Wipe tension away

Stressed out? Pressures of life, work, school, fill in the blank making you crazy?

Teach your mind to relax with The StressEraser, a hand-held biofeedback device designed to help you calm your mind and relax your body.

Attach the device to your finger, and an infrared sensor measures and displays a wave that represents -- we'll spare you the technical explanations here -- your pulse rate.

Then focus your mind and slow down and synchronize your breathing with markers on the display. The manufacturer says the result should be a greater sense of calm.

The manufacturer recommends beginning with 15-minute sessions right before you go to bed. After two weeks, they say, you should feel calmer and more patient, yet more energetic during the day.

The StressEraser retails for $299.95 at The Sharper Image stores and online (www.sharperimage.com).

Story by John Przybys. What's New is a weekly column about new products on the market.