Skip to main content

The Urgonight headband trains your brain waves for better sleep

urgonight
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Many of us suffer from sleep deficiency and/or poor quality sleep. That being considered, CES 2019 is really shaping up to be a great year for sleep tech. One of the companies aiming to help us rest better is Urgonight, which is showing off its non-invasive headband at the show, aiming to help train our brains to sleep better.

More CES 2019 coverage

Developed by French startup Urgo Group, the headband connects to an app that is worn during three 20-minute sessions each week. During these sessions, the band takes an EEG (electroencephalogram) of your brain and then presents the data on your screen in such a way that helps to train your brain waves to act in a certain manner, a technique known as visual neurofeedback.

Urgo says that viewing these special images at least three times a week for those 20 minutes helps develop healthier sleep patterns in as little as three months. Since this is all done during waking hours — and there’s no need to wear the headband during the night — getting better sleep doesn’t require making yourself uncomfortable in the process.

This is great news. Insomniacs know any kind of disruption can make your insomnia worse — whether it be sounds, light, or touch — so instead of wearing something or listening to something at night, you can focus on whatever you need to do in order to make yourself as comfortable as possible naturally.

“Urgonight allows consumers to fit in exercises for sleep in whatever timing or habits that are best suited for their lifestyles,” Urgo founder Guirec Le Lous said in a statement.

Urgo’s research showed that patients were on average falling asleep 40 percent faster, reducing the number of times they woke up during the night by more than half after completing a training cycle. Urgo also suggests you repeat a series of sessions three months after you complete your last one to maintain the positive effects.

There’s one negative though, and that’s the price: $600. But for those of us that may have spent tons of money on medications, sleep studies, self-help materials and whatever else to try and get a good night’s sleep, it doesn’t seem like a high price to pay. Pre-orders are expected to begin in the spring, with delivery coming by the end of the year.

Editors' Recommendations

Ed Oswald
For fifteen years, Ed has written about the latest and greatest in gadgets and technology trends. At Digital Trends, he's…
The best health gadgets of CES 2020 combat dyslexia, sleep apnea, and more
Withings ScanWatch

This story is part of our continuing coverage of CES 2020, including tech and gadgets from the showroom floor.

There are a lot of wild claims and gadgets of dubious usefulness flying around Las Vegas right now, but CES 2020 is also home to some seriously innovative health and wellness technology that's aiming to change our world for the better. The best health gadgets help people cope with difficult conditions, alleviate pain, and smooth off some of the hard edges of daily life. These are the ones that have caught our eye so far this year.

Read more
Luminook is a smart light designed to better illuminate your closet
Luminook closet

This story is part of our continuing coverage of CES 2020, including tech and gadgets from the showroom floor.

With the multitude of smart lighting options out there, yet another smart light at CES 2020 wouldn't typically be big news. And at first glance, the Luminook doesn't appear to be anything special, since its essentially just another light strip. But the company is aiming to bring light to one of the darkest spots of your house -- the closet.

Read more
Does tracking your sleep actually help you sleep better? We asked an expert
Sleep Number It Bed review

Modern life simply isn't conducive to getting a good night's sleep. There's artificial light everywhere, we spend hours glued to screens, and it's not unusual to be checking work emails on your phone at night, last thing before you go to bed. We know that the potential health consequences of not getting enough sleep are severe, ranging from obesity and hypertension, to diabetes and heart disease. There's also the immediate impact on work performance, the risks of drowsy driving, and the higher incidence of accidents to contend with when we're tired.

It's no wonder sleep technology has been on the rise. There's no shortage of gadgets and apps that claim they can offer us a sound night's rest, or help us better understand whether we're getting the recommended full forty winks every night. There's a myriad of sleep tracking options out there, from fitness tracking bands to mats you put under your mattress, and even apps that run on your phone on the nightstand next to you.

Read more