What is a CES Machine?


What is a CES Machine?

In this article, we’ll dive into the science behind CES (cranial electrotherapy stimulation), a decades-old treatment for anxiety and insomnia that literally changes the brain (in a good way!) We’ll learn how you can use a modern CES machine (also called a CES device) to take advantage of CES therapy from the comfort of your own home as a first-line treatment for anxiety or insomnia, or even as a supplement to medication or talk therapy.

The History of CES

Back in the early 1900s, researchers started exploring the idea of “electrosleep” or in other words, using electricity at specific frequencies in an attempt to induce sleep.

Though they never found a frequency that could induce sleep through these experiments, they discovered something else along the way. Surprisingly, the patients in these trials reported significant improvements in their sleep. Since the onset of the experiment, they fell asleep more quickly, slept more deeply, and felt more satisfied with the quality of their overall sleep. 

This surprising and encouraging finding led to the development of modern electrosleep devices in the 1950s in Europe. No longer designed to “put you out,” manufacturers marketed these handheld units to improve sleep and relieve insomnia. The USA caught onto the craze and developed “Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation” CES machines in the 1960s. In the beginning, researchers studied CES at universities and teaching hospitals, starting with animal studies. They attempted to determine whether CES really did improve sleep, whether it was safe, and the mechanism of action on the brain.

CES Research in the USA

Through these studies, US researchers discovered that the current did in fact travel through the brain, and that it increased production and firing of neurotransmitters like serotonin, melatonin, dopamine and endorphins. They also discovered that CES devices were capable of restoring balance to neurotransmitters even after deliberately tampering with them chemically, or through various addictive substances. 

The other exciting finding that emerged through those extensive early studies was the inarguable safety of CES. Through decades of research and clinical trials, the only negative effects reported have been minor headaches, irritation at the site of application, and dizziness or drowsiness in a very small number of patients. 

Electricity? In the BRAIN?

Even though it sounds a bit terrifying, the application of microcurrent to the brain actually makes a whole lot of sense. 

You see, the brain is electrical in nature. Electrical activity in the brain controls the production and management of neurotransmitters.

When electrical activity is balanced and consistent, the brain can function at its highest level. However, stress can disrupt normal electrical patterns in the brain, resulting in neurochemical imbalances that can cause anxiety, frenetic thought, compulsive behavior, and disrupted sleep-wake cycles.

Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation delivers microcurrent to stimulate tissue in the hypothalamic area of the brain with a well-studied, healing frequency.

The hypothalamus controls many important functions of the body, including temperature regulation, appetite and weight control, emotions, sleep cycles, blood pressure and heart rate.

Gentle stimulation prompts the brain to return to a state of homeostasis and normal production of neurotransmitters, which restores proper chemical rhythm and balance. CES promotes healthy serotonin, melatonin and B-Endorphin levels while decreasing cortisol, the “stress” hormone that can throw your body out of balance.

What Does a CES Machine Look Like?

CES machines vary in their size and appearance, but in general, they are quite small and portable. Our favorite CES device, the CES Ultra (as pictured below) is a small, palm-sized cream box with two black lead wires extending from the top, and a small black dial. The lead wires connect to either ear clips or gelled electrode pads. CES machines are generally easy to use, portable, and convenient. No bulky equipment or strange scalp cages involved!

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How To Use a CES Machine

The method for using a CES machine will vary depending on the device you choose. To use the CES Ultra, simply place the ear clips on your ear lobes, or the electrode pads behind your ears, turn the machine on, and set the stimulation level to your comfort.

CES is often sub-sensory—you don’t have to feel it for it to work, and it certainly shouldn’t be painful or uncomfortable. Some users will feel a gentle tingling, while others may feel nothing at all.

Use the device 2 times per day for 30-45 minutes for the first week. Then, if you’ve noticed an improvement in your symptoms you can reduce treatments to once per day, or even a few times a week. You can use CES as much or as little as you need it. It is non-habit forming and it’s virtually impossible to “overdose.” Plus, CES is free of negative longterm side effects. There’s nothing to lose, so why not give it a try?

How Does CES Compare to Medication?

Ces for anxiety

Multiple meta-analysis have been performed by prestigious organizations and universities on CES therapy. Independent research studies show that CES is as effective as, or even MORE effective than medication for anxiety. Surprising? It’s true! The effects a CES machine has on the brain are demonstrable and trackable. CES promotes balance in the brain, even when neurotransmitters have been deliberately tampered with in lab studies.

About 75% of users report significant improvement in their anxiety after consistently using a CES device for 2 weeks. That is a much faster result than you’d typically see with medication, and much more positive. We hope the day will come when CES is offered as a first-line therapy for patients with anxiety. It is truly an evidence-based, safe and effective treatment for anxiety that works with your brain, training it to return to a state of clarity and calm all on its own.

ces for insomnia

Have you heard the news? Sleeping pills don’t always work… and they aren’t harmless either. Side effects can include memory problems, morning drowsiness, changes in appetite, headaches, shaking, stomach pains, and even extreme hormonal disruptions.

Furthermore, sleeping pills can lead to dependency and can actually make insomnia much worse overtime. They disrupt the normal hormonal and chemical processes that induce and sustain sleep naturally.

Finally, many studies show that sleeping pills only tend to add about 15-30 minutes of sleep to the user’s night, compared with an insomniac who didn’t use sleeping pills. Is an extra 15-30 minutes really worth the potential damage that sleeping pills can cause—especially long term? Many sleep specialists only prescribe sleeping pills as a LAST resort, and even then, begrudgingly.

The good news is, a CES machine is a fantastic option for treating insomnia. CES delivers the quick relief that insomniacs are desperate for, often improving sleep within just 1 week of consistent use. Even better, the improvements in sleep remain, even after you stop using CES.

With no harmful side effects, a robust safety record, and such an impressive track record for helping people fall asleep and stay asleep, CES therapy is clearly the evidence-based option for insomnia you’ve been looking for.

Research on CES Ultra

According to the CES Ultra manufacturer, “The CES Ultra has a solid body of scientific research behind it. It is, in fact, the only unit on the market with the configuration featured in most independent CES research studies, including the meta-analysis by the Harvard University School of Public Health.

Meta-analyses yielding positive results from the use of CES have been conducted at the University of Tulsa and at the Harvard University School of Public Health. The major meta-analysis of the Harvard School of Public Health, which found that CES has a statistically significant effect on alleviating anxiety, focused entirely on units using the configuration in the CES Ultra.

Eighty-five percent of the independent research on the efficacy of CES is based on the configuration of the  CES Ultra medical device. Other units on the market may have the same frequency, but they do not measure up to the amplitude, wavelength, duty cycle and frequency found only in the CES Ultra.

CES Ultra is the Answer!

If you are looking for a natural but powerful remedy for your anxiety or insomnia, you’ve found it. You can try the CES Ultra CES machine risk free for 60 days. If it doesn’t work for you, send it back for a full refund! When you place your order, one of our on-staff practitioners will review your case and verify that CES is a good fit for you. You’ll receive training, support, and US-based customer service to answer your questions throughout the purchase process, and long after. You can count on us!

Order your CES Ultra at the link below and start sleeping better, feeling better, and living better right away>>

**This article is written for informational purposes only, and does not constitute medical advice. Always work with a qualified healthcare provider when making decisions about your health and wellness.