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How to use The Shift
Here's a step-by-step tutorial for how to use the Shift to turn off anxiety, lower stress, and feel more calm fast.
You’re not the first to ask
The Shift is a necklace concept that simply slows your exhale to 8+ seconds which triggers your vagus nerve to calm your nervous system. There’s no app, batteries, or chemicals involved…it just leverages a proven breath technique that calms you naturally and silently. It's like an anchor that's always there to keep you calm and cool.
It's really simple to use:
The Shift is the first of its kind so we can appreciate the initial confusion. We were inspired by a proven straw breathing technique to silently calm the mind but wanted to design something more practical and worn as a commitment to breathing better. We use medical grade 316 stainless steel with precious metal colors baked though so it can be used safely everyday. We also tested and patented the tube length and diameter in order to create ideal exhalations that physiologically trigger calm. You could absolutely use a straw but we found that random sizing can be ineffective and flatten in your pocket. Wearing The Shift as a necklace is a commitment to breathing better as a daily habit which makes you feel better whenever you need a breather.
Lindsay L. (Hattiesburg, US)
I’m a respiratory therapist. I saw someone comment a straw can do the same thing....well not exactly. It doesn’t have the exact resistance this does to slow your exhalation. And much more fun than wearing a straw would be :)
The Shift is intentionally manufactured using a high quality stainless steel, which makes it extremely durable for everyday use. The precious metal colors are baked through the piece so you never have to worry about tarnishing or rusting when exposed to water. To keep your Shift looking shiny and new, we recommend using our Care Kit featured here: https://www.komusodesign.com/products/care-kit
Most people know that slower breathing works to relax them, yet still don’t do it. Why? Because we take 23,000 breaths per day and they’re all unconscious. The Shift is physical and because you’re wearing it, those slower breaths become more consistent as a daily practice. Whether you’re stuck in traffic, can’t sleep at night, or simply have an anxious mind…The Shift is there to immediately bring you back to calm.
We totally understand if you're skeptical about how or why this works because it seems too simple. Our tool has been designed, tested, and patented by a psychotherapist who used proven data about how breathing effects your mind.
Think of your inhalations as the gas pedal and your exhalations as the brakes. Stress triggers short inhales which launches you into ‘fight or flight’ mode. With 50,000 thoughts and 150 phone notifications everyday, we enter this state of mind too often which makes us feel tired and tense. Extending your exhales immediately reverses this state within two minutes by lowering cortisol (stress hormone), blood pressure, and heart rate.
We used this proven science to engineer a tool that allows you to access these longer exhales more often which makes you breathe better as a habit.
We partnered with the world’s leading stainless-steel provider to ensure the highest quality product. The materials we use stand up to European testing methods and employ a proprietary process to provide our customers with the best possible product.
We only use medical grade stainless steel and bake precious metal colors into the piece so it doesn’t lose its shine or finish. We didn’t cut any corners and have spared no expense to ensure its quality. There are many copies of our concept out there now and we can’t speak to their quality standards but believe you should be careful with anything you put in your mouth. We are the proud original creators and hope you’ll give our Shift a chance with a 30 day risk free purchase. As a customer, you’ll also receive free breathing techniques, tips, and advice on how to get the most out of such a life changing tool. Breathing better is our passion!
Our younger audience members have been on our minds for a long time now. The increase in anxiety among our younger generations is alarming. As parents, this cause is especially important to co-founders Todd and Vanessa.
We’ve been developing a special youth version of the necklace because so many parents and educators have been reaching out with similar questions.
We plan to release the Active Shift very soon. If you’d prefer to have the tool sooner, we hear from many different customers who have purchased the Shift for adolescents that it has been an effective breathing tool for many ages.
We manufacture our breathing tool using a proprietary method of baking the precious metals into high grade stainless steel to achieve the desired color. We use this process so the color never loses its luster.
The reason for the price variance is that the gold color takes more machining to produce such a vibrant color. We want to make sure it matches real gold or silver. The matte slate piece is the cheapest because it doesn’t require a high polish, so it’s easier to make.
That’s a fair question. The price of the product is based on a few different variables.
The first is that we use a high quality grade of 316 stainless steel that bakes the precious metal colors all the way through the piece through a proprietary process. This is important because the color in most jewelry wears down, or the plating chips or cracks. That won’t happen with the Shift. Our breathing tool is durable, elegant, and functional, designed and tested to help you breathe better for years to come.
Next, we use recycled metals, which increases costs. But as we help our audience breathe better, we also want to help our planet, and most especially our forests, breathe better too. So we continue to refine and streamline our methods with the utmost respect for the planet.
