I tried it: the $399 headband that helps you fall asleep whenever you want

I’m a proponent of power naps, especially when you need a boost to get through a particularly long day. So then I got the chance to test the Elemind headband, which is designed to help you fall asleep upon request, I couldn’t pass it up. Take a nap for work? Yes, please.

Priced for $399 (with an optional monthly subscription fee of $7 or more to access your sleep data), the Elemind isn’t cheap. However, it is packed with technology, including EEG (electroencephalogram) functionality to read your brain waves, AI for processing that brain activity, and audio output to produce sounds that induce sleep. The latter is a low, rhythmic buzz that you can also feel. The feeling is not intrusive or distracting, but almost feels like a light massage.

“It’s essentially suppressing the brain waves that keep you awake,” says Meredith Perry, co-founder of Elemind.

There are countless Reddit threads about the intrigue surrounding this device. The discussion focuses on whether it actually works, with many people recommending it, while others have doubts about this technology, stating that it may be too early to be a market-ready device. To find the answers, I tested it myself.

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I’ve worked in the sleep industry for years and have seen and tested a variety of gadgets and products that claim to help you sleep better. Frankly, I understand the skepticism surrounding a product like this, as not many such devices deliver on their promises. Of course I was curious if the Elemind headband is among the hundreds that don’t work or would be the breakthrough the space needs. This is what I found.

The Elemind headband put to the test

I arrived at The Crosby Street Hotel in New York for my nap. Perry greeted me at the entrance to the room and explained the technology behind Elemind and showed me how to properly put on the headband and turn it on. She also showed me how the app works and what data I can access when wearing the headband. Then she let me take a nap.

I’ll briefly describe what happened next, because – spoiler – I fell asleep. I remember lying down and hearing a low hum that sounded like bone conduction. I could hear the buzzing, but I could also feel it. At first the rhythm was fast, but as I started to drift away I felt it slow down. The next thing I knew, I woke up to the sound of the room door opening. It was Perry with a big smile because she knew the headband had worked based on my half-opened eyes and the stunned look on my face.

The nap was quite short. We set the headband to 25 minutes. This wasn’t my typical nap. Instead of falling into a deep sleep, I felt like I was in an alpha state; a light sleep where I was still aware of my surroundings.

When I woke up I felt exactly how I normally feel after a nap, which was a little groggy. That feeling only lasted a few minutes and I continued my day without any side effects or dizziness.

This is the first sleep technology device I’ve seen that targets and redirects brain waves in real time. Research affiliated with Elemind shows that 76% of people wore the headband fell asleep fasterand that was certainly the case with me.

What the data says

According to the data I received from my nap, which was reviewed by Elemind neuroscientists, my alpha wave activity remained high during my nap, indicating that while I was resting and in light sleep, I did not enter a deep sleep phase. I suspected this would be the case for a 25 minute nap, and that also matches my experience wearing the headband. (I was aware of my surroundings, but in a light sleep, kind of like how you feel when you’re about to wake up in the morning.)

The image above, which Elemind refers to as a plot, is a polar histogram showing the headband’s performance as I track my alpha waves. On the left, the graph shows the phase of target onset and the distribution of all stimuli (gray bars). The right side is a similar diagram, but for the target stimulus offset phase.

Simply put: ‘the beginning [is] The phase of the brain wave when each sound pulse begins and is offset is the phase of the brain wave when each sound pulse ends,” says Ryan Neely, VP of science and research at Elemind. All of this means that the headband worked as intended (more pulses at the beginning when my brain wave activity was high, and then less often when my target brain wave activity was reached, or 224 degrees).

The data confirms what I felt during my nap: that I was having a light nap. I definitely felt like I was resting and also felt like I fell asleep pretty quickly (which I felt was only about a few minutes). I’d say it was a pretty good power nap, especially since it only lasted 25 minutes at 2 p.m. I’m curious to see if it will put me into a deeper sleep at night when I’m in the comfort of my home.

How does the Elemind headband work?

The headband is designed to help users fall asleep by targeting their alpha wave activity with sound pulses. This is a core feature of the proprietary algorithm developed at MIT and built into every band. Perry explained that the headband uses non-invasive neuromodulation technology to monitor your EEG brain activity and deliver acoustic stimulation that is synchronized with your brain’s natural rhythms, in real time. Every night you wear the headband, it learns more and evolves with you through its AI capabilities, becoming more effective over time.

The AI ​​behind the headband, which Elemind calls Sleep Tailor, learns your unique brain activity and sleep patterns to improve your rest. It collects your sleep data and analyzes it to generate stimulation patterns that compensate for your brain activity.

The headband can be worn all night long and is comfortable enough to wear in all sleeping positions. Users can use Elemind in any way that suits their needs. For example, you can wear the headband only to fall asleep and take it off at night, or you can choose to put the headband on only when you wake up and need help falling back asleep. You can also use Elemind to take a nap during the day.

To experience all the properties of the Elemind, it is recommended to wear it all night. You can use it to help you fall asleep, with real-time sleep staging, which will result in a comprehensive sleep report after the session, and to get back to sleep faster if you wake up earlier than intended. Soon, the Elemind will also have a deep sleep stimulation feature, which will boost delta waves during slow-wave sleep.

Is the Elemind comfortable?

I found the Elemind headband comfortable. It’s made of soft material and adjustable at the back, so you can tighten or loosen it as you like. It should be tight enough that it won’t fall off, but not so tight that it’s uncomfortable to sleep with. I usually napped on my back, so I had no problem with it slipping off. I lay on my side for a while and didn’t feel it shift or bulge.

For accurate readings, just make sure the sensors are in contact with your forehead. If you have long hair, Perry recommends wrapping it around your neck and under the hair, then gently sliding it toward your forehead and behind your ears.

Is the Elemind worth it?

Whether the Elemind headband is worth the $349 for you depends on a few factors.

You might like Elemind if:

• You travel often and suffer from jet lag.
• You find it difficult to fall asleep.
• You wake up often during the night and have difficulty falling back asleep.

Elemind may not be right for you if:

• You find a subtle buzz on your forehead too distracting.
• You have no problems falling asleep or staying asleep.

Where can I buy the Elemind headband?

That’s possible order the Elemind on its website. The product has passed the pre-order stage and is now available for purchase.

In addition to the $399 price for the device, there is an optional membership for access to sleep tracking, scores and statistics. Without a membership, you can still access the core features of the headband, including falling asleep and getting back to sleep faster. You do get the first month free when you purchase the headband. You can choose to pay for the membership annually, which costs about $7 per month, or pay it in monthly installments of $13.