As consumer technology becomes faster, smaller and more powerful, concepts which once seemed fancifully futuristic are becoming increasingly commonplace.
One such example is brain stimulation or neurostimulation technology – wearable devices that can actively influence your physical brain state to achieve any number of desired responses, be it mental focus, boosting your energy, meditative relaxation, or promoting better sleep.
Whilst it’s an attractive idea – donning a wearable that calms you down, or makes you smarter – the underlying mechanisms behind these new neurostimulation devices are often glossed over, or misunderstood., which is understandable because a lot of consumers aren’t actually interested in how something works, they just want results.
But here at Sleep Gadgets we like to get a little deeper, and when we heard about the new ‘neurostim’ wearable Neorhythm which claims to help promote better sleep (amongst many other brain states) we were curious to find out more about the device, the background to the company, the underlying science behind pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF), and how exactly this new wearable might be a novel solution to sleep problems.
So I spoke over email with Marko Kadunc, CEO of MDCN Technologies, Inc the company behind NeoRhythm in order to get the lowdown on their exciting and curious new wearable.
>> Read our 5000-word, in-depth NeoRhythm review here
Jeff Mann (JM): What is the background to the company?
Marko Kadunc (MK): MDCN Technologies, Inc. made a breakthrough in the field of neuroscience in 2016 when it introduced NeoRhythm, the first neurostimulation wearable headband of its kind. The development process was finalized with 2 double-blind placebo studies. The company’s headquarters are in Ljubljana, Slovenia. We have offices in both Europe and the United States.
Our research and support activities are all over the world. We have assembled an ambitious team of experts in electromagnetic science, neuroscience, and technology to work with us over the years. We collaborate to create new ideas and solutions in the field of PEMF devices. Our common goal is to improve everyone’s quality of life. The power of pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) can assist us in making that a reality.
So, inspiration was found exactly in PEMF as one of the most user-friendly technologies, scientifically proven, non-invasive, FDA approved, and safe to use. We thought why not take advantage of it. In addition to that, some countries (Canada, for example) have officially approved PEMF as an effective treatment for cancer, depression, anxiety, migraine, and other medical conditions.
As a result, the initial thought arose: why not use that technology in everyday life to promote self-care? Let us bring PEMF into our homes and avoid spending long hours in clinic waiting rooms for a reasonable price. Furthermore, preliminary research revealed that there is still a lot of space for improvement and upgrade, which is when we realized, for the first time, that this could be the start of a great journey.
OmniPEMF is a brand of innovative wellness devices for both home and professional use. They are available all over the world. These devices have already helped thousands of people in acting better, sleeping better, coping with chronic pain, and living a healthier lifestyle in general. We currently have over 16 000 users.
Briefly describe PEMF, it’s history of use in medical and well-being practices
There’s a neurological reason why you might feel sleepy on a train ride, with the repetitive chug-a-chug of the wheels lulling you to sleep. The rhythm of the wheels corresponds to a brain wave state that promotes relaxation and sleep. Our brains, you see, take cues from the train’s movements and mimic the rhythm. This is known as brainwave entrainment. As a result, your state of mind shifts into sleep mode.
Every action we perform is reflected in the brain as brainwaves of varying frequencies (alpha, beta, gamma, delta, theta…). Simply put, PEMF stimulates your brain waves by using electromagnetic fields. PEMF is an abbreviation for »pulsed electromagnetic field therapy,” and it has been used successfully in large, expensive medical devices for decades.
It is a type of neurostimulation in which your brain is encouraged to mimic external signals provided by the device in a non-invasive and completely safe manner. Unlike x-rays, PEMF is low in radiation and is harmless. Over 7,000 studies have been conducted to date, and all have found PEMF to be safe. It has been scientifically proven and approved by the FDA. It emits frequencies that stimulate the cells to achieve a specific goal, such as relaxation, healing, regeneration, circulation, and other functions. PEMF devices are used to deliver the frequencies.
