Nodding off: Could a neurostimulation headset improve your sleep?

Reece Armstrong, editor of European Pharmaceutical Manufacturer, a sister title to MPN, reviews a neurostimulation headset that targets better sleep and more. But does it work?

With commercial companies starting to move into the realms of medtech, our health has become not just the focus of the healthcare industry, but that of the technology players too. Sleep is one such area, with a whole host of products now available aimed at helping us get to the magic land of nod.

So it was, we were sent the NeoRhythm headset to try out. Developed by OmniPEMF, NeoRhythm deviates from other sleep wearables by being marketed as a ‘neurostimulation device for better living’. Not only does NeoRhythm aim to improve users’ sleep, it also includes a range of other stimulation programmes, such as pain management and meditation.

What’s in the box?

NeoRhythm comes packaged in a sleek box with minimal fuss. The headband is aesthetically pleasing in the kind of clean, minimalist way that is often associated with tech products. Since NeoRhythm is gesture controlled, there’s little in the way of set-up, with instructions plainly printed on the box in a handy quick-start guide.

The NeoRhythm app too is fairly easy to navigate with each programme offering a range of handy information as to when to use the device and for how long. The app comes with a calendar which shows you which programmes you’ve completed so you can ascertain whether or not extended use of NeoRhythm has worked.

NeoRhythm is intended to be a user-friendly device. It’s operated by “gestures” which require users to tap the side of the headset to turn it on and operate programmes. For the most part the device was easy to use, though programmes occasionally stopped working via the app, requiring me to restart the device.

How does it work?

NeoRhythm is based on the study of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy, or field magnetic stimulation. Basically, the device generates non-invasive electromagnetic fields that pulse at certain frequencies, causing the wearer to produce neural oscillations (brainwaves) which the brain then associates with certain activities. For instance, by generating a frequency that is typically associated with sleep (4hz), NeoRhythm can help improve a person’s sleep. Or at least that’s the idea.

Does it work?

I used NeoRhythm over a period of two weeks, following up with intermittent uses of various programmes, and had mixed results.  

Primarily, I tested NeoRhythm’s sleep programme, which is to be used 20 minutes before one goes to sleep, or you can put it under your pillow for an eight-hour session. Not wanting to have an electrical device directly beneath my head for that amount of time, I opted for the former. 

I found that it did lull me into a sense of tiredness during the first couple of nights, and the following mornings, I felt as if I had slept better. However, following uses failed to provoke any effect and my sleep was as normal: That is to say, erratic at best.

Other programmes also failed to have any effect on me, whether it was NeoRhythm’s programme for enhancing mental capacity to battle morning brain fog or improving my energy after a physical workout.

Why this is the case I’m not entirely sure. The booklet states to use NeoRhythm over a continued period but I assume, in the case of sleep, that I’m simply not the right person for it. I take a fairly long time to fall asleep usually, and the 20 minute window required by NeoRhythm may simply not be right for me.

Is it worth it?

It’s tough to say. At €285 NeoRhythm is a major purchase and with mixed results I’d argue anyone wanting better sleep should focus more on achieving regular sleeping cycles. However, NeoRhythm is backed by two (admittedly small) double-blind, placebo controlled studies, and its mild effects on myself indicate that it could work better for other people.