Sleep inducement apparatus
OwnerJeremy Hacking, Nicholas Hackinginventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sleep inducement apparatus including an interface unit, a pair of headphones and an electrode strap. A sleep monitor cooperates with the electrode strap to detect the state of sleep of a subject through a heart rate variability analysis. The control unit cooperates with electrodes in the headphones to apply an electrical stimulation to the subject's nervous system in order to initiate a sleep condition. As the subject moves from a wakeful state towards a state of sleep, the monitor regulates the control unit such that, when the subject is asleep, the control unit does not supply electrical pulses.
Claims12
A sleep inducement apparatus for assisting a subject to reach a state of sleep, the apparatus comprising:
- a sleep monitoring means that is arrangable to detect the wakefulness of a subject;
- and
- a stimulus means that includes a control unit for generating Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulus (TENS) pulses and at least one electrode that is contactable with a subjects' skin for applying TENS pulses;
- wherein
- the sleep monitoring means is arranged to regulate the control means, such that, in use, the control means provides electrical pulses to the or each electrode when the sleep monitoring means detects that a subject is awake.
A method of inducing sleep comprising using a sleep inducement apparatus and arranging a sleep monitor of the apparatus on a subject wherein the sleep monitor detects the state of wakefulness of the subject, the apparatus further comprising a stimulus means that comprises a control unit and at least one electrode for applying a Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulus (TENS) pulses, the method further comprising causing the sleep monitor to regulate the control unit to provide electrical pulses to the or each electrode when the sleep monitor detects a subject to be in a state of wakefulness.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.