6 ms·

Neuroon: Sleep mask for polyphasic sleep

71 points by jellyksong 13y ago

taopao 13y ago
I guess you could say that those entrepeneurs' sleep patterns have been... (straps on a big ugly Neuroon ski-mask thing) _disrupted._ YEAHHH!
- Pitarou 13y ago
  Shame on you.
Segmentation 13y ago
So uh, I don't really care about the polyphasic stuff. Would this device improve normal sleep? I struggle to find comfortable sleep masks. I suppose it's kind of expensive, although the sleep monitoring stuff is cool.
- mobweb 13y ago
  Check out the "Mindfold" for a no-gimmick sleeping mask: http://www.mindfold.com/ http://www.mindfold.com/. It's really comfortable to wear and 100% pitch black dark. I actually found it via HN some time ago and I like it a lot.
rayiner 13y ago
Want to get comfortable sleeping only 4-6 hours a day? Have a baby. Seriously, though, while the page is a bunch of marketing bullshit I'd be interested in buying if it came out as a product. There really seems to be something to timing your wakeups to coincide with your sleep cycle. I have a very predictable 90 minute cycle and fall asleep very quickly, so I've had good luck with those sleep timer apps that wake you up at multiples of 90 minutes.
- scotty79 13y ago
  Are you sure, "comfortable" is the word you intended to use?
  - pasquinelli 13y ago
    "Want to abandon all hope of sleeping more than 4-6 hours a day? Have a baby."
scott_s 13y ago
This may be a good device for monitoring sleep, but for those considering a polyphasic sleep schedule, try reading one of many HN threads on the topic: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1464142 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1464142
nakedrobot2 13y ago
WHY OH WHY is polyphasic sleep so attactive? Read about it a little bit, and realize that it is totally, TOTALLY unnatural, nearly impossible to maintain for any length of time, and possibly dangerous to your long-term well-being. Go hack something else. Leave your circadian rhythms alone. You cannot redesign them or improve them. If you are working on a submarine, then maybe polyphasic sleep is useful, because of the extraordinary circumstances. Otherwise, it is simply a bad idea.
- lukifer 13y ago
  You're probably right about polyphasic sleep. Biphasic sleep is worth considering, however, either in the flavor of daily naps, or simply getting up for an hour or so in the middle of the night. There is some evidence for the notion that this was the norm before artificial light: http://www.history.vt.edu/Ekirch/sleepcommentary.html http://www.history.vt.edu/Ekirch/sleepcommentary.html
  - Scaevolus 13y ago
    Napping in the afternoon (the hottest part of the day) is common in many cultures as well.
  - rayiner 13y ago
    That's pretty much what I do now. My daughter (at one!) still needs a bottle around 2-3 am, so I'll feed her then tidy up or move the wash to the dryer or something. I think it's at least worthwhile to explore how you sleep, even if you're not trying to do the whole polyphasic thing. Just sleeping at a regular time every day, and timing your wakeups to coincide with a sleep cycle can make you feel better and give you a lot of extra hours on the weekend (no sleeping in!)
  - alcari 13y ago
    Segmented sleep and biphasic sleep are distinct terms with very different meanings in this context [0]. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyphasic_sleep#Claimed_sleep_patterns https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyphasic_sleep#Claimed_sleep...
- 13y ago
dnautics 13y ago
is it just me but do all of the founders look and sound really tired?
- eludwig 13y ago
  That is so funny. I was thinking the same thing exactly! Slightly unrelated, I also wonder about stomach sleepers. it seems like all of these things are designed for back and side sleepers. I know that stomach sleeping isn't considered "healthy" (for back/neck reasons) but there are some things that just are the way they are.
kilroy123 13y ago
Is only getting 7 hours of sleep a night, really that bad? I personally like sleeping. I would hate to try only get 2-4 hours a day.
- Anderkent 13y ago
  Do you like sleeping, or do you like feeling well rested? Most people when they say they like sleeping mean the second, and the point of polyphasic sleep is to get to that without wasting 8-10 hours a day.
desireco42 13y ago
I am usually sucker for these things, but man, oh man :), polyphasic really! I thought this was busted long time ago as a myth. Steve Pavlina was trying to do it and in the end had to admit it is just a way to be constantly sleepy. Mask looks really nice, I would prefer it was a brain entrainment device of sorts. However, to end on more positive note, Kickstarter is great because they have a chance to show us their idea and gauge how much we are interested or not in it. So yay for Kickstarter!
- Anderkent 13y ago
  Pavlina is not exactly a reputable source. His ex-wife and business partner is a telephone psychic, and he takes her 'job' seriously in many blog posts. They're either both cranks, or scammers. In either case you shouldn't take him seriously.
