PEMF Therapy for Better Sleep

A research review

Poor sleep quality can have negative or even catastrophic effects on performance and health. As Dr. Mercola says, "Sleep is an integral part of health, particularly brain and cognitive health. Your brain needs sleep to maintain metabolic balance and to eliminate accumulated toxic waste through its glymphatic system. Poor memory and concentration, heightened stress levels, weight gain and a weakened immune system are just some of the potential effects of inadequate sleep."

Pulsed electromagnetic fields can act as an effective sleep aid and have been shown to be beneficial in several sleep disorders including insomnia 1 , narcolepsy 2 , nocturia 3 , etc. Read this research review to learn how Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy works for improving sleep and review the evidence of its application for sleep disorders.

To be healthy and function optimally during the day adults require about 7-8 hours of sleep every night.

While physiological processes that we may not be able to control may be the source of sleep disturbances, emotional and environmental stressors like EMF and air pollution can also impair the quality of our sleep. Disturbed sleep patterns can still impact people who follow recommended sleep hygiene practices, like turning off lights and phones before bed.

Insomnia now affects a considerable amount of the global population 4 , almost 20%! Persons with electrical hypersensitivity syndrome, chronic pain and depression have also been found to be having sleeping problems. If these sleep problems are ignored, a person may reach the breaking point. This is due to the accumulated sleep deficits over time.

How does PEMF therapy Act as a Sleep Aid?

PEMF has been shown to improve neuronal cell regeneration 5 , modulates neurotransmitters (melatonin and serotonin) and can also provide brainwave entrainment for improving sleeping patterns. Therefore, there is a potential for PEMF to provide relief in disturbed sleep symptoms such as trouble falling asleep or getting little or restless sleep.

There are two primary stages of sleep - REM (Rapid eye movement) and NREM (Non rapid eye movement). NREM accounts for about 80% of our sleep time and in its early phase is the deepest and most difficult to interrupt sleep and occurs early in the night. It is the time the brainwave is at its lowest point 1-4Hz.

A low frequency PEMF system like the OSKA Pulse can be used before going to bed or while trying to fall asleep. With sufficient PEMF application, brainwave activity can be returned nearer to healthy patterns.

PEMF also enhances cellular regeneration including neuronal cells and can help melatonin release resulting in better brain health and natural improvement in sleep quality. The best sleep is experienced when there is release of large quantities of the hormone melatonin, it usually occurs automatically in darkness by the pineal gland. Studies on the effects of PEMFs on the production of melatonin have shown positive results.

Melatonin levels decrease with age, and the likelihood of having low melatonin levels increases with age. The result is a decrease in the ability to sleep, and the incidences of sleep problems slowly start to increase. Brainwave sleep patterns begin to change during middle age, resulting in a dramatic decrease in NREM sleep; in contrast the amount of REM sleep reduces only slightly. Thus, reduced melatonin secretion may be involved in the development of insomnia.

A Polish study on the effects of regular PEMF use on the production of serotonin shows that PEMF can also enhance serotonin levels.

Clinical studies on PEMF therapy for sleep disorders:

In a comparative clinical trial on repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for chronic primary insomnia in comparison with medication and psychotherapy treatments, it was found that the pulsed magnetic therapy (PEMF) treatment can provide better results than both interventions. It can significantly improve the sleep architecture and increase deep sleep as well as provide a better long-term effect.

In a randomized clinical trial designed to evaluate the effect of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF) in the management of patients with discogenic lumbar radiculopathy, the sleep score improved by [P<0.001] for PEMF users. Most authors refer to statistically significant as P<0.05 and statistically highly significant as P<0.001 (less than one in a thousand chance of being wrong).

In this recent clinical study with 153 patients, a pulsed magnetic therapy system was found to be safe and effective for insomnia treatment. The pulsed magnetic therapy system group of users experienced continuous improvement throughout the 4-week study. The effects of the treatment persisted in the follow up study after a week. Nearly 70% of the participants no longer exhibited clinically significant insomnia symptoms.

Is Using PEMFs Safe?

While no negative side effects have ever been reported, it is important to stick to the manufacturer’s guidelines.

Conclusions:

It is unfortunate that most people with insomnia and other sleep problems subject themselves to medication which can have far reaching side effects especially with long-term use. In conclusion, pulsed electromagnetic field therapy has encouraging evidence that shows it can help with sleep disorders and improve the quality of life of its users.