The story of Shiftwave begins in a research lab in Santa Barbara, where the stakes were far from ordinary. CEO and Co-Founder Mike North was tasked with a critical question: how can humans perform under extreme pressure and recover faster, even in the most demanding conditions?
But I didn’t first encounter that question in a lab. I heard it sitting across from Mike at his home in Venice, Los Angeles. The setting was calm, a brisk breeze rolling in from the nearby Pacific, as we settled in with tea and soft afternoon light drifting through the room. Over the course of an hour, his passion for the work became unmistakable—along with a clear belief in its reach. What stood out was how intentionally Shiftwave is designed for a wide spectrum of people: from elite athletes and trauma survivors to anyone simply seeking a reset or moment of balance. At its core, it reflects a simple but powerful idea—that performance and recovery, pressure and equilibrium, aren’t opposites, but forces meant to work in rhythm.
Shiftwave was born from this insight. Co-founder Mike North, Ph.D., a visionary inventor and engineer, drew on his decades of expertise, “to build Shiftwave to help people feel and function better in high-pressure environments,” North explains. He spoke casually about projects that sounded anything but ordinary—autonomous drones, mind-controlled demolition derby cars, and self-driving pizza delivery prototypes for shows like Prototype This! and In the Making. There was a consistent curiosity behind it all: how systems—mechanical or human—adapt under stress. Shiftwave, in many ways, felt like the most personal expression of that curiosity.
Alongside North on the journey of creating Shiftwave was his mentor and co-founder, Alan Macy, MSEE and the co-founder / biomedical designer of BIOPAC systems, which is used in 99% of the world’s top 100 universities for physiological research. Collectively, they took on the arduous task to prove that the answer to stress and recovery lies not in willpower or supplements, but in the body itself. Its rhythms, its breath, its senses.
“The same practical principles that support operators and elite performers, breathwork, rhythmic stimulation, and sensory focus, are just as relevant for anyone navigating a demanding day,” North adds.
From Lab Principles to Body-Up Performance
At its core, Shiftwave takes a body-up approach. Rather than piling on tracking metrics, it guides the body toward natural balance. Whole-body vibration (there are a total of 18 transducers) engages mechanoreceptors to help the body settle, while sensory immersion uses auditory and somatic cues to focus attention. Together, these modalities create a rhythm that promotes calm, readiness, and recovery, influencing heart rate variability and autonomic balance.
“Our goal isn’t to diagnose or treat,” North continues. “We’re helping people reconnect with their natural capacity to regulate. When rhythm, breath, and sensation come together, the body often finds balance on its own.”
I had the chance to experience that firsthand—twice.
The first session on the Shiftwave Pro was a shock at first. Lying there, I became aware of the layered sensations: vibration, guided breathing, sound. At first it was like my senses were in hyperdrive, but soon the orchestration of all became calming. Somewhere in the middle of the session, there was a noticeable shift. Not dramatic, but distinct. My body felt like it had shed a layer – not sure of what – to be more aware of all my sense.
The second session made the contrast clearer. The entry into that state came faster, deeper. More attuned with the guided breathing and to be able to get lost in the meditation and not focus on the vibrations and other noises. And afterward, there was a lingering sense I can only describe as levity—a kind of lightness, physically and mentally. Not just relaxed, but recalibrated. Like a 2.0 version of me, running with less friction.
Shiftwave’s protocols, now integrated into the iPad-powered Shiftwave Pro, make these scientifically informed practices accessible at the push of a button. Over 50 guided sessions are tailored to daily cycles of activation, focus, and recovery, while real-time readouts of heart rate, SpO₂, and HRV trends let users see their progress.
Together, the Shiftwave team brings unmatched expertise in psychiatry, brain injury medicine, optimizing performance under pressure, and biofeedback, with a commitment to integrating modern neurotechnology and holistic practices.
Proven in the Field – Professional and Otherwise
The technology that began in research labs quickly found its way into the world’s most demanding arenas. Professional athletes across the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, PGA/LIV, UFC, and motor sports rely on Shiftwave to optimize performance, manage stress, and recover faster. National soccer teams, both men’s and women’s, incorporate it into training routines. And U.S. military personnel use Shiftwave to maintain readiness under extreme conditions.
“What struck me wasn’t just relaxation, it was the quality of the state shift. You move from effort into rhythm. From breathing and vibration into a distinctly different limbic state. It feels like the body remembering how to regulate itself,” said Dr. Jeff Bland, founder of the Institute for Functional Medicine
It isn’t only elite athletes, high-end wellness destinations, including Canyon Ranch, Timber Cove, and more than 50 other luxury resorts and clinics in the U.S. and Europe, have made Shiftwave a fixture for guests seeking next-level recovery.
Beyond performance and leisure, the platform is expanding into humanitarian and clinical contexts. They’ve had the privilege of supporting frontline caregivers in some of the world’s most demanding environments: COVID ICUs during the pandemic’s peak, wildfire response camps during the LA fires, and since April 2022, in Ukraine’s combat hospitals and evacuation zones, and rehabilitation facilities treating warfighters.
It is in these most extreme conditions, when recovery isn’t an option, that Shiftwave is being used to assist with emotional, cognitive, physical, and relational challenges. With 40+ units currently being used in Ukraine with capacity to deliver more than 100,000 sessions a year, Shiftwave supports mental health recovery and resilience for trauma-affected populations, demonstrating that these evidence-informed practices extend far beyond elite settings. Studies have shown patterns of immediate perceived benefit (whether from physiological change, structured rest, or the experience itself) even after a single 10-20 minute session.
Making Recovery and Focus Accessible
What started as a solution for operators and high-stress professionals has become a tool for anyone seeking to navigate the pressures of modern life. By blending whole-body vibration, breath synchronization, sensory immersion, and intelligent guidance, Shiftwave empowers the body to regulate itself, making recovery, focus, and performance attainable for all.
Sitting in Mike’s home that afternoon, it was clear that Shiftwave isn’t just a product—it’s the culmination of a way of thinking. One that trusts the body, studies it deeply, and builds technology not to override it, but to help it remember what it already knows how to do.
Born in the lav, proven in the field, and built for real life, shiftwave is more than a wellness tool. It is a blueprint for thriving under pressure, wherever life demands your best.
Shiftwave Pro retails at $9,950 USD, with a 30-day satisfaction guarantee and one-year ShiftCare warranty. Its portability, elegance, and HSA/FSA eligibility make it accessible to anyone ready to invest in mental, physical, and emotional regulation.
DISCOVER: shiftwave.co
Written By: Jarone Ashkenazi
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Our Editorial Team are writers and experts in their field. Their views and opinions may not always be the views of Wellbeing Magazine. If you are under the direction of medical supervision please speak to your doctor or therapist before following the advice and recommendations in these articles.