We want our customers to feel a long term connection with the necklace. This isn’t a trend or a fad for us. It’s not something we imagine our customers wearing occasionally. The Shift is an investment into breathing better, into reaching your potential, into a more vibrant life and a better you. To make customers feel more comfortable, we offer a risk-free trial for 30 days so you can return it if you feel the price doesn't match the experience(available in the US; to international buyers – please check the terms and conditions).
Our mission to lead a wellness movement centered around breathing better to help people feel better. We need help to get this message out there and we'd love for you join our community of breath enthusiasts to spread the word. Here's how you can apply:
https://join.collabs.shopify.com/community/apply/6N63mjZyKuc
We honestly didn't design the tool with the intention of helping people quit smoking, but have been surprised by how many customers have successfully used it to quit.
They tell us they’ve learned that their "smoking break" is really more like a "breathing break." Our breathing tool has provided them with an excuse to go outside, hold something physical to satisfy that part of the habit, and take pause during their day and busy schedules while breathing. Simply put, the Shift checks nearly all of the boxes that accompany the smoking habit, without the negative side effects.
There’s some science to back this up too: longer exhales send signals to your nervous system to calm down, regardless of whether you’re using a cigarette or our breathing tool. The Shift helps our audience achieve longer exhales and a greater sense of calm naturally, in turn shifting the habit from smoking to naturally breathing better.
Here's some reviews from verified customers who have used the Shift to quit smoking:
Elizabeth Maki (Edmonton, Canada)
“I've had this for a week. I've been using it with focus and attention for three days, and haven't had a cigarette in those three days (I'm a long-time half-pack-a-day smoker). Love the way it looks, and it's such a useful tool for when you're trying to drop into a moment of mindfulness in the middle of a busy day. I fully intend to make continued good use of this necklace. Thanks Komuso!”
Devin Sanders (Lake Charles, US)
“I use it multiple times a day and it helped me stop smoking bc of the hand to mouth motion for using it. I even use it when I’m not anxious bc it helps me be entertained fore i have nervous habits”
We also offer a free (available in the US; to international buyers – please check the terms and conditions), 30-day trial so you can test it out risk-free.
Note: the Shift does not contain nicotine. It is a breathing tool designed to slow your exhale and increase your sense of calm naturally.
You can test drive The Shift for 30 days risk-free. If it hasn’t changed the way you feel, we’ll send you a postage label (if located in the US) and you can send it back for a full refund.
The Shift was created by a husband-and-wife team (Todd and Vanessa) who were both stressed out and feeling disconnected. They worked out, they ate right, they tried meditation, but nothing was consistent. They started working with a therapist who suggested they try breathing through a straw to help slow their breath down. The simple technique worked so well that they decided to create a necklace to make the breathing technique permanent. 100,000 happy breathers later, the Shift continues to provide people with a practical tool to anchor peace of mind.
Watch their story here: https://youtu.be/M5JQlifcN7g
The engraving on the back of the piece is Japanese kanji for “Be Still.”
The Shift was inspired by the Komuso Monks of 17th century Japan who used a similar tool called a shakuhachi to meditate. We wanted to inherit their wisdom and adapt the tool to modern culture to help people slow down and achieve a greater stillness and peace of mind naturally.
Our customers tell us what chain style they prefer based on their gender identification, so we like to pass along the info. The recommended men’s ball chain is a little shorter (25”) than the recommended women’s cable chain (28”).
The pendant is exactly the same but the chain style is interchangeable depending on your style and preference.
Check out both chains at our shop.
The necklace was designed to be used discreetly so you have the ability to use the tool at work, school, or around other people. While the piece may resemble a whistle, the only sound emitted during use is an amplified version of your exhale, which was intentionally designed to help train your mind to redirect your thoughts back to your body.
Since your mind can only focus on one thing at a time, we want you to be focused on the present moment, which is easier said than done. When you're listening to the sound of yourself breathing, we find it’s easier to think about breathing, which increases the quality of your breath, keeps you from focusing on anxious thoughts, and ultimately lowers your anxiety.
Are you a wellness or mental health professional interested in the power of the breath? Are you helping people achieve true wellness through better breathing?
We would love to hear from you.
We work with mental health professionals and wellness enthusiasts across the country who recommend the Shift to their clients. We love this relationship because we believe the power of breathwork education can really enhance the experience of the necklace. You also have access to clients or customers who could really benefit from the necklace.
We’re happy to invite you to join our community of wellness leaders within Komuso.
Please email todd@komusodesign.com so we can talk!
“I was super skeptical at first, cause if felt like a gimmick but after giving it try, I wear it every day. A game changer.”
-andrew