July 28, 2016, Updated August 3, 2016

Only one-third of the world’s population enjoys a good night’s sleep on a regular basis, according to the World Association of Sleep Medicine.

Not only are two-thirds of the world’s population walking around tired and moody, but the American Academy of Sleep Medicine says at least 30 percent of adults have insomnia.

Moreover, sleep disorders have been linked to many work- and car-related accidents, sexual dysfunction and depression.

It is no wonder, then, that entrepreneurs – who are probably sleep-deprived as well – are constantly trying to find a solution that makes a good snooze an accessible dream.

Here are seven Israeli-made sensors, devices and apps aimed at helping you access nothing but sweet dreams.

2Breathe

2Breathe is a new breathing pacer that will help you breathe yourself to sleep, say its makers: Dr. Benjamin Gavish, an inventor, biophysicist and active researcher in blood vessels; and his son, serial entrepreneur Erez Gavish.

The smart device and mobile app guides your breathing to induce sleep. A sensor worn around your abdomen tracks breathing movements and sends them via Bluetooth to your smartphone. 2breathe then transforms your breathing into tones that gradually guide you to slow breathing and finally, sleep.

As many inventions tend to do, 2Breathe’s patented technology came about in the wake of another device the Gavish family created: RESPeRATE. The FDA-cleared, non-invasive hypertension treatment device is already on the market.

“RESPeRATE’s only ‘side effect’ was that users were falling asleep as they used it,” the cofounders say. “We went back to the drawing board and redesigned the effective device-guided breathing technology into a sleek smartphone-powered product.”

2Breathe guides your breathing to induce sleep. Photo: courtesy
2Breathe guides your breathing to induce sleep. Photo: courtesy

Silent Partner SmartPatch

Israeli entrepreneurs with applied physics and computer science backgrounds are going to battle for the sleeping partners of snorers worldwide. The Silent Partner device, according to its makers QuietLife Technologies, is the world’s first smart patch to quiet snoring noise.

Silent Partner’s lightweight, compact and non-intrusive SmartPatch rests on the snorer’s nose and creates a 23-centimeter silent zone. The product uses active noise cancellation technology, which senses the snoring sound and emits a counter sound to cancel the undesirable one.

“It’s hard to find a product that works for all snorers, because people snore for a variety of reasons,” said cofounder Netanel Eyal. “Because Silent Partner focuses on what is universal — the noise — we can offer a solution to quiet the noise no matter how and why you snore.”

In January, Silent Partner raised $806,585 in a crowdfunding campaign.

Sleep ASAP

Sleep ASAP (Art Science Awareness Platform) is a sleep-management organization on a mission to raise awareness about getting a good night’s sleep without narcotics.

The Jerusalem-based group uses a big-data platform and a mobile app to provide sleep strugglers with individualized solutions.

“This startup has a mission rather than a product. We call it people-powered healthcare,” cofounder and COO Nadav Lankin told ISRAEL21c.

The app generates a “SleepDNA” for users, which is a combination of personality profile and sleep symptoms. Based on the SleepDNA, Sleep ASAP’s system then suggests a personalized menu of methods to get a good night’s sleep.

SleepRate

SleepRate is an app-based mobile health solution that uses data from a heart-rate monitor and your smartphone’s microphone.

The mobile health app monitors and analyzes your sleep to reveal exactly how long and how well you slept and brings to your attention any sleep issues you may not have been aware of. The solution then provides a custom-tailored therapy program to improve your sleep, walking you step-by-step through your personalized sleep improvement plan.

The therapy uses patented and clinically validated technology based on the relationship between heartbeats and the brain’s controlling mechanisms. The SleepRate system was developed in 2006 by CEO Uli Gal-Oz and Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Anda Baharav, who have a combined 20 years of clinical sleep medicine experience.

 WatchPAT

Itamar Medical’s WatchPAT is an FDA-approved wrist-worn screening/diagnostic device that detects and follows up treatment of potentially life-threatening obstructive sleep apnea.

Over one million patients worldwide have used the WatchPAT to test their sleep stages from the comfort of their own home, according to the company. Its non-invasive monitor for sleep apnea was chosen as one of the Cleveland Clinic’s best medical innovations for 2010.

WatchPAT monitors sleep apnea at home. Photo: courtesy
WatchPAT monitors sleep apnea at home. Photo: courtesy

 QS – Quit Snoring

Dr. Naveh Tov, an Israeli physician specializing in internal pulmonary and sleep medicine, says his Quit Snoring approach to overcoming sleeping disorders came about from his real-life bed habits. His wife would regularly nudge him mid-snore to turn over and he would do so, stop snoring, but never remember the next morning that he snored or moved during the night.

He created the QS (formerly known as “Snoring U”) sleep-monitoring app – Android and iOS capable — to nudge snorers out of their noise-making.

EarlySense sleep sensor

EarlySense, an Israeli company that develops contact-free health sensing and analytics, has a patented sensor and advanced algorithms that monitor and analyze sleep-motion parameters.

The sensor can be found in Beurer’s SE 80 SleepExpert device as well as in an iFit product.

Last March, SleepExpert won a Plus X Award in Germany, the home country of Beurer. Placed under a mattress, the sensor records sleeping patterns and helps users improve them. The core technology, derived from EarlySense’s hospital-proven solution, enables users to evaluate their own data and monitor their wellbeing and overall quality of sleep.

“Contact-free sensing of sleep and vital health parameters enables a multitude of possibilities for healthier living. We are happy to be a part of this solution, which empowers people to proactively monitor and manage their well-being with a sensor that is invisible,” said Avner Halperin, CEO of EarlySense.

In January, iFit announced a similar collaboration with EarlySense. Its IoT-connected sleep sensor monitors sleep quality and vital signs such as heart rate and respiratory rate to give users personalized tips on how to improve sleep and overall wellness.

“Improving sleep performance is the cornerstone of improving overall health, and improved fitness supports better sleep. Quality sleep at night translates to being more actively engaged during our day-to-day lives, and to experiencing a new level of control and insight into our overall wellbeing,” said Liat Tsoref, VP and GM of the Digital Health Business Unit at EarlySense.

Beurer’s award-winning SleepExpert, powered by an Israeli sensor. Photo: courtesy
Beurer’s award-winning SleepExpert, powered by an Israeli sensor. Photo: courtesy

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