Device for discrimination of stages of a patient's sleep

A method of using a determination of sleep stages of a patient to treat sleep apnea, comprising:

• acquiring, by a sensor, a biological parameter of the patient;
• detecting, by a controller, a presence of the sleep apnea;
• determining, by the controller, a state of the patient based on the biological parameter in response to detecting the presence of the sleep apnea;
• delivering, by a kinesthetic effector adapted to be applied to an external skin site of the patient, kinesthetic stimulation pulses to the patient based on the state of the patient and the presence of the sleep apnea;
• determining, by the controller, a variation of the biological parameter subsequent to the delivery of the kinesthetic stimulation pulses;
• determining, by the controller, a response of the patient to the kinesthetic stimulation pulses according to the variation of the biological parameter;
• determining, by the controller, a sleep stage of the patient based on the response;
• determining, by the controller, an effectiveness of the kinesthetic stimulation pulses in treating the sleep apnea based on the response;
• modulating, by the controller, a stimulation energy of the kinesthetic stimulation pulses based on the determined sleep stage and in response to determining the kinesthetic stimulation pulses are ineffective in treating the sleep apnea to a level sufficient to stop the sleep apnea and low enough to limit an occurrence of micro-awakenings of the patient.

A device for treating sleep apnea of a patient, comprising:

• a generator configured to produce kinesthetic stimulation pulses;
• a kinesthetic effector configured to receive the kinesthetic stimulation pulses produced by the generator and adapted to deliver kinesthetic stimulation to the patient;
• a sensor configured to measure a biological parameter of a current activity of the patient;
• and
• a controller configured to;
• perform a sleep analysis on the patient, wherein the controller determines (i) a presence of the sleep apnea, (ii) a variation of the biological parameter subsequent to the production of the kinesthetic stimulation pulses, (iii) a response of the patient to the kinesthetic stimulation pulses according to the variation of the biological parameter, (iv) an effectiveness of the kinesthetic stimulation pulses in treating the sleep apnea based on the response, and (v) a sleep stage of the patient based on the response;
• and
• modulate a stimulation energy of the kinesthetic stimulation pulses produced by the generator based on the determined sleep stage and the effectiveness of the kinesthetic stimulation pulses in treating the sleep apnea, the controller configured to increase the stimulation energy of the kinesthetic stimulation pulses in response to determining the kinesthetic stimulation pulses are ineffective in treating the sleep apnea to a level sufficient to stop the sleep apnea and low enough to limit an occurrence of micro-awakenings of the patient.