  - gojomo 13y ago
    Your "cranks, or scammers" assessment raises an interesting question. Let's assume psychic powers don't exist. If someone who believes in them calls a for-pay psychic hotline, with which of the following 'telephone psychics' will their interests be best-protected? (a) a psychic true-believer, who also cares about the caller (b) a psychic true-believer, who simply wants to maximize their own income at the caller's expense (c) a non-believer willing to pretend they are psychic, but who also cares about the caller's welfare (d) a non-believer willing to pretend they are psychic, who simply wants to maximize their own income at the caller's expense The 'psychics' of (a) and (b) are irrational/superstitious (or maybe even outright insane): that is, 'cranks'. The 'psychics' of (b) and (d) are amoral criminals: 'scammers'. But (c) is kind of an interesting case. They're telling pleasing lies to someone, but that might be the best the caller can get. (Compare the 'white lies' often told to children, or people in psychological distress.) But the 'psychic' is still sane and empathetic. For example, they're not going to tell someone with a real health issue to skip professional treatment for just 'manifesting health'. They might give reasonable advice... under cover of 'psychic insight'. They won't view the solution to every issue as 'pay our hotline more money until you're broke'. I have no idea about the details of Mrs. Pavlina's practice. I just think that given the existence of devoutly-believing psychic-seekers, and the existence of magical-thinking (a)- and (b)-type 'psychics', and cynically exploitative (d)-type psychics, the most compassionate response by rational and ethical people might not be just debunking/avoiding the whole enterprise. It might involve some practicing (c)-type 'psychics'... a little like harm-reducing clean needles for drug addicts.
tynan 13y ago
I did polyphasic sleep for three months. It is possible and it does work, but what is overlooked is how perfect your sleep schedule needs to be. When you're hitting all of your naps perfectly, you're really not ever tired and you wake up without an alarm usually. But... if you miss one nap, life is very difficult for a good 24-48 hours. Miss another nap in that timeframe and the problem compounds. Maybe this mask will help with that, or maybe not-- I have no idea. For me the problem was being near a good sleep location every four hours. I'd try to sleep in my car, but a third of the time or so I wouldn't be able to sleep and I'd be screwed. Anyway-- I'm glad to see people working on this. I've thought about getting back on it, but the completely hellish 5 day transition period and rigidity have held me back.
- WalterSear 13y ago
  >But... if you miss one nap, life is very difficult for a good 24-48 hours. Not to mention what happens when you get a cold.
  - mtrimpe 13y ago
    What happens? I found that I somehow kept getting colds when I was trying to get into the Uberman schedule even though it was the middle of summer so I'd be interested to know if it's somehow related.
    - WalterSear 13y ago
      Well, I would get extra, extra sick, and really tired, and end up sleeping for 12+ hours. It would throw my schedule out the window.
- oatmealsnap 13y ago
  Did a 20min nap 20mins late not count for the cycle?
  - tynan 13y ago
    I did this a long time ago, so I don't remember exactly. Typically I would get my nap in on time, but sometimes wouldn't be able to fall asleep for some reason or another. I think going to sleep 20 minutes late wouldn't be that big of a deal... 1 hour late would probably mess things up considerably.
diziet 13y ago
I wonder if the founders/people working on the product are sleeping 2 hours a day since they started working on this.
ihsw 13y ago
Or you could sleep for a regular amount hours on a regular basis. This kind of brain-hackery bullshit is just marketing fluff. I envy and pity anybody with too much money and not enough brains, but this is just blatant pandering to nitwits and morons. This is right up there with homeopathic medicine, magnetic wristbands to improve blood oxygenation, and compression nylon clothes to improve blood circulation. It's pseudoscientific bullshit.
gxs 13y ago
I'm no MD, but I did see a Stanford sleep psychologist for a long period to deal with my sleeping issues. As usual, the answer to whether polyphasic sleep works isn't very attractive. In a nutshell, it will work for some people, but probably not for most. We evolved to sleep at night, plain and simple. That being said, I would love more details on how this would help you manage your regular sleep. I see it supports "monophasic" mode, I would have definitely bought in at a lower price point.
- intelclinic 13y ago
