Treatment of sleep disorders and alleviating disruption of circadian rhythms

Claim 1

An apparatus for alleviating disruptions in circadian rhythms in a mammal comprising: a pair of electrodes wherein each electrode comprises (1) a substantially planar conducting member and (2) a layer of dielectric material; head band means, removably connected to said electrodes, for electrically insulating the electrodes from one another while mounting said electrodes adjacent substantially opposite external regions of the head of the mammal, respectively, with the layer of dielectric material positioned between the head and the conducting member and at least part of the mammal's brain region located between the pair of electrodes; and generator means, removably connected to the conducting members, for generating an electric voltage changing at a rate between 5 and 40 cycles per second with a peak to peak value of at least 100 V so as to create a changing electric field between the conducting members to alleviate disruptions in circadian rhythms.

Claim 2

An apparatus for alleviating disruptions in circadian rhythms in a mammal comprising: a pair of electrodes wherein each electrode comprises (1) a substantially planar conducting member and (2) a layer of dielectric material; head band means, removably connected to said electrodes, for electrically insulating the electrodes from one another while mounting said electrodes adjacent substantially opposite external regions of the head of the mammal, respectively, with the layer of dielectric material positioned between the head and the conducting member and at least part of the mammal's brain region located between the pair of electrodes; and generator means, removably connected to the conducting members, for generating an electric voltage changing at a rate between 5 and 40 cycles per second with a peak to peak value of at least 100 V so as to create a changing electric field between the conducting members to alleviate disruptions in circadian rhythms.

Claim 8

A method of alleviating disruptions in circadian rhythms in a mammal comprising the steps of: mounting a pair of electrodes connected to a generator adjacent substantially opposite external regions of the head of said mammal, respectively, with at least part of the mammal's brain region located therebetween, and; generating with the generator an electric voltage changing at a rate of between 5 and 40 cycles per second with a peak to peak voltage value of at least 100 V so as to create a changing electric field between the electrodes and subjecting the mammal's brain region thereto.

Claim 9

A method of alleviating disruptions in circadian rhythms in a mammal comprising the steps of: mounting a pair of electrodes connected to a generator adjacent substantially opposite external regions of the head of said mammal, respectively, with at least part of the mammal's brain region located therebetween, and; generating with the generator an electric voltage changing at a rate of between 5 and 40 cycles per second with a peak to peak voltage value of at least 100 V so as to create a changing electric field between the electrodes and subjecting the mammal's brain region thereto.

Claim 11

An apparatus for alleviating sleep disorders in a mammal comprising: a pair of electrodes wherein each electrode comprises (1) a substantially planar conducting member and (2) a layer of dielectric material; head band means, removably connected to said electrodes for electrically insulating the electrodes from one another while mounting said electrodes adjacent substantially opposite external regions of the head of the mammal, respectively, with the layer of dielectric material positioned between the head and the conducting member and at least part of the mammal's brain region located between the pair of electrodes; and generator means, removably connected to the conducting members, for generating an electric field changing at a rate between 5 and 40 cycles per second with a peak to peak value of at least 590 V/m in free air between the conducting members to alleviate sleep disorders.

Claim 12

An apparatus for alleviating sleep disorders in a mammal comprising: a pair of electrodes wherein each electrode comprises (1) a substantially planar conducting member and (2) a layer of dielectric material; head band means, removably connected to said electrodes for electrically insulating the electrodes from one another while mounting said electrodes adjacent substantially opposite external regions of the head of the mammal, respectively, with the layer of dielectric material positioned between the head and the conducting member and at least part of the mammal's brain region located between the pair of electrodes; and generator means, removably connected to the conducting members, for generating an electric field changing at a rate between 5 and 40 cycles per second with a peak to peak value of at least 590 V/m in free air between the conducting members to alleviate sleep disorders.

Claim 13

A method for alleviating sleep disorders in a mammal comprising the steps of: mounting a pair of electrodes connected to a generator adjacent substantially opposite external regions of the head of said mammal, respectively, with at least part of the mammal's brain region located therebetween, and; generating with the generator an electric field changing at a rate of between 5 and 40 cycles per second with a peak to peak value of at least 590 V/m in free air between the electrodes and subjecting the mammal's brain region thereto.

Claim 14

A method for alleviating sleep disorders in a mammal comprising the steps of: mounting a pair of electrodes connected to a generator adjacent substantially opposite external regions of the head of said mammal, respectively, with at least part of the mammal's brain region located therebetween, and; generating with the generator an electric field changing at a rate of between 5 and 40 cycles per second with a peak to peak value of at least 590 V/m in free air between the electrodes and subjecting the mammal's brain region thereto.