TM

My stress dot is a mix of colors and there was once a dark ring on the outside with another color inside--is this normal?

It's normal because it means that you are in transition from one state to another, or that you are both thinking and relaxing, for example.

What does "thinking" mean (the term that describes a green dot)?

Processing information, actively thinking about something, or being otherwise mentally occupied can produce a normal, low-level stress response. Similarly, if you get up right now and walk across the room, your stress monitor will likely react by turning brown or black because you have physically stressed yourself.  

Are these stress dots related to those mood rings?

Yes, Biodot stress monitors were first created for use by health care providers to check on their patients.  Then, a department store licensed them to make jewelry in the 1970s that warned people about one's mood.

Will the dot work on my dog?

No.

quick facts

1. •Stress dots measure approximate skin temperature and stress level
   

2. •They are intended for indoor use with an air temperature of about 72F/38C
   

3. •Dots work for about two weeks of total time on your hand
   

4. •They’ll last for a couple of years if kept on the dot calm card in a cool dry place

black     brown     yellow      green    aqua    blue   purple

79.0F     79.6F     80.6F     83.6F      85.6F    87.6F    89.6F

how your stress dot works

Stress dots measure your skin temperature which is affected by your blood flow. When you are stressed--even by minor “back-of-the-mind” challenges and demands such as a distant jackhammer or upcoming math exam, blood is directed to the heart and brain where it is needed to fight or flee (this response is automatic and part of our survival mechanism that kicks in when we think of occurrences as demanding or negative). When your blood is concentrated around your heart and brain (organs chritical to fighting and fleeing), less blood makes its way to your hands which lowers their skin temperature.

Note on the color interpretation capsule below that the “stressed colors” correspond with lower skin temperatures, and “relaxed colors” match up with the higher numbers:

tips for using your dot to prevent and reduce stress

Think of your stress dot as a dashboard indicator that offers you a quick check of what’s going on inside your body. It will remind you to take note of how you are feeling from time to time during the day; if you notice that your monitor is brown or black, you might take action to make it go blue. Doing so can prevent eye strain from becoming a bad headache, annoyances from sparking an angry outburst, or nervousness from triggering a panic episode.

Here are some examples of how to use your dot calm monitor to prevent and reduce stress:

1. 
   

2. •You’re sitting in traffic and your monitor is black: use Quick Calm or listen to calming music
   

3. •You’ve been whacking your keyboard for three hours and your stress dot is brown: take a 5-minute break, rest your eyes, and/or massage your hands, neck and shoulders
   

4. •Every time a certain colleague speaks, your dot bolts to black: explain what he/she’s doing to you and either leave the room or figure out together how to reverse your dot’s direction
   

5. •You are trying to fall asleep and your dot is green: try a guided imagery exercise, read a book, or if there’s someone next to you, do something that lubricates the way to slumber
   

6. •You’re laughing with friends and your dot is blue: schedule more time with these friends and others who make you feel good

faq’s

Stress management expert and dot calm creator Jordan Friedman responds to popular stress dot questions:

Where’s the best dot spot?

Why’s my dot always black?

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