For most people, December is a positive and uplifting month with so much to look forward to and shared joy to be found. But according to this You Gov survey, a quarter of the population finds Christmas more challenging than the rest of the year, with over 20% of respondents answering that it has a very, or fairly, negative impact on their mental health.
Michael Crinnion, founder of Luma³, the wellbeing device aimed at reducing stress, has been passionate about mental health for a long time. As a former teacher and vice principal, he experienced first-hand the impact of mental health issues on his young pupils.
In the first of a two-part series, we spoke with Michael about his journey to develop this revolutionary device and his vision for the future.
Hi Michael, please tell us about your background and what led you to Luma³
I’m a product design engineer by background. I found that having studied it at university, and then having run my own design agency, I was good at it, but I didn’t find it fulfilling in the ways I’d hoped.
My parents were both teachers and I’d always felt a sort of calling to the profession in the back of my mind. At the time, there was a real national shortage of teachers – and even more so, technology teachers – so the government was offering paid re-training. It was a no-brainer for me, so I jumped at the chance.
For a long time, I didn’t look back. I remember going into school on my first day thinking “this is brilliant”. I absolutely loved working with young people and I think it remains to be one of the best things you can do with your time. However, it became clear that one of the biggest challenges facing my pupils was around mental health and behavioural issues, but schools lacked the resources required to provide any meaningful help. It was clear to me then that something needed to change.
Had you considered developing a mental health product before?
Not specifically, but mental health is something I have personally struggled with from a young age. At university I had a major episode of anxiety and depression, which took a long time to rebuild and recover from. Part of the problem was my own misconceptions around techniques that my GP recommended, such as mindfulness, breathing and meditation. I thought it was all just made up, hippy stuff. No one had actually taken the time, or had the inclination, to explain to me how those techniques are actually demonstrably effective and backed by decades of research.
The day I discovered how beneficial these techniques could be, my life changed. The best way for me to describe it is to say that it feels like having a cheat code to a video game. As soon as you start breathing properly, it makes you feel better – it’s like forcing your body into a better state.
I started off using apps on my phone to help me practice breathing exercises, but I quickly realised that the act of picking up my phone was creating its own problems when I couldn’t help but notice emails that had come in, or messages to reply to. It made me think that there had to be a better way.
Tell us more about what inspired Luma³’s design, and how it links breathing to mindfulness
I wanted to make a physical device that was easy to use and didn’t require any sign ups, account creations or tracking.
Luma³ is a wellbeing device that uses gentle pulses of colour and light to guide users through conscious breathing techniques. It helps to boost wellbeing by reducing stress, improving sleep, and increasing workplace productivity by encouraging regular breaks.
Mindfulness is so incredibly powerful. I believe that if I had been taught mindfulness as a child or young teenager, I might not have even become unwell in my twenties.
What’s your vision for Luma³ in the future?
My dream is that it becomes a catalyst for change in how people perceive their control over their own wellbeing. That it will normalise practices like mindfulness in workplaces, schools and homes, and be as ubiquitous as a calculator on a desk or a yoga mat at home.
For employers, from a corporate responsibility perspective, they will not only be giving their staff a tool that will help them to feel better, but also making a very prominent and visible statement that they want you to take regular breaks for your own wellbeing.
When can we expect to see Luma³ available to buy?
The plan is to launch in Q1 next year. Once they’re on general sale, we’ll be pushing to get them into schools through the 10:1 Initiative – for every ten that we sell we will give one free to a school.
I’m so excited to be working in partnership with the mdeducational Foundation and I can’t wait to start making a positive impact on hundreds, if not millions, of lives.
You can find out more about the work the mdeducational Foundation is doing to support the mental wellbeing of young people here.
mdeducational Foundation owns minority stake shares in Mind Body Goals Ltd who manufacture Luma³ read more