So, PEMF Therapy is the use of PEMF technology to help mitigate symptoms and improve the recovery process of certain diseases and disorders. It helps in the natural healing process of your body. Numerous studies on PEMF Therapy have demonstrated its effectiveness.
PEMF Therapy can help ease the symptoms of conditions such as:
Traumatic Brain Injury, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Shingles, PPPD or persistent postural- perceptual dizziness, Epilepsy, Parkinsons, Insomnia, Restless Leg Syndrome or RLS, Sleep Apnea, Stroke Rehabilitation, PTSD, Lewy Body Disease, Migraines, Erectile Dysfunction, Cluster Headache, Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia, Brain Cancer, Anxiety, Diabetes, Aphasia Dementia, Depression, and more…
As you can see, the list is exhaustive. While PEMF is not known for curing any disease, it can mitigate them.
PEMF Therapy indirectly improves your well-being in a variety of ways, including assisting you in managing your weight, recovering from sports, relaxing your vocal cords, reducing discomfort, and much more. PEMF Therapy can provide relief for patients, but it should not be used as the sole method of treatment for a condition or disorder. The beauty of PEMF Therapy is that it can help you function better in the same way that a cane or crutch can help someone walk.
Can anyone use PEMF?
While it depends on the nature of the PEMF device, there are a few patients who should avoid using PEMF, especially without their doctor’s approval. Those who should avoid using PEMF are as follows:
- Anyone below 18 years of age
- Anyone with a skull defect
- Pregnant women
- Women planning to conceive
- Patients with Graves disease
- Patients with an implanted cardiac pacemaker or defibrillator
- Organ transplants
- Anyone with Epilepsy
- Breast implant
- Anyone with non-MRI-safe intrauterine devices (IUDs)
What makes NeoRhythm different to any other PEMF device?
NeoRhythm is the first gesture-controlled headband that has been shown to help improve sleep, relax, sharpen focus, and manage pain. As a result, it is designed for a variety of purposes, unlike other rTMS (brain stimulation therapies used to treat depression) devices, despite the fact that it employs the same technology. Unlike rTMS, we can use PEMF on a daily basis, which means we don’t have to wait for a clinical condition to manifest before treating it. We’ve all heard that it’s better to prevent than to treat, and NeoRhythm can help you do just that. It also has brainwave entrainment, which rTMS devices do not have. There is also the price-performance ratio to consider.
NeoRhythm is a highly adaptable device that can be used in a variety of settings. NeoRhythm can be used in the privacy of your own home. The application of NeoRhytm is simple. It can be used while driving to work or running errands. You will be working on improving your well-being while performing your daily tasks. We recommend that our customers use NeoRhythm in the office to improve concentration and energy levels, or when flying to avoid jet lag and have a pleasant journey.
Furthermore, the headband has five non-invasive magnetic-field-producing coils, which is more than any other similar device on the market today, to provide the largest and most precise stimulation area available. NeoRhythm’s advanced technology and design allow it to be used in five different positions to better reach the area of the brain that needs to be stimulated, and the wearer can choose from six stimulation programs, all of which are supported by scientific studies in the fields of PEMF and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS).
PEMF technology has been used in expensive wellness devices for decades, but OmniPEMF has taken that technology and placed it in a small and affordable wearable device that anyone can use. The effectiveness of NeoRhythm is supported by two double-blind, placebo-controlled studies, as well as numerous other scientific studies that demonstrate the technology’s safety.
How does NeoRhythm help solve sleep problems?
The sleep states are the body’s business (brain). We only support brainwaves associated with deep sleep and rest when we apply for the NeoRhythm Improve sleep program. There are a numerious of devices on the market that claim to help you sleep. From white noise to machines to light sleep machines, there is something for everyone. And, while they may be beneficial (or not), unlike PEMF technology, they have no actual cellular effects. PEMF affects your cellular level through brainwave entrainment and thus effectively treats sleep problems and even insomnia.
