When sleep is fleeting As an ultra-endurance athlete, Jason Sissel knows the importance of high-quality, uninterrupted sleep for recovery. But as the father of a 14-month-old boy, solid snoozing is but a dream. So Sissel, the Chicago-based founder of Endure to Cure, a childhood cancer nonprofit, tried the SomniResonance SR1, a wearable that emits a certain electromagnetic frequency in an effort to spur the brain to fall into a sounder sleep sooner. “I was really impressed with the results,” says Sissel, who’s also tried non-pharmaceutical sleep aids such as magnesium supplements and lavender oil on his pillow. Here’s a closer look at six emerging sleep-promoting devices – and an expert’s take on whether they work: The SomniResonance SR1 When Sissel is ready for bed, he attaches the SR1 – a $499, battery-powered device that's one-third the size of a business card – to his upper chest, where “it encourages the brain to pick up the normal sleep patterns” by transferring an electromagnetic frequency that mimics the sleep brain waves to the brain stem, according to Michael Lares, who owns Delta Sleeper, the product's marketing distribution company. Sissel says he falls asleep faster, sleeps more deeply and feels more energetic during the day. Michael Grandner, director of the University of Arizona College of Medicine’s Sleep and Health Research Program, says such products are “based on sound enough science,” but more research is needed on their real-world application. EarthPulse's PEMF therapy devices Like the SR1, these products also draw on pulsed electromagnetic field – or PEMF – therapy, which has been shown to help treat depression, pain, fatigue and other conditions in some cases. But unlike the SR1, these $499 to $1,799 products go under the mattress, which helps them reach more of the body, says Paul Becker, the product developer. “We guarantee you’re going to sleep better and you’re going to perform better,” he says. While there's some lab evidence that synchronizing brain wave frequencies with a stimulus – as PEMF therapy-inspired devices purport to do – can promote sleep, Grandner says, one question remains: “Does it have any real-world benefit?’” The OURA ring Wearable sleep trackers aren’t entirely new, but OURA, which launched to the public in 2015, offers a $299 ceramic ring alternative to bracelets. The device, which connects to an app that details sleep patterns, activity and “readiness to perform,” monitors physiological responses like time between heartbeats during sleep, in addition to tracking waking activities, says Petteri Lahtela, OURA’s CEO and co-founder. “Over time, you’ll start to understand how well-rested you are and how even small changes to your activity or lifestyle will help improve your well-being,” he says. For Sissel, the product is a sleeker alternative to a heart rate monitor. The Up Light Not a morning person? Neither are many of Steve Chang’s customers – until they try The Up Light, he says of the $49.99 product he founded in 2014. “The Up Light turns your lamp into a wake-up light that gently wakes you in the mornings, but also removes blue light at night so your body can produce the melatonin needed to help you fall asleep,” Chang explains. Grandner says The Up Light’s “simplicity and functionality” set it apart from Wi-Fi-based devices, which can be trickier to travel with. “It can be a tool to help you regularize, or to help you work with, your circadian rhythms,” Grandner says. Glo to Sleep therapy masks If “sleep mask” conjures visions of free slabs of fabric on international flights, you haven’t seen Sound Oasis’s Glo to Sleep therapy masks, which entirely block out external light and lull users to sleep through built-in dimming lights, says Troy Anderson, co-founder and president of Sound Oasis who co-invented the product, which comes in $29.99 rechargeable and $39.99 battery-powered models. “Glo to Sleep uses the principles of meditation to focus the mind on pleasant, gradually fading blue lights and relaxed breathing, instead of the worries of the day,” he explains. While Grandner worries that the product’s blue light could have the opposite effect, Anderson says it’s not strong enough to affect melatonin flow. BioBrite's Light Visor What if you could take the power of a light box – shown to treat seasonal affective disorder – and condense it into a wearable device? Such is the idea behind BioBrite Light Visors, $189-$349 consumer-facing versions of models created for research in the early 1990s, says Kirk Renaud, the company’s CEO. “Light therapy to treat SAD proved equally effective in helping people shift circadian rhythm patterns, which meant the Visor was the best lighting tool for managing certain sleep problems and even avoiding jet lag,” he says. Grandner can get behind the concept of using bright light early in the morning for an energy boost. “Save the coffee for later,” he says. Back to the basics As promising as many of these sleep-promoting technologies are, even their companies’ spokespeople and Sissel are quick to point out they’re not for everyone, nor will they replace good sleep hygiene practices such as getting enough Zs; avoiding caffeine, alcohol and screen time in the evening; and sleeping in cool, dark conditions. They’re also not meant to treat sleep disorders, which require a sleep specialist's care but are often mistaken for sleep problems. Still, tossers and turners can rest easy knowing that sleep is a more treatable “pillar of health” than diet and exercise, Grandner says. “With sleep, it’s much easier to make long-term changes,” he says, “and that’s hopeful.” Source
