Phase-locked auditory pulse stimulation at home enhancing slow sleep waves: A pilot real-world study

Background Deep sleep, also known as slow-wave sleep (SWS), is essential for maintaining good health and is characterized by electroencephalographic (EEG) slow-wave activity (SWA). The use of phase-locked auditory stimulation (PLAS) to enhance SWA has emerged as a promising approach. However, the effectiveness of home-based PLAS has not yet been fully established. Method We used a newly developed wearable EEG device, called LANMAO, to record sleeping EEG signals and synchronize acoustic tones with SWA. We employed a within-subject design to investigate whether acoustic stimulation could increase SWA in a home setting using six subjects (mean age: 29±4.2 years, 3 males). Specifically, we applied acoustic stimulation (STIM) on odd-numbered slow waves and no stimulation (SHAM) on even-numbered slow waves. Results The PLAS significantly enhanced SWA, theta, alpha, fast spindle and slow spindle activity on STIM condition compare to SHAM condition across all subjects in home setting. Conclusion These results indicated that the capacity of PLAS, based on LANMAO device, could enhance the SWA in home setting. Our findings shed lights on the wide application of home-based deep sleep intervention.