Power naps with targeted electrical brain stimulation (TES-TI)
Enhance the Restorative Power of Sleep Through TES-TI Power Naps
This will try gentle temporal‑interference electrical stimulation during daytime naps in adults with non‑restorative sleep to boost slow‑wave activity and reduce mental fatigue.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 25 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 75 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of Wisconsin, Madison Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Madison, Wisconsin) |
| Trial ID | NCT07090135 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
Participants attend two in‑person visits at the University of Wisconsin–Madison where they wear a high‑density EEG cap, take a daytime nap, and receive transcranial electrical stimulation using temporal interference (TES‑TI) or a comparison condition. The protocol records sleep slow‑wave activity and cognitive measures of mental fatigue before and after naps to determine whether stimulation enhances restorative sleep signatures and improves fatigue. Each visit lasts up to 4–5 hours and includes safety monitoring, questionnaires, and EEG recording. People with neurological disorders, seizure history, significant head trauma, uncontrolled medical conditions, or poorly controlled migraines are excluded.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults aged 18–75 who report non‑restorative sleep, can nap during the day, speak English, and can travel to UW–Madison (US citizens) are the intended participants.
Not a fit: People with a history of seizures or epilepsy, major neurological disease, recent serious head injuries, uncontrolled medical conditions, poorly controlled headaches/migraines, or those without non‑restorative sleep are unlikely to receive benefit from this protocol.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, TES‑TI could increase restorative slow‑wave sleep during naps and reduce daytime mental fatigue.
How similar studies have performed: Other noninvasive transcranial electrical stimulation approaches have shown mixed but promising effects on slow‑wave activity, while TES‑TI is a newer temporal‑interference method with limited human data so far.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Adults aged 18-75 of any gender identity * Self-reported non-restorative sleep, as measured by a REST-Q score * English-speaking (able to provide consent and complete questionnaires) * Capable of taking daytime naps * US Citizen Exclusion Criteria: * Any current or history of neurological disorders or acquired neurological disease (e.g. stroke, traumatic brain injury), including intracranial lesions * History of inpatient psychiatric hospitalization * History of head trauma resulting in prolonged loss of consciousness; or a history of \>3 grade I concussions * Current history of poorly controlled headaches including intractable or poorly controlled migraines • Any systemic illness or unstable medical condition that may cause a medical emergency in case of a provoked seizure (cardiac malformation, cardiac dysrhythmia, asthma, etc.) * History of seizures, diagnosis of epilepsy, history of abnormal (epileptiform) EEG, or family history of treatment resistant epilepsy except for a single seizure of benign etiology (e.g. febrile seizures) in the judgment of a board-certified neurologist * Possible pregnancy or plan to become pregnant in the next 6 months * Any metal in the head * Any medical devices or implants (i.e. cardiac pacemaker, medication infusion pump, cochlear implant, vagal nerve stimulator) * Dental implants * Permanent retainers * Any hair braid, dreadlocks, hair pieces, or extensions which cannot be taken out before the study sessions * Any head coverings or headdress that participant feels uncomfortable removing for the purposes of study sessions * Any medication that may alter seizure threshold taken during the study i.e., ADHD stimulants (Adderall, amphetamine); Tricyclic/atypical antidepressants (amitriptyline, doxepine, imipramine, maprotiline, nortriptyline, bupropion); Antipsychotics (chlorpromazine, clozapine), Bronchodilators (theophylline, aminophylline); Antibiotics (fluoroquinolones, imipenem, penicillin, cephalosporins, metronidazole, isoniazid); Antivirals (valacyclovir, ritonavir); OTC antihistamines (diphenhydramine, Benadryl) * Claustrophobia (a fear of small or closed places) * Back problems that would prevent lying flat for up to two hours * Regular night-shift work (second or third shift)
Where this trial is running
Madison, Wisconsin
- University of Wisconsin - Madison — Madison, Wisconsin, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Guilio Tononi, MD, PhD — University of Wisconsin, Madison
- Study coordinator: Sean Prahl
- Email: spprahl@wisc.edu
- Phone: 262-395-8675
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.