Parents or teachers who spend most of the day with young children are exposed to noise, it can’t be avoided. But now people can take the edge off stressful sounds thanks to Calmer, a discrete new non-electric device by Flare Audio.

Made from silicone, Calmer sits barely visible in the user’s ear and cleverly reduces the ‘unpleasant’ audio frequencies known to cause most stress (think babies crying, children shrieking, traffic sirens and chairs scraping along hard floors), perfect for anyone who lives or works with children.

The device offers a natural way to reduce today’s barrage of environmental noise stressors, and the negative impact they have on our mental and physical well-being. Calmer diminishes mid and high frequency distortions which trigger the human ‘fight or flight’ response. While experts say this response was a vital part of our evolution to alert us to the slightest sound or threat, it is an overactive mechanism in today’s modern world where we no longer need to be alert to the snap of a twig, and this added resonance is loading us with unnecessary stress.

Living in the fight or flight mode for much of daily life results in increased cortisone levels, a reduced vagus nerve function, and high stress and anxiety levels.  We’re so used to the barrage of unpleasant audio bombarding our ears on a daily basis we don’t realise just how much these sounds put us on edge.  When first wearing Calmer you’d be forgiven for not noticing much change, but after wearing the device then removing it, you immediately see what a huge difference it makes.

You can still hear every sound, but the unpleasant edge is taken off sharp noises. Calmer provides a mellowness; removing the anxiety inducing properties of our surroundings and resulting in a calmer environment.

Comments on Instagram by Calmer users:
“As a tinnitus sufferer, having young children around can be quite challenging. [Calmer] stops your ears from going into overdrive at every noise, which reduces stress a lot.” RG
“I have issues with audio overload. Calmer is a godsend. The gentle dulling of surrounding sounds has meant I am able to tune out ambient noises rather than feel attacked by them.” Katu Matson

“Calmer is not an earplug and it doesn’t reduce volume. It is an in-ear waveguide that better channels sound into our ears by reducing distortion,” explains Davies Roberts, Flare Audio founder and CEO.

“These distorted noises are what induce our fight and flight response. We designed Calmer to reduce these resonances in the frequencies between 2-8kHz.  The reduced sound distortion achieved by Calmer also results in an improved, higher definition audio experience, giving our ears a natural ‘audio upgrade’.”

Independent research from the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research proves Calmer works. It is also reported by many to help people with noise sensitivity issues such as misophonia.

Flare Audio is an innovative Brighton-based company dedicated to improving people’s aural experiences. As well as creating loudspeakers for concerts and home audio, they have used their understanding of sound to create and improve a range of day-to-day consumer products including headphones, earphones, earplugs and hearing protectors.

Now available in translucent for an ultra-discreet solution, Calmer is £19.99 and available from Flare Audio.