PEMF therapies and brainwave entrainment for sleep disorders aim to alter disruptive sleep wave patterns because PEMFs can affect the electrical activity of the brain, slowing it down or speeding it up. This will, to varying degrees, change the brain’s frequencies, causing it to shift to patterns that enhance sleep.
Throughout the night, the brain primarily operates in the delta and theta ranges. Delta frequencies account for approximately 10% of total sleep time in adults and occur between one and one and a half hours after falling asleep when we are in dreamless sleep. The rest of the sleep time is spent in theta, and for most people who have sleep problems, the problem is that they can’t get into theta. They occur when we are in light and REM sleep.
A delta wave is a high-amplitude brain wave with an oscillation frequency of 0.5 to 4 Hz. Theta activity has a frequency range of 3.5 to 7.5 Hz and is classified as a “slow” activity by scientists. While audiovisual devices are frequently used to induce different brain wave states, PEMF safely penetrates the brain. It also aids in achieving the desired frequency.
When you have difficulty falling or staying asleep, it usually means that your brain’s normal frequency patterns have been disrupted. NeoRhythm gently encourages your brain to fall asleep by mimicking the normal frequency patterns of the brain in the process of falling asleep.
The Improve sleep program by NeoRhythm can be used before sleep (20-minute session) to help people fall asleep or close/under the pillow (8-hour session) overnight to help people maintain sleep. The dominant emitted frequency of theta brainwaves is 4 Hz (magnetic flux density 2.5 mT). Delta brainwaves are emitted at a frequency of 2.67 Hz (magnetic flux density 0.25 mT).
In 2019, we have done a research on user experiences’ of the effect of NeoRhythm Improve Sleep program. All participants of the survey that reported some sort of sleep difficulty rated this program as effective. It helped them fall asleep easier and faster, they also sleep deeply and awakening up easier after usage of Improve Sleep program.
Furthermore, they felt more relaxed, had more vivid dreams or after long time again they started to dream. These results can be found in Open Access Library Journal.
What kinds of sleep issues is NeoRhythm suitable for, and what kind of problems is it not suitable for?
NeoRhythm is not a medical device. It’s a wellness device. However, it is intended to assist you in regaining control of your sleep cycle and resetting your sleep rhythm in the best way possible. NeoRhythm has an effect on sleep disorders such as inability to fall asleep, waking up too early, light sleep, sleep interrupted by awakening, and nightmares.
According to our research study conducted in 2019, it was noticed that the device had a notably highest effect on the sleep disorder “inability to fall asleep.” Despite this assertion, all participants in a survey who had sleep disorders stated that they were satisfied with this program.
It is significant to emphasize that this program assists people who have suffered from lifelong insomnia in such a way that they can finally sleep a few extra hours. Additionally, by improving your sleep, you may be able to overcome a mental disorder such as depression.
Hence, more precisely, some of sleep disorders NeoRhythm can help you with are insomnia, sleep apnea, and restless leg syndrome.
How do you see the future for neurostimulation devices and similar technologies, with regards to sleep, health and well-being?”
“Future medicine will be the medicine of frequencies” – Albert Einstein.
Long after Einstein said those words, frequency medicine has advanced at such a rapid pace that it would have made the brilliant physicist proud and impressed. In other words, PEMF has been around for over 4000 years. However, it has gained steady momentum in recent years.
It’s no surprise that PEMF is gaining popularity. Besides the numerous benefits it offers, it truly can change one’s life for the better. In fact, it has the potential to create a major transformation. PEMF is an outstanding adjunct therapy that improves general well-being in the long term, in addition to improving the original medical care of patients. PEMF’s advantages haven’t only been shown in the lab. People’s success stories, on the other hand, speak volumes.
PEMF provides scientists, developers, and entrepreneurs with limitless opportunities to build technologies that could improve people’s lives in a variety of ways, thanks to technological advancements, the Internet of Things, and other new solutions that are becoming more widely accessible on the market.
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