  Many sleep scientists say that the most natural sleep for people is divided into two parts: night and at noon. The polyphasic sleep is directed to people who can't afford such amount of sleep for example because of their work. They can try the polyphasic sleep for some time. That's why this kind of sleep is only some NeuroOn functionality. In biphasic or monophasic sleep modes (as you said, the natural for people) this device helps you by waking up gently avoiding doing it during deepest sleep. That's why it is much more pleasant than using normal alarm clock.
Fizzadar 13y ago
"NeuroOn has technology that lets you induce lucid dreaming, whenever you want" - polyphasic sleep is pretty interesting, but this is what does it for me... IF it's possible.
avitous 13y ago
This looks useful even to just monitor and (hopefully) improve normal sleep patterns. I've been using an Up band for sleep tracking, and it has some accuracy issues, but is still useful; a device monitoring brainwave patterns could be more accurate. Might be fun to hack around with for other brainwave monitoring purposes, such as meditation/biofeedback.
thetabyte 13y ago
I'm really interested in this project, but wish they had left polyphasic sleep entirely out of it. The sleep data they provide (REM and NREM monitoring, etc) seems fantastically useful, and the lucid dream induction is intriguing, if dubious; however, the inclusion of polyphasic sleep makes me suspicious of the scientific rigor of the project on a whole. It's making it hard to decide whether to go ahead and back - on the one hand, I sleep with a mask anyway, definitely want the sleep monitoring capabilities the device offers, but on the other, can I trust it?
- someacct 13y ago
  Yeah, I'd like one just to figure out how much I'm really sleeping and how much of that is deep sleep, etc. Hardware-wise, it sounds a lot like the old Zeo Personal Sleep Manager. I was interested in getting one of those, but then the company went other and shutdown their API, bricking all their devices. I hope these guys don't make the same mistake.
  - stcredzero 13y ago
    I am currently in the process of reviving my Zeo Sleep Manager. http://imgur.com/rHZmTY3 http://imgur.com/rHZmTY3 I can replace the lipo battery with another one with the same capacity. However, I will have to expand the case. My current plan is to seal the battery in a few layers of aluminum tape and to 3D print a "gasket" system. The company going out of business doesn't "brick" anything, at least for my older system. There are programs that can read the data format.
- gmaslov 13y ago
  I presume that the way the lucid dream induction works is by blinking an LED when the onset of REM sleep is detected. There are other products out there already that do this; the idea is that you'll train yourself to notice any blinking red lights or objects in your dreams and associate that with realizing that you're dreaming. Whether it actually works or not I can't say.
perino 13y ago
I think that if you need the product to increase the amount of workable hours in a day, you're doing something wrong to begin with. The idea of Polyphasic sleep in itself is interesting, but do it for the right reasons (more time to communicate with friends/family who are in a different timezone, work nightshifts etc.). One other thing to consider is the fact that sleeping less means you've got more time to spend, also during hours when almost nobody else is awake. For some this isn't an issue, but for others this could prove to be difficult. I for one would opt for an Everyman cycle, since it allows you to be awake during relatively "normal" hours.
stcredzero 13y ago
One serious concern I have with polyphasic sleep is the suppression of pineal gland secretions like melatonin from exposure to blue/green light. 470mn is the most potent frequency (looks like "sky blue" to me) though humans have shown some sensitivity to frequencies as high as 505nm. What's more, humans have shown sensitivity to intensities as low as 0.5 lumens. (Especially for prolonged exposures. That sliver of light coming underneath your door? Bad.) What this means: If you are doing computer work at night, you are probably messing up your circadian rhythm and endocrine system. This is true, even if you have installed software like f.lux. Note: We have done research into melatonin levels, but there are other pineal secretions that are probably affected the same way. The receptors involved are not the ones used for sight. Also note that we uncovered that the deepest phases of sleep are involved in actually removing certain materials from your brain! Do not mess with sleep! (Disclosure: I am currently developing an iPhone app that will help evaluate the presence of melatonin suppressing light in your environment.)
stbtrax 13y ago
From all of their marketing material it appears that they're based out of Poland. I wonder if setting your kickstarter location to SF is the cool thing to do.
- intelclinic 13y ago
  Hi! Generally, we're based in Poland, but part of our team is in SF. We also have an office registered there.
jacques_chester 13y ago
People who think that REM sleep is "all" you require are invited to develop obstructive sleep apnea. Let me know how that works for you, dreaming for 16 hours straight and waking up tired.
fbarriga 13y ago
more psychotic people in 3,2,1...

