Systems for enhancing sleep

Abstract

Methods, devices and systems for improving sleep (including reducing sleep onset and maintenance of sleep duration), enhancing, or increasing sleep, including (but not limited to) treating sleeping disorders such as insomnia.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of enhancing a subject's sleep, the method comprising:
 inserting a cartridge containing a thermal transfer fluid into a top of a thermal regulator unit, wherein the cartridge has a vent on an upper region of the cartridge comprising a material that is air-permeable but not liquid-permeable and allows air into the cartridge;   passing the thermal transfer fluid from the cartridge into a reservoir of the thermal regulator unit through a valve on a bottom of the cartridge;   regulating a temperature of the thermal transfer fluid within the thermal regulator unit based on one or more thermal control profiles; and   passing the thermal transfer fluid from the thermal regulator unit through a thermal applicator configured to be worn against the subject's forehead over the subject's prefrontal and frontal cortex to modulate the subject's sleep by controlling a temperature of the thermal applicator.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein regulating the temperature of the thermal transfer fluid comprises using a controller of the thermal regulator unit to control the temperature of the thermal transfer fluid. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein regulating the temperature of the thermal transfer fluid comprises regulating the temperature of the thermal transfer fluid within the reservoir so that the temperature of the thermal applicator is at a target temperature selected from a range of between about 10 degrees C. to about 41 degrees C. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein regulating the temperature of the thermal transfer fluid within the thermal regulator unit comprises regulating the temperature of the thermal transfer fluid within the reservoir of the thermal regulator unit. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising emitting an alert when the thermal transfer fluid within the cartridge falls below a threshold. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising selecting a thermal control profile from a plurality of thermal control profiles configured to regulate the temperature of the thermal transfer fluid in the thermal applicator. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein passing the thermal transfer fluid comprises pumping the thermal transfer fluid from the thermal regulator unit and through a fluid conduit connecting the thermal regulator unit and the thermal applicator. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sensing a fluid level of the thermal transfer fluid within the thermal regulator unit. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying the thermal applicator to the subject's head. 
     
     
         10 . A method of enhancing a subject's sleep, the method comprising:
 inserting a cartridge containing a thermal transfer fluid in a first reservoir into a top of a thermal regulator unit comprising a second reservoir;   allowing air to enter through a vent including an air-permeable material that is not liquid-permeable, the vent is at an upper region of the cartridge;   passing the thermal transfer fluid from the first reservoir into the second reservoir through a valve on a bottom of the cartridge;   regulating a temperature of the thermal transfer fluid within the second reservoir based on one or more thermal control profiles; and   passing the thermal transfer fluid from the second reservoir through a thermal applicator configured to be worn against the subject's forehead over the subject's prefrontal and frontal cortex to modulate the subject's sleep by controlling a temperature of the thermal applicator.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein regulating the temperature of the thermal transfer fluid comprises using a controller of the thermal regulator unit to control the temperature of the thermal transfer fluid. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein regulating the temperature of the thermal transfer fluid comprises regulating the temperature of the thermal transfer fluid within the second reservoir so that the temperature of the thermal applicator is at a target temperature selected from a range of between about 10 degrees C. to about 41 degrees C. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein regulating the temperature of the thermal transfer fluid within the thermal regulator unit comprises regulating the temperature of the thermal transfer fluid within the second reservoir of the thermal regulator unit without regulating the temperature of the first reservoir. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising emitting an alert when the thermal transfer fluid within the first reservoir falls below a threshold. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising selecting a thermal control profile from a plurality of thermal control profiles configured to regulate the temperature of the thermal transfer fluid in the thermal applicator. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein passing the thermal transfer fluid comprises pumping the thermal transfer fluid from the second reservoir and through a fluid conduit connecting the thermal regulator unit and the thermal applicator. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising sensing a fluid level of the thermal transfer fluid within the thermal regulator unit. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising applying the thermal applicator to the subject's head.