Soft skin patch speeds REM sleep onset by 43 minutes
UT Austin researchers developed a soft wearable patch called NEUSLeeP that combines gentle ultrasound stimulation with real-time brain monitoring to noninvasively reach deep brain regions involved in REM sleep. In a 28-person study, users entered REM sleep 43 minutes earlier and remained in REM about 16 minutes longer. The patch also increased heart rate variability and showed brain circuit changes linked to emotion, suggesting potential for treating sleep disorders and reducing stress. The device could enable at-home sleep monitoring and research, with larger trials planned and a patent filed as UT’s commercialization office moves toward market.
