UT Austin wearable ultrasound patch NEUSLeeP boosts REM sleep without drugs or surgery, 28-person study
A wearable ultrasound patch from UT Austin cut time to REM sleep by 43 minutes and extended it by about 16 minutes, in a study of 28 people. The device, NEUSLeeP, pairs gentle ultrasound with brain-tracking electrodes, no drugs or surgery. Published in Nature Communications.
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a soft, wearable patch that speeds up and extends REM sleep, the stage of sleep tied to memory consolidation and emotional processing, without drugs or surgery. The device, called NEUSLeeP, combines gentle ultrasound stimulation with electrodes that monitor brain activity in real time, adjusting stimulation based on what it detects. In a study of 28 participants, the patch cut the time it took to reach REM sleep by 43 minutes and extended the duration of REM sleep by about 16 minutes. Researchers also reported signs of improved stress regulation and changes in brain circuits linked to emotion. Most existing tools for improving sleep either involve medication, which frequently suppresses REM sleep as a side effect, or invasive brain-stimulation methods. NEUSLeeP is neither: it is a noninvasive, skin-attached patch designed to be used at home. The findings were published in the journal Nature Communications. Sources: University of Texas at Austin, ScienceDaily.