As conversations around athletic performance evolve, recovery has become just as important as training. Professional athletes are now placing greater emphasis on quality sleep, stress management, and mental resilience, recognizing that peak performance depends on how effectively the body and mind recover.

Reflecting this growing focus, Pulsetto has unveiled its biggest brand campaign yet, featuring NBA players Jonas Valančiūnas and Matas Buzelis. The campaign introduces the concept of Stress Fitness, highlighting the belief that the nervous system can be strengthened through regular training in much the same way as muscles. Titled "Calm Is a Habit. Train For It.", the initiative launches during the NBA offseason, a period when players prioritize recovery, conditioning, and preparation for the upcoming season.

Shared Challenges Across Different Careers
Pulsetto's relationship with NBA athletes began in 2025 through a partnership with All-Star Domantas Sabonis before expanding to include Valančiūnas and Buzelis. Although the two players are at very different stages of their careers—Valančiūnas as a seasoned veteran and Buzelis as one of the league's emerging talents—they describe experiencing similar challenges related to stress, recovery, sleep, and maintaining mental focus.

Rather than simply promoting the brand, both athletes discuss the recovery habits they rely on to unwind, improve sleep quality, and prepare for the physical and mental demands of professional basketball.

Matas Buzelis explains that pressure is part of competing at the highest level. According to him, post-game adrenaline often makes it difficult to relax, and incorporating Pulsetto into his nighttime routine helps him unwind, fall asleep more easily, and make recovery a daily priority.

Jonas Valančiūnas shares a similar perspective, noting that an active mind filled with thoughts about upcoming games and responsibilities can interfere with rest. He says he uses Pulsetto before bedtime to quiet his thoughts, emphasizing that quality sleep directly influences performance the following day.

Their experiences reinforce Pulsetto's philosophy that recovery is an active process and that resilience can be developed through consistent nervous system training rather than being viewed as an innate ability.

Research Supporting Stress Fitness
Pulsetto's technology uses non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation with the goal of helping users improve resilience over time instead of only addressing stress after it has built up.

According to a peer-reviewed study indexed on PubMed and published in the American Journal of Physiology, participants who used the device for four weeks reported measurable improvements, including a 56% reduction in depressive symptoms, a 45% decrease in anxiety, a 41% improvement in sleep disturbances, and a 36.7% reduction in cortisol levels.

Dr. Jone Pukėnaitė, Medical & Science Lead at Pulsetto, says that while elite athletes have long recognized recovery as a key component of performance, current research suggests the nervous system also becomes more resilient through repeated training. She notes that improvements in stress regulation, recovery, and sleep are skills that can be strengthened over time rather than fixed characteristics.

Recovery Beyond Professional Sports
Although the campaign features NBA players, its core message is intended for a much wider audience. Pulsetto emphasizes that the body's response to pressure is similar whether someone is preparing for a championship game, an important business presentation, a major exam, or simply managing everyday responsibilities. The company believes that consistent nervous system training can help anyone improve their ability to recover from stress.

The "Calm Is a Habit. Train For It." campaign will roll out across multiple platforms with a hero film, athlete interviews, social media videos, and campaign photography, all aimed at introducing the concept of Stress Fitness and encouraging broader conversations about recovery as a skill that can be developed through regular practice.

SetPoint Medical, a commercial-stage medical technology company focused on advancing treatment options for individuals with chronic autoimmune disorders, has announced the successful completion of the first implantation of the SetPoint System in North Carolina. The procedure was carried out in partnership with Arthritis & Osteoporosis Consultants of the Carolinas (AOCC), the largest independent rheumatology practice in the Southeastern United States. The patient was referred by Dr. Ashley Toci, MD, FACR, CCD, a rheumatologist at AOCC.

This milestone represents another advancement in SetPoint Medical's nationwide expansion efforts, increasing patient access to the first and only vagus nerve-mediated neuroimmune modulation therapy approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

The SetPoint System is intended for adults with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis who have not achieved adequate results from, or are unable to tolerate, biologic or targeted RA medications. The treatment introduces a novel, drug-free approach by using an implanted device that stimulates the vagus nerve, thereby activating the body's natural anti-inflammatory mechanisms.

According to Dr. Gordon K.W. Lam, MD, FACR, a rheumatologist at AOCC and investigator in the RESET-RA clinical study, the first use of SetPoint Therapy in North Carolina marks a significant development in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. He noted that despite substantial progress in RA therapies, many patients continue to experience ongoing disease activity or must try multiple treatment options before finding relief. Dr. Lam emphasized that neuroimmune modulation offers a completely new therapeutic strategy by harnessing the body's own neural pathways to manage inflammation. He added that the SetPoint System has the potential to redefine RA treatment and that AOCC is pleased to offer the therapy at its Midtown and Ballantyne locations in Charlotte.

Murthy Simhambhatla, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of SetPoint Medical, stated that expanding access to SetPoint Therapy in North Carolina highlights the increasing acceptance of neuroimmune modulation as an innovative treatment approach for rheumatoid arthritis. He credited the progress to collaborative efforts by physicians such as Dr. Lam and Dr. Toci, who are working across specialties to provide patients with scientifically validated treatment alternatives. Simhambhatla further noted that as the company broadens availability throughout the Southeast and across the United States, it remains committed to partnering with leading healthcare professionals to establish neuroimmune modulation as a distinctive option for patients seeking alternatives to conventional drug therapies.

The FDA approved the SetPoint System in 2025. The device is designed to deliver a one-minute stimulation to the vagus nerve each day, triggering neural pathways involved in regulating inflammation. Findings from the pivotal RESET-RA clinical trial demonstrated significant improvements in disease activity among rheumatoid arthritis patients, supporting the therapy's potential to address an important unmet medical need.