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No one in the health and well-being space wants to talk about it, but wellness takes a lot of work. Whether it’s committing to intermittent fasting, staying consistent with Pilates classes, or boosting your sleep score, keeping up with any wellness practice requires maximal effort—and frankly, it can be downright exhausting.
Naturally, when a wellness practice comes along with the potential to reduce the body’s inflammatory state, affect tissue repair, and improve bone mineral density, by just lying on a mat that delivers low-frequency Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) energy—no self-deprivation or major exertion of energy required? Well, that’s something we can get behind.
The makers of the HigherDose low-frequency PEMF mat tout similar benefits from use of its at-home device, including accelerated post-workout recovery, reduced stress, increased energy, and reduced chronic pain. I tried the wellness device for myself over a five-month period to see what it could actually do. Before I dive into my experience, I tapped experts to weigh in on the wellness modality’s merits.
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Possible Benefits of PEMF Therapy
Plenty of nascent research links PEMF therapy to the above health benefits, and more (including improved sleep, wound healing, and the alleviation of arthritis pain). But because the design of individual studies differs in regard to physical parameters (such as energetic pulse patterns and strengths), cellular response, and clinical outcomes, evaluating commonalities is tough, making it hard to know the extent to which the modality may provide these benefits.
Despite this scientific uncertainty, PEMF therapy devices have exploded in recent years. Online sales of mats for at-home use have nearly doubled since 2023, according to research firm Astute Analytica. Medical professionals are also on board.
“While research is still ongoing, studies suggest low-frequency PEMF may help reduce inflammation, ease pain, and promote recovery by improving how cells communicate and function,” says Chris Asandra, MD, a board-certified emergency doctor who runs an anti-aging and regenerative medicine clinic in Beverly Hills. “It’s not a cure-all, but it shows real promise as a safe, non-invasive way to support healing and overall wellness.”
The concept of stimulating cell activity also holds value in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and acupuncture, says Jaimini Bhakta, a holistic health practitioner who holds a doctorate in acupuncture and Chinese medicine. Bhakta is also a co-founder of Thriv Studio in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, which uses high-frequency PEMF therapy to treat clients. However, she also sees the value in low-frequency PEMF for at-home use.
“Low frequency PEMF is good for softly and gently putting the body into a parasympathetic state, which is rest and digest. When our nervous system is in that state, it’s better positioned for cell rejuvenation, regeneration, and overall repair,” Bhakta says.
The TCM practitioner sees correlations between acupuncture and PEMF therapies, both of which promote the flow of Qi energy in the body, mind, and spirit. “What we’re really doing [with acupuncture and low-frequency PEMF therapy] is amplifying energy to help us function better and have a more optimized life,” she says. “The goals for PEMF and acupuncture are similar in the sense of being able to restore flow, remove blockages, and really support the body’s natural rhythm, balance, and innate ability to repair itself.”
How PEMF Therapy Works
Admittedly, the idea of clearing energetic blockages can feel a bit “woo woo” when trying to wrap your head around how PEMF manages to energize cells to deliver the supposed benefits, but experts agree that it’s not just another marketing gimmick. Dr. Asandra explains it this way: “Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy works by delivering gentle magnetic pulses that create small electrical signals in the body’s tissues, helping stimulate cell activity and support natural repair processes.”
This cell stimulation can trigger an array of healing responses, which helps explain why the modality may offer so many different health benefits. As researchers in this 2017 study note, low-frequency PEMF provides “encouraging therapeutic results in various inflammatory diseases, in the functional recovery of the damaged cartilage tissues, in pain, or in central nervous system disorders.” Similarly, Dr. Asandra sees low-frequency PEMF as a therapeutic option for athletes, people with chronic pain, and even those suffering from insomnia and anxiety.
HigherDOSE Infrared PEMF Mat Review
Using a PEMF mat is pretty foolproof—plug it in and select the frequency at which you want to activate your cells—for the HigherDose mat, settings comprise sleep (3Hz), focus (7.8 Hz), calming (10 Hz), and stimulating energy (23 Hz). Over the five months I tested the mat, I tried each setting several times and always felt good after use.
While it was harder to correlate a perceived result from some wavelength settings, I did find time and again that lying on the mat set to the sleep setting for 30-60 minutes before bed did prime me for a better night’s rest. Maybe it was the practice of lying still and out of arms’ reach of my phone or any other screens, or maybe it was an actual physiological response that caused me to sleep as if a deluge of scary headlines, AI slop, and hostile soundbites were all blissfully put on mute.
“Current studies show that PEMF appears to work well in patients with insomnia and either pain or inflammation specifically. The possible mechanism of action for PEMF is that it appears to ‘help switch on’ the parasympathetic nervous system (known as the rest and digest system),” says Dr. Michael J. Breus, PhD, a double-boarded clinical psychologist and a clinical sleep specialist of more than 25 years. “In addition, there is a small amount of data that shows PEMF has a positive effect on melatonin production. Looking at this data, PEMF may be a good non-pharma and non-supplement option to include in an insomnia protocol.” Whether my body’s melanin production increased, QI energy unlocked, or some psychosomatic effect took hold, I slept more soundly and for longer durations on nights in which I used the mat before bed.
HigherDose Infrared PEMF Go MatThe best part? Because using the mat simply requires lying down and chilling out, the practice has been easy to stick with, which means I continue to reap rewards. (I wish I could say the same about the boxing gear, acupressure mats, and other wellness devices in which I’ve invested.)See At HigherDOSE$699
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Using PEMF therapy has also become a go-to when suffering from writer’s block or feeling stuck with a work project. I can’t pinpoint a specific difference between the way I feel after using the “calm” or “focus” frequency settings on the mat when in these situations, but the PEMF break does help me return to a project with more energy to keep at it.
When I use the mat in these situations, it makes me feel as if I just took a 30-minute nature walk: I’m more easily able to drop into a productive workflow and am less distracted by pings on my phone or that stack of dishes I’ve been meaning to wash. Considering what Bhakta says about PEMF’s ability to wake up cells, reduce energetic stagnation, and restore energetic flow, it makes sense that time on the mat could help achieve the same kind of mental clarity that time in nature provides—no wonder the brand also makes a less expensive version to fit office chairs.
My body may be reaping in other benefits, too. The HigherDose mat also features infrared light, something that Bhakta says can help with vasodilation. “This can open up our blood flow and channels to better receive oxygen,” she says, something that contributes to the overall function of our biological processes.
Who Should Avoid PEMF Therapy?
Though my experience with the mat has been consistently positive, Dr. Asandra says the therapy isn’t for everyone. “You should talk to your doctor before starting PEMF—especially if you’re pregnant or have implanted medical devices, like pacemakers,” he says. Bhakta also notes that those who suffer from epilepsy or any sort of blood disorders should also take particular caution and get clearance from a primary care physician before using PEMF therapy.
The Bottom Line
Barring these or other contraindications, introducing PEMF therapy to your wellness journey may be one of the lowest-lift ways to reap better sleep, stimulate muscle recovery, and/or achieve a calming, energetic flow. Where else can you press a controller button, lie back, and just let the programming work its magic? Netflix, as it turns out, doesn’t even come close.
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