This brain-training wearable promises better sleep

CES 2020 is the year of sleep tech. I called it a few months ago, and now that the announcements are starting to trickle out, I’m re-staking that claim. Technology has played an important role in completely destroying my sleep cycle.. Yet somehow, it appears to be my only hope of saving it.

URGONight seems to be one of the more interesting takes on the space. Though it does overlap pretty significantly with the Muse S headband that was also literally just announced this very minute (I know, I wrote that story, too). The hook to this specific neurofeedback headband (a phrase I knew I would be writing at some point in 2020) is that it’s designed for daytime use for sleep training.

The headband is designed to be used for 20 minutes a day, three days a week. It has two electrodes that detect brain activity. Wearers can view their brain feedback in real-time, via the Android/iOS app. There are a bunch of different exercises, including growing leaves on trees and drawing patterns. The idea is to essentially train your brain to sleep better.

“Just as you can train your body to run faster, jump higher, swim further or become more flexible, clinical studies have shown neurofeedback therapy can help people learn how to improve the quality of their sleep,” founder Guirec said in a release. “The technology has been used in clinical sleep centers around the world for decades and now with URGOnight, we are making it more fun and accessible and conveniently usable in the comfort of the home.”

It’s interesting, for sure. I certainly can’t speak to the product’s efficacy — or any of the science here (though “sleep spindles” are a real thing, according to a very quick Google search I just did). I’m willing to give anything a shot at this point, though. You can, too, in Q2. Though it’s gonna cost you $500.