, going up or down, because I have atrial fibrillation I tend to focus more on my pulse, my heart rate going down rather than the HRV as I don't know how accurate it would be for me because my heart signal is jumping around. I have a number devices to help with my anxiety and to try and relax me, pulsetto and also a sensate, which both work on vibration, I like them both as they relax me as well but I suspect non of them are actually reaching the vagus nerve as one rests on my breast bone and one on my wrists or ankle while vibrating, the SONA is different, I have definitely noticed the difference in this one than the other two devices, I believe it's helping with my anxiety, my fight or flight responses throughout the day, not only when using it , whereas the other two just relax me while using it, with my health problems and constantly getting up nightly to tend to my disabled daughter , this is finally the one product that helps me through the day, I feel more relaxed, more centred and less anxious, but it's still early days, there's a long way to go, initially I thought my initial response to it might be a placebo affect, but I don't think it is as in the past when I've tried something and thought it was working and that feeling disappeared fast, so far with the SONA I'm going from strength to strength. This is a keeper and not one to go in the bedside cupboard never to be seen again.

I purchased this recently and I am noticing a massive change, I have suffered with insomnia for 11 years, I have tried everything out there to help, I have tried another vagus nerve device that went around the neck and sent it back as didn’t find it effective but the Sona has been incredible and hits the right point directly, plus it is easy to use and so is the app. My sleep has improve massively in the first week by week 2 I started to have longer periods of deeper sleep and by week 3 I am sleeping 7 to 8 hours waking up only once or twice and getting back to sleep. I have noticed other benefits the generally feel calmer and I have more energy too.

I’ve spent a decent amount of time with SONA now, including side-by-side testing and comparing data against WHOOP, Polar H10 with Elite HRV, plus a fair bit of back-and-forth with their team. Here’s my honest take.

The concept is genuinely compelling. SONA is clearly trying to move into *intervention* as well as *measurement*, which is where I think this space needs to go. The idea of actively training and learning from your nervous system, rather than what all other vagus stimulation devices do, is a game changer.

The team behind it also stands out. They’re responsive, transparent, and clearly engaged. I’ve had detailed exchanges with Eliot and the wider team, many of whom come from a medical background, and they’ve been open about limitations, the roadmap, and the underlying science. That alone puts them ahead of a lot of early-stage health tech I’ve used before.

From a data perspective, SONA is consistent — which matters. HR is spot on, and HRV readings tend to be lower than chest-strap-based systems (likely due to PPG and smoothing), but they’re stable enough to use for trend tracking and biofeedback. Once you understand that it’s not trying to compete with Polar for absolute accuracy, it makes more sense.

That said, for someone like me who thrives on data, the current app layer is still quite light. The insights don’t yet go deep enough to be truly actionable. However, it’s clear they are collecting far richer datasets (comparable to tools like Elite HRV) — they’re just not fully surfaced yet. From my conversations with the team, more advanced analytics and configurability are on the roadmap, and I’ve also suggested journalling and AI-led insights, which should significantly enhance the experience for more analytical users.

For now, I’m personally using SONA as the *intervention layer* and relying on Polar + Elite HRV for deeper monitoring and analysis. That’s a conscious choice — many users will likely be perfectly happy with what the SONA app already provides.

In summary, I’m treating SONA as a *nervous system training tool*, not a primary measurement device — and used that way, it’s actually quite powerful.

The benefits aren’t dramatic session-to-session — they’re subtle and cumulative. But over time, you start to notice improvements in how quickly you can downregulate, which is ultimately the goal.

Overall:

Encouraging, innovative, and ahead of anything I’ve tried in this space — but still evolving. I would highly recommend SONA, particularly if you’re interested in actively improving your recovery rather than just tracking it.

I have had this amazing device for a month now and I’m more and more convinced that it’s the single best thing I could have done for my health. After an amputation last year I had been struggling to get my zest and energy back, as well as suffering from intense phantom limb pain. This has finally been something that is making obvious improvements. It wasn’t an over night fix but is slowly doing something really remarkable. I am finally waking up with energy and motivation for the day again instead of being dragged kicking and screaming from my slumber. The nerve pain is calming and I feel more present in my body. My partner has also been using it as he’s been suffering long covid and is also experiencing a lot of improvement (though a bit slower as he can’t use it every day)

The app was a little glitchy to start with but is getting better and better each update. The service from the company is also brilliant reply to my questions incredibly fast even late at night on a Friday.

I am so grateful this little device is in my life. After trying so hard in so many ways, to find something that made such improvements in 10-25 minutes a day feels like a miracle.

I have used Pulsetto and Neurosym with little to no effect.
SONA has been a completely different experience. My deep sleep has improved noticeably and my HRV is up around 30%.
It is also genuinely comfortable to wear and the app is on a par with Oura.
I cannot recommend SONA highly enough.

