Infra-slow EEG neurofeedback for insomnia: a single-case experimental study in primary care.

Some participants reported better sleep after training, but responses varied. Improvements partly moved back toward baseline at three months, and wearable sleep measurements showed limited agreement.

Edvardsson A, Smith MG, Rolstad SE, Steingrimsson S, Enriquez-Geppert S, Balt K, Landahl J, Weineland S.
Frontiers in human neuroscience · Publication date: 2026-07-16
Added to site: 2026-09-09
DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2026.1832178

Publication date recorded by Europe PMC; online and issue dates may differ.

Modalities

Neurofeedback, ISF

Clinical focus

Insomnia

Population

Primary-care patients with insomnia and related comorbidities

Sample

10 enrolled; 9 completed; 8 analyzed

Intervention / method

Two-week baseline followed by 12 weekly individualized ISF sessions

Comparator

Within-person baseline; no external control group

Clinician summary

Five of eight analyzed participants had significant Tau-U changes in subjective sleep quality. Group PSQI and PHQ-9 scores improved post-treatment, with partial reversal at follow-up.

How to interpret the findings

Very small uncontrolled series with heterogeneous responses. Feasibility and preliminary symptom changes do not establish efficacy.

Equipment and disclosures

Equipment details were not verified from the reviewed abstract.

Funding and competing-interest disclosures were not verified from the reviewed abstract.

Related evidence

Compare findings from the same clinical area, including mixed results.

• Infra-low frequency neurofeedback impact on post-concussive symptoms of headache, insomnia and attention disorder: Results of a randomized control trial. · Positive with limitations
• Personalizing sleep therapy: Integrating EEG neurofeedback into the sleep disorders management. · Positive with limitations
• Transcranial photobiomodulation to enhance sleep by elevating adenosine signaling: a translational study. · Positive with limitations