Advanced mental resiliency tech: Enter MindGym

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Brittany Kenney
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  When thinking about the military and what it requires of its service members, physical fitness is typically near the top of the list. But recently, mental fitness and resilience has been catching up in the eyes of the Air Force.

Enter the Lumena MindGym, a 7x7 foot immersive and contemplative space for mental fitness training now available at the Ellsworth Base Exchange for use by anyone who has base access.

“We’re always looking for new and innovative ways to increase resilience,” said Daphne Perez, Prevention Coordination Specialist with the Integrated Resilience Office on base. “Mindfulness is one of the biggest factors of resilience, something that can help you during stressful situations. We are excited to have something like this that can be another tool for airmen to help them deal with stress in the military.”

Equipped with an ergonomic chair and a special headband that utilizes electroencephalogram, or EEG, technology to monitor physiological indicators such as brain waves, heart rate, respiration rate, and heart variability, users will have a completely tailored experience while using the MindGym.

“Each session is 10-20 minutes long, divided into segments that address peace and relaxation, mental training, and performance enhancement,” said Perez. “The aim is to assist users in transitioning their mental state through light and sound, promoting relaxation, inner exploration, and contemplative practices.”

Lumena hosted a Demo Day on Feb. 2, 2024, for Ellsworth leadership to use, allowing them to experience the MindGym and recommend it to others.

“I can’t imagine an airman who wouldn’t benefit from this,” said Lt. Col. Carsten Stahr, 28th Force Support Squadron commander. “It’s a very simple sort of thing, but it’s the simplest things in life that, when taken seriously, provide the greatest impacts and changes.”

During a two-phase focus group study at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, Lumena discovered that after a 20-minute session in the MindGym, military users on average experienced a 29% improvement in reaction time under stress, 46% improvement in wellness and mood, 8.3% improvement in accuracy under stress, and a 10% reduction in overall stress.

“We designed the MindGym so that it would feel familiar to people in the military,” said Brandon Murphy, Head of Growth for Lumena Labs. “It was and is our goal to provide Airmen with access to tools that they may typically need in-person training for.”

For more information about the MindGym and its benefits, visit www.lumenalabs.com.