Brain Scans Also Showed Changes in Circuits Related to Emotions

Engineers at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a wearable device that helps users fall into REM sleep faster without drugs or surgery. Named NEUS LeeP, the device also increases the time spent in REM sleep. In a study involving 28 participants, NEUS LeeP helped users reach REM sleep 43 minutes earlier than normal and stay in REM sleep about 16 minutes longer.

The device combines two technologies not typically used together in a wearable system: mild ultrasound stimulation and electrodes that measure brain activity. This allows access to brain regions associated with REM sleep while tracking the brain's response to stimulation in real time. The skin-worn device could offer new possibilities for sleep research as well as for monitoring and treating sleep disorders in patients' own homes, according to researchers.

NEUS LeeP's effects extend beyond faster REM onset. In healthy participants, the ultrasound stimulation increased heart rate variability, a metric used to assess how the body responds to stress. Brain scans also showed changes in circuits related to emotions.

Researchers suggest this may be because REM sleep plays a key role in emotional processing and stress management, as it is a phase where the brain processes emotions and adapts to stressful situations. Increasing time spent in REM sleep could support stress coping and overall well-being, researchers believe. This finding is particularly significant because disruptions in REM sleep are linked to conditions such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The research team plans to conduct broader clinical trials to determine how effective the device is for people with PTSD, depression, and chronic insomnia. A patent application has also been filed for the device.