Acoustic Resonance Therapy Shows Promise in Treating Chronic Insomnia

A groundbreaking study from Stanford School of Medicine researchers and SoundHealth has revealed a potentially effective new treatment for chronic insomnia.

The non-invasive therapy for chronic insomnia uses customized binaural spatial audio delivered through an acoustic resonance therapy (ART) headband. Affecting 10% to 15% of the adult population, chronic insomnia often leads to reduced quality of life and is associated with multiple health risks, including cardiovascular disease and depression.

The study involved 20 participants diagnosed with moderate-to-severe insomnia who were treated using personalized acoustic resonance therapy. Using the SoundHealth SONU headband in conjunction with a special smartphone-based app (Sonu-Sleep) that integrates facial scanning and machine learning, personalized binaural audio tracks were created to match each participant’s unique cranio-facial resonance frequencies.

“This is an exciting step forward in non-pharmacological insomnia treatment,” said Dr. Kevin Lin, M.D., of Stanford Medicine, the study’s co-author and lead researcher.

Key Findings

• After four weeks of treatment, nearly half of the participants (45%) achieved an Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) score below 7, indicating a clinically significant resolution of the condition.
• Participants experienced an average reduction of 11.3 points on the ISI scale, demonstrating the treatment’s effectiveness.
• Adherence to the protocol was 100%, with no adverse effects reported.

“These initial results are encouraging, showing potential for acoustic resonance therapy as a non-invasive, safe adjunctive treatment for insomnia. It is important to recognize that it should be part of a comprehensive approach, including sleep-related behavioral improvement, and further studies are needed to confirm its long-term efficacy and broader applicability; however, this early data is remarkable, and we look forward to deepening our understanding of this innovative approach,” said Robson Capasso, M.D., chief of Sleep Surgery, professor of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and by courtesy of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University.

The study’s results facilitate the need for larger trials to confirm the therapy’s long-term effectiveness and sustainability. The research team also aims to explore additional applications of acoustic resonance therapy in treating other sleep disorders.

This project was supported by SoundHealth Systems, which provided the SONU devices, and the Stanford School of Medicine.

SoundHealth is a medical technology company that harnesses the power of artificial intelligence and medical science to improve respiratory and mental health. SoundHealth investors include Moai Capital, J4 Ventures, TeleSoft Partners, Tau Ventures, TechU Ventures, and Rhythm Venture Capital. For more information, visit https://soundhealth.life.