71 points by jellyksong 13y ago

I guess you could say that those entrepeneurs' sleep patterns have been... (straps on a big ugly Neuroon ski-mask thing) _disrupted._ YEAHHH!

Pitarou 13y ago
Shame on you.

Segmentation 13y ago

So uh, I don't really care about the polyphasic stuff. Would this device improve normal sleep? I struggle to find comfortable sleep masks. I suppose it's kind of expensive, although the sleep monitoring stuff is cool.

mobweb 13y ago
Check out the "Mindfold" for a no-gimmick sleeping mask: http://www.mindfold.com/ http://www.mindfold.com/. It's really comfortable to wear and 100% pitch black dark. I actually found it via HN some time ago and I like it a lot.

rayiner 13y ago

Want to get comfortable sleeping only 4-6 hours a day? Have a baby. Seriously, though, while the page is a bunch of marketing bullshit I'd be interested in buying if it came out as a product. There really seems to be something to timing your wakeups to coincide with your sleep cycle. I have a very predictable 90 minute cycle and fall asleep very quickly, so I've had good luck with those sleep timer apps that wake you up at multiples of 90 minutes.

scotty79 13y ago
Are you sure, "comfortable" is the word you intended to use?
- pasquinelli 13y ago
  "Want to abandon all hope of sleeping more than 4-6 hours a day? Have a baby."

scott_s 13y ago

This may be a good device for monitoring sleep, but for those considering a polyphasic sleep schedule, try reading one of many HN threads on the topic: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1464142 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1464142

nakedrobot2 13y ago

WHY OH WHY is polyphasic sleep so attactive? Read about it a little bit, and realize that it is totally, TOTALLY unnatural, nearly impossible to maintain for any length of time, and possibly dangerous to your long-term well-being. Go hack something else. Leave your circadian rhythms alone. You cannot redesign them or improve them. If you are working on a submarine, then maybe polyphasic sleep is useful, because of the extraordinary circumstances. Otherwise, it is simply a bad idea.

lukifer 13y ago
You're probably right about polyphasic sleep. Biphasic sleep is worth considering, however, either in the flavor of daily naps, or simply getting up for an hour or so in the middle of the night. There is some evidence for the notion that this was the norm before artificial light: http://www.history.vt.edu/Ekirch/sleepcommentary.html http://www.history.vt.edu/Ekirch/sleepcommentary.html
- Scaevolus 13y ago
  Napping in the afternoon (the hottest part of the day) is common in many cultures as well.
- rayiner 13y ago
  That's pretty much what I do now. My daughter (at one!) still needs a bottle around 2-3 am, so I'll feed her then tidy up or move the wash to the dryer or something. I think it's at least worthwhile to explore how you sleep, even if you're not trying to do the whole polyphasic thing. Just sleeping at a regular time every day, and timing your wakeups to coincide with a sleep cycle can make you feel better and give you a lot of extra hours on the weekend (no sleeping in!)
- alcari 13y ago
  Segmented sleep and biphasic sleep are distinct terms with very different meanings in this context [0]. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyphasic_sleep#Claimed_sleep_patterns https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyphasic_sleep#Claimed_sleep...
13y ago

dnautics 13y ago

is it just me but do all of the founders look and sound really tired?

eludwig 13y ago
That is so funny. I was thinking the same thing exactly! Slightly unrelated, I also wonder about stomach sleepers. it seems like all of these things are designed for back and side sleepers. I know that stomach sleeping isn't considered "healthy" (for back/neck reasons) but there are some things that just are the way they are.

kilroy123 13y ago

Is only getting 7 hours of sleep a night, really that bad? I personally like sleeping. I would hate to try only get 2-4 hours a day.

Anderkent 13y ago
Do you like sleeping, or do you like feeling well rested? Most people when they say they like sleeping mean the second, and the point of polyphasic sleep is to get to that without wasting 8-10 hours a day.

desireco42 13y ago

I am usually sucker for these things, but man, oh man :), polyphasic really! I thought this was busted long time ago as a myth. Steve Pavlina was trying to do it and in the end had to admit it is just a way to be constantly sleepy. Mask looks really nice, I would prefer it was a brain entrainment device of sorts. However, to end on more positive note, Kickstarter is great because they have a chance to show us their idea and gauge how much we are interested or not in it. So yay for Kickstarter!

