A team of MIT graduates has invented a commercial device that will offer an alternative to sleeping pills for those who have trouble sleeping.
It’s a minimally disruptive headband that looks like something that would be sold in an Apple Store. Technically speaking, it is an electroencephalogram (EEG) that sends audio waves into the brain to better align brain regions to make it easier to fall asleep.
In a small study of the effects of the EEG headband, called Elemind, people with sleep onset insomnia were able to fall asleep 10 to 15 minutes faster when wearing the Elemind.
Elemind was founded by David Wang and Ed Boyden, both MIT graduates. In addition to helping people who have trouble sleeping, the method may also be effective in slowing or preventing cognitive decline.
“We wanted to create a non-chemical option for people who wanted to sleep well without the side effects, so you could get all the benefits of natural sleep without the risks,” says Meredith Perry, CEO of Elemind.
“We think a number of people would benefit from this device, whether you are a breastfeeding mother who doesn’t want to take sleeping pills, someone traveling across time zones and wanting to combat jet lag, or someone one who simply wants to improve your performance the next day and feel like you have more control over your sleep.
The founding scientists began using transcranial electrical stimulation to try to moderate essential tremor syndrome, but then turned their attention to a less regulated and less explored area: sleep.
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“We have a theory that the sound we play triggers an auditory response in the brain,” Wang told MIT Press. “What that means is that we’re making your auditory cortex release this burst of tension that’s going through your brain and interfering with other regions. Some people who have worn Elemind call it a brain jammer. For people who ruminate a lot before falling asleep, their brain is actively working. This encourages their brain to calm down.
Indeed, one of the marketing angles is to “set your brain to Do Not Disturb,” which is a pretty compelling argument.
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Those interested in the headband can pre-order it through Elemind for $99 ahead of the $350 cost.
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