Best Setup when Using Muse

Sometimes, you may wonder why your session results seem inconsistent or if you can use Muse in a certain way (like while jogging).

This article covers everything about setting up for Muse to help you with your practice and sleep for a consistent and reliable experience.
 

Setting up for your session
Calibrating for consistent results
Using Muse for non-focused-attention training practices
Setting up for your sleep session
Creating a nightly sleep routine with Muse

 

Setting up for your session

Muse is designed to help you learn to train your mental fitness, focus, and recovery, and form the habit of a regular and rewarding practice. Muse reads your brainwaves to measure your ability to place your focus on the breath, to keep it there, and gently reminds you to regain focus when your mind begins to wander.

When setting up for your session, we recommend:

• Wearing your Muse right away. When Muse is connected by Bluetooth in the Muse app, the sensors will try to establish good sensor quality.

• Make sure your Muse sensors have good contact with your forehead and the skin at the tops of your ears, like eye-glasses.

• For biofeedback sessions, Muse is best used when sitting in a comfortable, upright position with your eyes slightly closed.

• The Muse Mind biofeedback experience is designed to be used with focus-attention training techniques, such as focusing on your breath.
  
   

Calibrating for consistent results

When your session begins, Muse will calibrate to your brainwaves for that session. Calibration can take between 20-40 seconds. Calibration provides Muse with a picture of your brain to compare against during the session.

Your brain is constantly generating electrical signals when you’re thinking, sleeping, or even relaxing. These signals can be detected by the Muse sensors, however, the headband doesn't read your thoughts or emotions.

We find that completing a short body scan during calibration gives you the most accurate session results. Starting from your head, notice any tension or discomfort, and continue to notice as you scan the rest of your body, your arms, chest, and so forth.

Any testing during the calibration, calibrating with your eyes open, being overly active, moving or visualizing things during the calibration could skew your data, creating an inaccurate baseline for your sessions to compare against.

For your practice with Muse, we recommend you:

• Begin your session while sitting still and upright in a comfortable position.

• Keep your eyes lightly closed and remain generally still during your session (it’s okay to scratch an itch!).

• Focus on your breath during your session.
   

Continue anyway (optional)

Muse checks for the sensor's signal quality at the start of every session, and you may see the option to continue to your session before all of the sensors have fully connected for maximum sensor quality. We introduced this so that you can begin your session quickly!

We do recommend finishing the full sensor check so that Muse is leveraging the full suite of sensors. But even if you skip ahead, the rest of the sensors will automatically complete the check in the background.

One way to speed up the sensor detection overall is to wear your Muse and connect it by Bluetooth in the Muse app right away, then browse your favorite content.

 

Using Muse for non-focused-attention meditation practices

While the Muse algorithm was designed for use with focused-attention meditation practices, other meditation disciplines can also work with Muse. The important thing is that there’s not too much movement (like walking, dancing, etc.) The signals from movement are very strong and can interfere with and overwhelm the Muse sensors.

 

Setting up for your sleep session

When preparing for sleep, what’s most important is that you’re comfortable for a good night's rest.

After you fit your Muse S and complete the sensor quality check, find a position where you can relax and sleep.

As you find your position, make sure the Muse sensors have consistent contact with your skin. If you feel your Muse shift significantly, or fully lose contact with your skin, you may have lost good signal quality.

Depending on whether you sleep alone or with a partner, you can listen to a Sleep Journey, Soundscape, or Guidance on your phone’s built-in speaker or use your favourite earphones. Feel free to use other means of listening in a way that works best for you.

Note that some Journeys are designed to be worn with earphones. These Journeys include Sunset Canoe, Underwater World, and Enchanted Forest.

If you're playing a Sleep Journey, Soundscape, or Guidance with your device’s built-in speaker or prefer not to wear headphones to bed, we suggest placing your iOS or Android device nearby. A good spot for your device is the top of your headboard or on your nightstand.

 

Creating a nightly sleep routine with Muse

• Prepare yourself for sleep in a dark and comfortable room.

• Bring your Muse S, charged mobile device, and headphones (optional) to bed.

• Turn on your device’s Bluetooth.

• Power on the Muse S Pod.

• Fit your Muse S and select your Sleep Journey, Soundscape, or Guidance.

• ​​​​​​Complete the sensor quality check while sitting upright.

• Make any notes on your pre-sleep habits to compare later with your sleep quality.

• Lay back, get comfortable, and drift off into a restful sleep.

• Tap End Session when you wake.
   

Be sure to charge your Muse S when you wake up so it’s ready to use at night!