Anderkent 13y ago
Pavlina is not exactly a reputable source. His ex-wife and business partner is a telephone psychic, and he takes her 'job' seriously in many blog posts. They're either both cranks, or scammers. In either case you shouldn't take him seriously.
- gojomo 13y ago
  Your "cranks, or scammers" assessment raises an interesting question. Let's assume psychic powers don't exist. If someone who believes in them calls a for-pay psychic hotline, with which of the following 'telephone psychics' will their interests be best-protected? (a) a psychic true-believer, who also cares about the caller (b) a psychic true-believer, who simply wants to maximize their own income at the caller's expense (c) a non-believer willing to pretend they are psychic, but who also cares about the caller's welfare (d) a non-believer willing to pretend they are psychic, who simply wants to maximize their own income at the caller's expense The 'psychics' of (a) and (b) are irrational/superstitious (or maybe even outright insane): that is, 'cranks'. The 'psychics' of (b) and (d) are amoral criminals: 'scammers'. But (c) is kind of an interesting case. They're telling pleasing lies to someone, but that might be the best the caller can get. (Compare the 'white lies' often told to children, or people in psychological distress.) But the 'psychic' is still sane and empathetic. For example, they're not going to tell someone with a real health issue to skip professional treatment for just 'manifesting health'. They might give reasonable advice... under cover of 'psychic insight'. They won't view the solution to every issue as 'pay our hotline more money until you're broke'. I have no idea about the details of Mrs. Pavlina's practice. I just think that given the existence of devoutly-believing psychic-seekers, and the existence of magical-thinking (a)- and (b)-type 'psychics', and cynically exploitative (d)-type psychics, the most compassionate response by rational and ethical people might not be just debunking/avoiding the whole enterprise. It might involve some practicing (c)-type 'psychics'... a little like harm-reducing clean needles for drug addicts.

tynan 13y ago

I did polyphasic sleep for three months. It is possible and it does work, but what is overlooked is how perfect your sleep schedule needs to be. When you're hitting all of your naps perfectly, you're really not ever tired and you wake up without an alarm usually. But... if you miss one nap, life is very difficult for a good 24-48 hours. Miss another nap in that timeframe and the problem compounds. Maybe this mask will help with that, or maybe not-- I have no idea. For me the problem was being near a good sleep location every four hours. I'd try to sleep in my car, but a third of the time or so I wouldn't be able to sleep and I'd be screwed. Anyway-- I'm glad to see people working on this. I've thought about getting back on it, but the completely hellish 5 day transition period and rigidity have held me back.

WalterSear 13y ago
>But... if you miss one nap, life is very difficult for a good 24-48 hours. Not to mention what happens when you get a cold.
- mtrimpe 13y ago
  What happens? I found that I somehow kept getting colds when I was trying to get into the Uberman schedule even though it was the middle of summer so I'd be interested to know if it's somehow related.
  - WalterSear 13y ago
    Well, I would get extra, extra sick, and really tired, and end up sleeping for 12+ hours. It would throw my schedule out the window.
oatmealsnap 13y ago
Did a 20min nap 20mins late not count for the cycle?
- tynan 13y ago
  I did this a long time ago, so I don't remember exactly. Typically I would get my nap in on time, but sometimes wouldn't be able to fall asleep for some reason or another. I think going to sleep 20 minutes late wouldn't be that big of a deal... 1 hour late would probably mess things up considerably.

diziet 13y ago

I wonder if the founders/people working on the product are sleeping 2 hours a day since they started working on this.

ihsw 13y ago

Or you could sleep for a regular amount hours on a regular basis. This kind of brain-hackery bullshit is just marketing fluff. I envy and pity anybody with too much money and not enough brains, but this is just blatant pandering to nitwits and morons. This is right up there with homeopathic medicine, magnetic wristbands to improve blood oxygenation, and compression nylon clothes to improve blood circulation. It's pseudoscientific bullshit.

gxs 13y ago

I'm no MD, but I did see a Stanford sleep psychologist for a long period to deal with my sleeping issues. As usual, the answer to whether polyphasic sleep works isn't very attractive. In a nutshell, it will work for some people, but probably not for most. We evolved to sleep at night, plain and simple. That being said, I would love more details on how this would help you manage your regular sleep. I see it supports "monophasic" mode, I would have definitely bought in at a lower price point.

intelclinic 13y ago
Many sleep scientists say that the most natural sleep for people is divided into two parts: night and at noon. The polyphasic sleep is directed to people who can't afford such amount of sleep for example because of their work. They can try the polyphasic sleep for some time. That's why this kind of sleep is only some NeuroOn functionality. In biphasic or monophasic sleep modes (as you said, the natural for people) this device helps you by waking up gently avoiding doing it during deepest sleep. That's why it is much more pleasant than using normal alarm clock.

