A wellness company called Elemind has created an innovative headband designed to enhance sleep quality by activating a “noise-cancellation” mode in the brain. This technology monitors brainwaves to detect when a person is waking up and helps them fall back asleep.
Addressing a significant need, this headband taps into a substantial market, as an estimated 80 percent of adults worldwide aim to improve their sleep quality. This demand has driven the sleep-related products market to a valuation exceeding $100 billion.
Current sleep wearables primarily track sleep patterns without offering real-time control over sleep, and sleep medications often have undesirable side effects. In contrast, Elemind’s headband focuses directly on the brain, which is central to initiating sleep. According to Ryan Neely, Elemind’s Vice President of Science and Research, this direct approach is a key innovation.
“Sleep is initiated by the brain, but very little innovation in sleep focuses on the brain directly,” said Neely. It is precisely this area that Elemind’s wearable works in.
The Elemind headband is lightweight, flexible, and comfortable for all-night wear in any sleeping position. It collects data via brainwaves and syncs with a smartphone app, providing users with detailed information about their sleep. The device employs neuromodulation to shift brainwave patterns from wakefulness to deep sleep, akin to noise-cancellation for the brain, as explained by Meredith Perry, CEO and co-founder of Elemind.
“Elemind works like noise-cancellation for the brain. You can switch off the world, switch off the stress, and go to sleep faster,” explained Perry.
Clinical trials have demonstrated the headband’s efficacy, with 76 percent of participants falling asleep quickly and an average reduction in time to sleep by 48 percent. Some participants experienced up to a 74 percent reduction in time to fall asleep.
Users maintain control over their sleep; they can choose to continue sleeping by using the app or pressing a button on the headband. This feature enables the headband to facilitate sleep as effectively as sleep-inducing drugs but without the associated side effects.
Although the headband is not classified as a medical device, Elemind continues to invest in trials to improve its effectiveness. The accompanying smartphone app provides advanced sleep data, including sleep performance, duration, efficiency, time to fall asleep, stages of sleep, and nocturnal movements.
Elemind is also developing an AI-powered Sleep Tailor to enhance the device’s effectiveness through data analysis and user feedback. The headband is currently available to early adopters through a beta program, which includes a complimentary 12-month membership to the Elemind App, granting early access to new features and the opportunity to provide feedback.
The company plans to introduce a Deep Sleep Stimulation Feature, aimed at increasing deep sleep duration, later this year. Priced at $349, the headband is expected to ship in the summer, offering a promising solution for those looking to improve their sleep quality.