Stress is one of the defining health challenges of our time. According to the World Health Organization, more than a billion people worldwide now suffer from stress-related disorders, and rates continue to climb. From students to executives, first responders to soldiers, no group is immune. Yet what if stress could be approached like a fitness goal—something trainable, measurable, and improvable over time? Lithuanian calm-tech company Pulsetto has turned that idea into a reality.
Founded in 2021 by Povilas Sabaliauskas and Vitalijus Majorovas, Pulsetto started as a home-built prototype designed to make vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) accessible beyond hospitals. Sabaliauskas, with a background in neuromodulation research, initially built the device to help his father, while Majorovas explored applications for his wife’s chronic migraines. Together, they realized the technology could benefit millions, if made safe and simple for daily use.
In just four years, Pulsetto has grown into a global wellness brand with over one million monthly uses. The device is now available in retail stores including Boots and Selfridges in London, TM:RW in Times Square, and online at Walmart.com. Revenue has quadrupled year over year, and the company employs over sixty people, with pilot programs underway in defense, aviation, and elite sports.
Pulsetto works through vagus nerve stimulation, a clinically studied method that activates the body’s “rest and digest” response. Worn on the neck, the bilateral stimulator targets both sides of the vagus nerve, helping users lower stress markers, improve sleep, and recover more quickly from physical and mental strain. In a four-week trial, participants reported a 56% drop in stress symptoms, a 45% reduction in anxiety, and a 41% improvement in sleep quality. Hair cortisol levels fell by an average of 40%, with most participants seeing benefits within two weeks.
The device isn’t just for everyday wellness. Athletes and high-performance professionals—including NBA players Matas Buzelis, Domantas Sabonis, and Jonas Valanciūnas, as well as longevity advocate Brian Johnson—use Pulsetto to reset after intense physical exertion. Military personnel and pilots employ it to maintain focus under pressure. What was once a hospital-bound technology has become a tool for daily stress fitness across professions.
Pulsetto’s philosophy is clear: stress isn’t something to fight—it’s something to train the body to manage. Their “Stress Fitness” approach treats recovery as a skill, building resilience and improving performance in everyday life. CEO Povilas Sabaliauskas puts it simply: “The stronger your recovery system, the faster you bounce back—whether you’re leading a team, running a marathon, or serving on deployment.”
By combining neuroscience, convenience, and daily practice, Pulsetto is redefining how the world approaches stress—transforming it from an unavoidable burden into a trainable, manageable skill.