Fizzadar 13y ago

"NeuroOn has technology that lets you induce lucid dreaming, whenever you want" - polyphasic sleep is pretty interesting, but this is what does it for me... IF it's possible.

avitous 13y ago

This looks useful even to just monitor and (hopefully) improve normal sleep patterns. I've been using an Up band for sleep tracking, and it has some accuracy issues, but is still useful; a device monitoring brainwave patterns could be more accurate. Might be fun to hack around with for other brainwave monitoring purposes, such as meditation/biofeedback.

thetabyte 13y ago

I'm really interested in this project, but wish they had left polyphasic sleep entirely out of it. The sleep data they provide (REM and NREM monitoring, etc) seems fantastically useful, and the lucid dream induction is intriguing, if dubious; however, the inclusion of polyphasic sleep makes me suspicious of the scientific rigor of the project on a whole. It's making it hard to decide whether to go ahead and back - on the one hand, I sleep with a mask anyway, definitely want the sleep monitoring capabilities the device offers, but on the other, can I trust it?

someacct 13y ago
Yeah, I'd like one just to figure out how much I'm really sleeping and how much of that is deep sleep, etc. Hardware-wise, it sounds a lot like the old Zeo Personal Sleep Manager. I was interested in getting one of those, but then the company went other and shutdown their API, bricking all their devices. I hope these guys don't make the same mistake.
- stcredzero 13y ago
  I am currently in the process of reviving my Zeo Sleep Manager. http://imgur.com/rHZmTY3 http://imgur.com/rHZmTY3 I can replace the lipo battery with another one with the same capacity. However, I will have to expand the case. My current plan is to seal the battery in a few layers of aluminum tape and to 3D print a "gasket" system. The company going out of business doesn't "brick" anything, at least for my older system. There are programs that can read the data format.
gmaslov 13y ago
I presume that the way the lucid dream induction works is by blinking an LED when the onset of REM sleep is detected. There are other products out there already that do this; the idea is that you'll train yourself to notice any blinking red lights or objects in your dreams and associate that with realizing that you're dreaming. Whether it actually works or not I can't say.

perino 13y ago

I think that if you need the product to increase the amount of workable hours in a day, you're doing something wrong to begin with. The idea of Polyphasic sleep in itself is interesting, but do it for the right reasons (more time to communicate with friends/family who are in a different timezone, work nightshifts etc.). One other thing to consider is the fact that sleeping less means you've got more time to spend, also during hours when almost nobody else is awake. For some this isn't an issue, but for others this could prove to be difficult. I for one would opt for an Everyman cycle, since it allows you to be awake during relatively "normal" hours.

stcredzero 13y ago

One serious concern I have with polyphasic sleep is the suppression of pineal gland secretions like melatonin from exposure to blue/green light. 470mn is the most potent frequency (looks like "sky blue" to me) though humans have shown some sensitivity to frequencies as high as 505nm. What's more, humans have shown sensitivity to intensities as low as 0.5 lumens. (Especially for prolonged exposures. That sliver of light coming underneath your door? Bad.) What this means: If you are doing computer work at night, you are probably messing up your circadian rhythm and endocrine system. This is true, even if you have installed software like f.lux. Note: We have done research into melatonin levels, but there are other pineal secretions that are probably affected the same way. The receptors involved are not the ones used for sight. Also note that we uncovered that the deepest phases of sleep are involved in actually removing certain materials from your brain! Do not mess with sleep! (Disclosure: I am currently developing an iPhone app that will help evaluate the presence of melatonin suppressing light in your environment.)

stbtrax 13y ago

From all of their marketing material it appears that they're based out of Poland. I wonder if setting your kickstarter location to SF is the cool thing to do.

intelclinic 13y ago
Hi! Generally, we're based in Poland, but part of our team is in SF. We also have an office registered there.

jacques_chester 13y ago

People who think that REM sleep is "all" you require are invited to develop obstructive sleep apnea. Let me know how that works for you, dreaming for 16 hours straight and waking up tired.

fbarriga 13y ago

more psychotic people in 3,2,1...