Key points from article :
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a soft, wearable patch that could help people enter and remain in REM sleep for longer without medication or surgery. The device, called NEUSLeeP, combines gentle ultrasound stimulation with electrodes that monitor brain activity, allowing researchers to target deeper brain regions involved in sleep while tracking the brain's response.
In a study involving 28 participants, the patch helped people reach REM sleep an average of 43 minutes earlier and spend around 16 additional minutes in the sleep stage. The researchers also observed increased heart-rate variability in healthy participants, a measure associated with the body's ability to respond to stress, alongside changes in brain circuits involved in emotional regulation.
The findings could be particularly relevant because disrupted REM sleep has been associated with conditions including depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. However, the study was small, and the technology remains experimental. The researchers plan larger trials to investigate whether the patch could help people with chronic insomnia, depression and PTSD, as well as exploring its potential for personalised sleep monitoring and treatment.
If future studies confirm the results, the technology could offer a new way of influencing deep brain activity from outside the body. The researchers are now working towards commercialising the device, with a patent application already filed.
