Daytime recovery in the middle of the busiest season
Financial statements. Tax returns. Audits. Spring at Satakerta Rödl is packed with statutory deadlines that do not bend. The three-month measurement period fell right in this most demanding time of the year.
When the workload grows, the body needs a moment when nobody needs anything from it. Finding such a moment in the middle of the busiest financial period is not a given. Yet that is exactly when it is needed most.
The pilot
Satakerta Rödl served as the pilot company in a joint project by Neurosonic, CTN.fi and Firstbeat that sought solutions for better workplace wellbeing. The office already had an X-cryo device, which has been in active use for three to four years. For the pilot period, CTN's infrared light device and the Neurosonic Chaise Longue were added to support daytime recovery, along with Firstbeat measurement devices for all employees who wished to take part. The measurement period coincided with the office's most hectic and demanding stretch, which made the results particularly interesting.
What the data showed
Firstbeat's group reports described overall wellbeing in two periods: the initial period (4 Feb – 25 Feb 2026) and the final period (25 Feb – 27 Apr 2026), which covered the busiest part of spring. The individual Firstbeat charts show how short Neurosonic breaks of about ten minutes settled naturally into the working day: a moment's pause in the middle of the day before work carried on.
A clear pattern emerged in the data precisely during the period when the workload was at its highest:
- Stress and recovery balance 55 / 100 → 59 / 100 (average across all sectors 58)
- Sleep recovery 60 / 100 → 61 / 100 (average across all sectors 58)
- Job satisfaction 4.2 / 5 → 4.2 / 5 (excellent throughout the period)
Physical activity, on the other hand, decreased during the busy season, which is understandable when there is no room in the calendar. Against that backdrop, the improvement in stress and recovery balance and in sleep stands out: recovery improved precisely when there was less time for exercise.
Recovery has become more important than ever in working life, because the strain is no longer purely physical but increasingly continuous cognitive and psychological strain. Sufficient recovery supports concentration, energy levels, stress management and, in the long term, work ability. Relaxation methods such as Neurosonic can offer a chance to calm down and take a moment to recover in the middle of a busy everyday life. For many, simply pausing, slowing the breath and temporarily easing the load on the nervous system can be a valuable part of holistic wellbeing.
Pippa Laukka, physician
Reviewing Satakerta's Firstbeat data for the entire measurement period at the Nordic Recovery event held in the spring, Laukka noted that the results were exceptionally good given that this was the busiest season for an accounting firm: statutory deadlines, financial statements, tax returns and audits all fell within the same window. Overall scores landed at a good or fairly good level, and there is still untapped potential among the staff. She also pointed out that Satakerta Rödl's strength – high job satisfaction and strong work engagement – can also become a challenge: when work feels meaningful, it is hard to step away from it.
Laukka emphasised that the capacity to recover is limited. When only part of the staff recovers sufficiently, the risk is not visible straight away, but in the longer term it can affect wellbeing, absences and performance. The same applies to free time: if you do not recover from work at work, you will not fully recover in your free time either. A clear pattern also emerged between the different areas: physical activity was a strength of the staff, whereas stress and recovery balance was consistently the weakest area.
The main takeaway is certainly that people found it very worthwhile to stop and relax for a moment in the middle of the day. And above all, even though a session lasted only 10–15 minutes, many felt that the effect carried on throughout the rest of the day. Bigger effects on night-time sleep came up less often, and naturally there was quite a lot of variation between individuals.
Jaakko Kotisaari, Firstbeat expert
Kotisaari confirmed the same observation based on the data: the break itself, in this case taken with Neurosonic, showed up as an effect that lasted for the rest of the day. Employees felt calmer and more at ease. He described this as porosity – something that gives the day room to pause amid the rush and consider what really matters most.
Kati Jalojärvi from Satakerta Rödl described her own day in concrete terms: she uses the Neurosonic Chaise Longue once a day and CTN's infrared light device another time, creating two natural breaks in her day. In addition, the office holds shared coffee breaks, and lunchtimes are reserved for eating only.
Some employees also tracked the effects with their own devices.
I have used Neurosonic mainly to support recovery, especially the 25-minute relaxation programme and the 12-minute activation programme during the working day. According to my Oura data, the relaxation programme often brings me into either a restored or a relaxed state, which helps me slow down and calm down even in the middle of a busy day.
In my Oura data, I have noticed positive effects especially on heart rate variability (HRV) and stress levels on the days when I have used Neurosonic regularly. The results naturally vary depending on what is going on in life, but my own experience has been clearly positive.
I can warmly recommend Neurosonic as part of supporting recovery and wellbeing!
Noora, Satakerta Rödl
What this tells us
Satakerta Rödl's experience shows that recovery solutions provide support precisely when they are needed most. During the busiest season of the year, stress and recovery balance and sleep recovery improved, and job satisfaction remained at an excellent level from start to finish. Neurosonic did not require staff to adopt a new routine or learn anything new. It gave the body what it already knows how to do: stop and recover.