‘Hardcore science’ or ‘just a sticker’ – do anti-anxiety patches actually work?

The Duchess of Sussex is among fans of stickers from brands like NuCalm, which claim to have a calming effect

This month, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, was photographed wearing a biosignal processing disc" affixed on her left wrist. The product, sold by a company called NuCalm, promises to transmit signals to the brain that makes the wearer feel peaceful and relaxed. NuCalm has reportedly been used by sports coaches and active military members to combat the high-stress lifestyle that comes with their jobs.

The brand's website is filled with so much jargon that it should be studied in every marketing class: allegedly, NuCalm's neuroacoustic technology" harnesses oscillations, frequencies and vibrations to change a person's brain waves. The NuCalm experience" is reportedly fast-acting, deep, and long-lasting".