Ive been using my SONA Vagus Nerve Stimulator for 3 weeks now and would honestly recommend one. I have been stuck in the fight/flight response for a while now and this has helped calm my nervous system down. I have definately felt a shift in my body sensations as in by not feeling so on edge, so then i feel more in control of my thoughts and unpleasant symptoms. Although I sleep reasonably well I have felt a deeper sleep happening since using the device, which tells me im feeling more calm. Overall I would say that this is money well spent and worth every penny as ive invested in myself and will continue to use every day. Also the overall team who ive dealt with are always on hand and available to help with any queries.

I decided to try SONA to see if it could help with my anxiety which I have suffered with for over 20 years. I started off on intensity 1 and built up slowly. I have now completed 27 sessions and I am now on intensity 13.
I have seen a significant increase in my HRV and more importantly a decrease in my anxiety.
I had a few issues with achieving a good connection and the SONA team were very helpful and quick to reply to my concerns. I use the gel on my skin and electrodes and I get an excellent connection every time.
Just 10 minutes a day is all you need to achieve results.

I am a new user of SONA and honestly it’s made such a difference. It only takes 10 minutes, but after my very first use I felt way calmer and my sleep totally uninterrupted.

I felt constantly “wired but exhausted” most of the time but now my busy brain has found it much easier to switch off and relax. It just feels like it’s really working.

The device is very neat, easy to use and fits perfectly in my ear. I went for black as I didn’t want it to show too much, but in hindsight wish I had gone for white as I actually think it looks really cool. 🥰

Definitely recommend if you’re feeling stressed or struggling with sleep. This so far has been a game changer for me.

One very happy customer. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I did quite a bit of research before I made the investment in Sona and it came out as the best one out of all the brands I looked at. This one is personalised and seeing how it works over time is fantastic. I use it every single day, sometimes more than once when I’m particularly stressed, and after the 10 minutes I’m a different person. It has been life changing for me!

I've been using SONA for a few weeks now and there has been such a marked improvement of my sleep and stress, to the point where I really notice the days that I don't use the device. When I use it in the evenings it really helps quiet the mental chatter I normally experience before I sleep and when I wake up the next day I feel so rested and like I've slept really deeply, and this has a very noticeable knock-on effect on my mood and ability to cope with stress. I like that I can track my HRV throughout the sessions and see how it has been changing over time, and I've seen some seriously impressive results already - in one session, my HRV went from around 40ms to over 90ms!

I’ve been using Sona for about 4 weeks now and wanted to wait for tangible evidence before posting a review. My resting heart rate has been improving each week which in turn has improved my readiness score… today I achieved 100 which is the first time since Nov 25. Always use it first thing in the morning and just before lights out at night. It certainly is making a difference. One tip… sometimes getting a good connection is tricky so I’ve started to wear an elastic headband which applies some pressure to achieve an excellent connection. All in all I’m very pleased with the results. Better sleep equals better days. I’m glad I found Sona.

Honestly what sets SONA apart from other devices I've tried is the human support. The onboarding call walked me through everything like how to position the device, what to expect, how to read my hrv data. They also even check in weekly and genuinely care about your progress which is amazing . It doesn't feel like a faceless tech company. It feels like the founders are really in your corner so thank you !!

I was one of the first users, which took a bit of a leap of faith, but its a remarkable product that has more than repaid that faith. I love how you can adapt the stimulation to your own nervous system requirements.

The company is also great. Gave me access to VNS experts during device set up who gave me some tips on how I could get maximal results from my device. At one point it looked like the device wasnt working (I had set it up wrong) but they offered me a free replacement on the spot so good to know that they are looking out for customers

Life-changing device: I finally feel like myself again!
I've been using Sona for several weeks now and the difference is remarkable. My sleep has improved dramatically. I'm falling asleep faster and waking up actually refreshed. My focus throughout the day is sharper, I feel less stressed and more balanced and present overall. It's rare to find something that genuinely delivers on its promises, but Sona does exactly that. If you're struggling with sleep or just want to feel better day-to-day, I can't recommend it enough. A total game-changer for my wellbeing!

I was one of the early beta testers of the Sona device and as someone that consistently suffers from intense stress from work/general life I was relived to have found something that finally eliminated how I was feeling in that moment in time. It was the most incredible experience - I felt totally calm after using it for just 10 minutes. I have now ordered it and I can’t wait to receive it to be able to use it daily!

Been using SONA for a few weeks now, and my HRV increased from 43 to 61. I try to use it twice a day. The first time is usually during lunch, I try to bring it with me to the office, as it helps to stay stress resilient throughout a hectic day. The second time I use it is usually 1 hour before sleep. I have a hard time falling asleep, and after a few uses, I started falling asleep in 10-20 minutes.

Highly recommend for anyone struggling with sleep or having a stressful life.