I’m struggling I can’t sleep as long as I remember it. I basically tried every sleep aid on the market, and I needed a sound machine, sleep mask, power outage curtains and weighted blankets, and even started trying to get to sleep. So I decided to try something new.
Before going to bed, I have been wearing Somnee, a wearable sleep technology headband designed to map the brain using an EEG (EEG) sensor to provide personalized therapeutic stimulation to help promote sleep.
Rechargeable headbands are charged on the dock every night, which includes the band’s sticky hydrogel electrodes that need to be replaced every few nights. Every night, I wore Somnee for 15 minutes, where my brain “map” my brain using these EEG sensors and Somnee’s algorithms for 15 minutes of personalized therapeutic stimulation (specifically TACS or transcranial alternating stimulation).
Photo: Molly Higgins
Basically, a constant, very low current (1 mA at 5 to 10 Hz) delivers stimulation to the brain through the hydrogel electrodes on my forehead to evoke lethargy and promote healthier sleep at night. Somnee claims that the stimulation is personalized in real time, responding and transferring according to the rhythm of my own brain to make the brain optimal for a quiet night sleep. Wearable technology connects to the application (requires a subscription, see below), where you can monitor the “phase” of the session you attend and view the session reports, record your sleep journals and track sleep trends over time.
Usually, I find myself falling asleep at night, I use the device but not necessarily fall asleep all night. I was skeptical of the degree to which the electrical stimulation session was personalized, but Somnee successfully put me to sleep. Although maybe not what the company expected. Most importantly, I found Somnee to be a great way to improve my sleep hygiene – meaning, consistent with the routine in front of the bed, and developed blood pressure exercises to regulate the body’s preparation for sleep.
“Neural Synchronization”
Photo: Molly Higgins
Somnee uses sensors and algorithms to obtain general maps of the brain and provides 15 minutes of personalized electrical stimulation sessions. From targeted muscle recovery to more common diseases such as anxiety, the same non-invasive electrical stimulation techniques are used. According to Somnee’s website, the device’s stimulation responds in real time to everyone’s brain rhythm to optimally balance “sleep inertia, duration and depth.”
