Closed-Loop Rhythmic Haptic Biofeedback via Smartwatch for Relaxation and Sleep Onset

TL;DR

This study explores a smartwatch-based closed-loop rhythmic haptic biofeedback system that uses tactile entrainment to promote relaxation and facilitate sleep onset, with mixed results on sleep measures.

Contribution

It introduces a novel adaptive vibration pattern encoding rhythmic structures and evaluates its effects on relaxation and sleep initiation, providing design insights for wearable haptic interventions.

Findings

Increased parasympathetic activity during stimulation

Enhanced subjective relaxation reports

No significant impact on sleep onset measures

Abstract

We investigate the use of musically structured, closed-loop vibration patterns as a passive biofeedback intervention for relaxation and sleep initiation. By encoding rhythmic meter structures into smartwatch vibrations and adapting their frequency to be slightly slower than the user's real-time heart rate, our system aims to reduce arousal through tactile entrainment, offering a non-invasive alternative to auditory or open-loop approaches previously used in sleep and anxiety contexts. In the first study (N=20), we compared five adaptive vibration rhythms for their effects on heart rate and subjective perceptions of relaxation in a resting context. In the second study (N=28), we evaluated the most promising pattern from Study 1 in a prolonged sleep initiation setting. Results showed increased parasympathetic activity and perceived relaxation during short-term stimulation, but no significant effects on sleep-related measures during the sleep onset phase. This work contributes to the understanding of how wearable haptic feedback can support relaxation and sleep, offering design insights and identifying methodological considerations for effectively integrating haptic interaction into self-directed interventions.