Can a headband that plays pink noise cure insomnia in depressed people?
NCT ID NCT07553364
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jul 24, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This pilot study tests whether a headband that delivers timed sound pulses (pink noise) can improve sleep in 25 people with both depression and insomnia. Participants wear the device nightly for four weeks, alternating between active stimulation and sham (placebo) sound. The goal is to see if the active stimulation helps them fall asleep faster and wake less during the night.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Elemind Neuromodulation Device (ENMod) delivering alpha phase-locked auditory stimulation (pink noise pulses)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a drug-free, at-home device to help people with depression fall asleep faster and wake less during the night.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early feasibility study with only 25 people. The effect may be small or no better than sham (placebo) stimulation, and results may not apply to everyone with depression and insomnia.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27104, United States
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