Getting quality sleep is harder than ever. Studies show that the global prevalence of insomnia in adults can be as high as 50-60% [1]. This can be due to many reasons, like stress, overstimulation, and physical issues like nasal congestion, which can all interfere with rest, leaving millions having repeated, restless nights. However, research suggests that specific types of sound and vibration, brainwave activity, can promote nights of restorative sleep.
Techniques like beat frequency vibration, binaural beats, and synchronized vibration are gaining more attention as these effective, non-invasive tools have been shown to enhance sleep quality. Electromagnetic fields (resonance) and vibrations can play a significant role in a human’s brain and sleep [2]. Altering these resonant and vibrational frequencies and signals has been shown to help improve insomnia symptoms.
The Science Behind Resonance-Based Sleep Tools
There are many important resonance-based sleep methods, which involve changing the frequency or patterns of a signal to optimize a patient’s sleep. By analyzing the following techniques, it can be determined that external stimuli are aligned with internal physiology.:
- Binaural Beats: This technique involves changing the frequency of electromagnetic waves in both the left and right ears to help with sleep quality [5]. It often involves keeping the frequency in one ear consistent, while changing the frequency of the other ear to ensure natural sleep states. Studies have found that binaural beats can stabilize heart rate variability and decrease the time it takes to fall asleep.
- Beat Frequency Vibration (BFV): This technique has been used to help treat moderate-to-severe insomnia [3].
- Closed-Loop Vibration Stimulation (CLVS): In this method, vibration patterns are timed to match more regular internal signals like breathing or heartbeat [4].
- Schumann Resonance Exposure: This uses extremely low electromagnetic wave frequencies, driven by lightning activity [2].
Spatial and Binaural Beats
At Sound Health Systems, we’re applying these findings to the development of Spatial Sleep, a device that uses auditory resonance therapy (ART) to help treat moderate-to-severe insomnia and difficulty sleeping. Previously, our Sonu ART headband was used for the acute treatment of nasal congestion [6]. Spatial Sleep, specifically, uses this novel technique by administering binaural beats through the ART headband via Bluetooth to synchronize brainwave activity, similar to those seen in natural sleep states. What’s more appealing is that the device emits customized binaural beats in both of your ears, and by just wearing it for 45 minutes, it can help the brain relax and prepare for a restful, uninterrupted sleep.
This technique has been shown to improve sleep quality and overall sleep satisfaction by promoting an increase in delta brainwave activity. Delta waves are noted as low-frequency waves on an electroencephalogram (EEG), which are associated with depth, restorative sleep. Our data shows that the Spatial Sleep binaural beats technology has also shown decreased Insomnia Severity Index Scores (ISI), which indicate significant improvements in sleep [7].
So, while falling asleep and staying asleep is challenging, Spatial offers important benefits to support your sleep in a simple and non-invasive way.
Sleep to Your Own Beat
Sleep is not just about shutting off. It’s about tuning in, and finding out what works best for us. Luckily for us, evidence-based tools that use sound and vibration in harmony with the body’s natural rhythms offer a powerful tool to support rest. As new resonant technologies evolve, tools like Spatial can reshape how we achieve better sleep.
To learn more about Spatial and the science behind its design, visit www.spatialsleep.com.
Works Cited
- Bhaskar S, Hemavathy D, Prasad S. Prevalence of chronic insomnia in adult patients and its correlation with medical comorbidities. J Family Med Prim Care. 2016 Oct-Dec;5(4):780-784. doi: 10.4103/2249-4863.201153. PMID: 28348990; PMCID: PMC5353813.
- Huang YS, Tang I, Chin WC, Jang LS, Lee CP, Lin C, Yang CP, Cho SL. The Subjective and Objective Improvement of Non-Invasive Treatment of Schumann Resonance in Insomnia-A Randomized and Double-Blinded Study. Nat Sci Sleep. 2022 Jun 8;14:1113-1124. doi: 10.2147/NSS.S346941. Erratum in: Nat Sci Sleep. 2022 Jul 13;14:1259-1260. doi: 10.2147/NSS.S380174. PMID: 35707548; PMCID: PMC9189153.
- Himes BJ, Blotter JD, Kay DB, Steffensen SC, Feland JB, Bills KB, Mcpherson DL, Manwaring K, Lafont-Tanner D, Layton B. The Effect of Beat Frequency Vibration on Sleep Latency and Neural Complexity: A Pilot Study. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng. 2021;29:872-883. doi: 10.1109/TNSRE.2021.3076983. Epub 2021 May 13. PMID: 33950842.
- Kwon HB, Jeong J, Choi B, Park KS, Joo EY, Yoon H. Effect of closed-loop vibration stimulation on sleep quality for poor sleepers. Front Neurosci. 2024 Oct 7;18:1456237. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1456237. PMID: 39435444; PMCID: PMC11491432.
- Lee HA, Lee WJ, Kim SU, Kim H, Ahn M, Kim J, Kim DW, Yun CH, Hwang HJ. Effect of dynamic binaural beats on sleep quality: a proof-of-concept study with questionnaire and biosignals. Sleep. 2024 Oct 11;47(10):zsae097. doi: 10.1093/sleep/zsae097. PMID: 38629490.
- Luong AU, Yong M, Hwang PH, Lin BY, Gopi P, Mohan V, Ma Y, Johnson J, Yen DM, DeMera RS, Bleier BS. Acoustic resonance therapy is safe and effective for the treatment of nasal congestion in rhinitis: A randomized sham-controlled trial. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2024 May;14(5):919-927. doi: 10.1002/alr.23284. Epub 2023 Oct 9. PMID: 37812532.
- Okun ML, Glidewell RN. Improvement of Insomnia Symptoms following a Single 4-Hour CBT-I Workshop. Behav Sleep Med. 2023 Jan-Feb;21(1):72-83. doi: 10.1080/15402002.2022.2036741. Epub 2022 Feb 12. PMID: 35156473.
