By Jennifer Whitmire, MS, MEd, MH, CHES, NEP

If you’ve been tossing, turning, and waking up groggy no matter how early you get to bed, you’re not alone—and there’s something simple and surprisingly effective that’s been helping me lately: LifeWave Silent Nights patches.

I’m always on the lookout for safe tools that support the body’s natural rhythms and are non-invasive, not medicated, and aren’t addictive. When I learned about Silent Nights—light-activated, drug-free patches designed to improve the quality of your sleep—I was intrigued, but cautiously optimistic.

After just a few nights, I was blown away. You can read more about my first experience here).

What Are LifeWave Silent Nights Patches?

Silent Nights are small, adhesive patches like a band-aid that you place on specific points of your body before bed (think acupressure-meets-phototherapy). The idea is based on photobiomodulation—light affecting cellular function. These patches don’t release anything into your body. Instead, they reflect your own infrared light back into your skin to stimulate acupuncture points associated with calm, rest, and regulation of circadian rhythm.

It’s a gentle, holistic approach to support sleep—no pills, no melatonin, and no groggy mornings.

My Results: Deeper Sleep AND More Energy

After using the Silent Nights patches consistently for the past month, here’s what I’ve noticed:

• Deeper, more restful sleep: I wake up feeling like I’ve actually slept through the night. My REM sleep and my DEEP sleep have increased from less than an hour each to over 1 ½ hours each, consistently. (Oh! And I reuse the patch which is not recommended, but it still works for me. I did find that 3 nights re-using the patch was not helpful).
• Sustained daytime energy: I wake up energized, and I have a more stable energy flow throughout the day. I actually feel like I have more energy than I have felt for years! If you know me, which most of you do, I am already a pretty energetic person, especially for someone with a Hashimoto’s diagnosis.  I love that I wake up ready for anything and still have loads of energy in the afternoon.
• More resilience: I feel more balanced emotionally, less irritable, and even more motivated to stick to my morning workouts and meditation routine. I keep catching myself actually feeling happy and in a really good mood.

Honestly, I didn’t expect this much of a difference.

But now it’s part of my nightly habit. For someone with a history of anxiety, I do still have some nights where my mind gets the better of me (usually when I have an early morning meeting), but those are getting farther and farther apart. 

My HRV Has Improved As Well!

This is what I was really after.  I wanted to see if my HRV could improve with more sleep, and so far so good!  I couldn’t be more excited about this one! 

If you don’t know about HRV, HRV, or Heart Rate Variability, is the variation in time between each heartbeat. Rather than your heart beating like a metronome with equal spacing, a healthy heart actually beats with slight variations in timing which reflects how well your nervous system is functioning.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Higher HRV = Your body is more adaptable and resilient. It means your autonomic nervous system (specifically, the balance between the parasympathetic and sympathetic systems) is functioning well. Higher HRV is associated with better sleep, reduced stress, improved recovery, and greater cardiovascular and emotional health.
• Lower HRV = Suggests stress, fatigue, illness, or poor recovery. It can be a red flag for chronic inflammation or imbalances in the nervous or endocrine system.

What influences HRV?

• Sleep quality
• Nutrition and hydration
• Stress levels
• Breathing patterns
• Movement and fitness
• Alcohol, caffeine, and medications
• Chronic conditions (especially involving the thyroid, adrenals, or immune system)

I’ve been working on all of these for years, so I was frustrated that my HRV wouldn’t seem to budge.

For people with autoimmune disease, thyroid imbalances, or chronic fatigue, tracking and improving HRV can be a great way to monitor healing, nervous system regulation, and inflammation levels. It’s like a window into how well your body is handling life.

In essence, you want a higher HRV. Someone who is resilient, healthy, and able to handle life’s stressors at my age should have an HRV above 70.  

Mine?  It has been around 8!  I was in shock and very upset by this number.  And, remember, I have a long history of anxiety.  I also experienced a lot of childhood trauma. (I scored a 6 on the ACE’s score). 

Being the perfectionist that I am, I should have above a 70! LOL! Not helping, is it?

I added Qi Gong October 1, 2024, 1 hour a day every single day.  I added meditation 3+ times a day. I continue to do legs up the wall every night before bed.  I’ve tried “all the things!” But, my HRV would not go above 12.  

Since using the patches this month, my HRV average is 19 with peaks up to 34.  Not great, but WOW!  It’s is finally moving!  I’m excited and hopeful!  I can’t wait to see what happens next.

To be fair, I am using the X39 patch during the day (you are supposed to use them for up to 12 hours) and then the Silent Nights patch every night. 

From what I have read, you should wear the X39 consistently for 1 month for each decade of life, so I should wear mine each day for about 5 months. AND, I’m only at 1 month. AND, don’t forget, I’m using the patches for 2 days which is not what the directions say to do. I could proably get faster results if I just used a new patch each day.

I wear the X39 during the day, take it off and put the little papers back on it in the evening and apply the Silent Nights, then in the morning, I reapply the X39 and take off the Silent Nights.  I replace both of them on the 3^rd day.  

Want to Try It?

If you’re curious to see how Silent Nights can support your own sleep and healing journey, I encourage you to explore it. This may be a good tool to try if you’re dealing with chronic sleep issues or just want to feel more rested and recharged each day. I cannot find any reasons not to try it other than price.

(They are a bit pricey, but there are ways to cut the price. You can join as a member and get them wholesale, sign up as an affiliate, or even sign up to market and sell them as a part of your business. I joined as a member, but I’m not sure what I’m going to do next.)

You deserve restorative sleep—the kind that helps you wake up energized and ready to thrive.

AS ALWAYS, THERE IS NO ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL!  

I am not recommending these to everyone.  I am asking you to do your own due diligence.  If these sound like they may be a good fit for you, look into them and explore more.  Reach out to me, I can send you more information.

Silent Nights LifeWave Patches

Sleep is a regenerative process that is necessary for everything from hormone balance and detoxification to brain repair and immune modulation. For those of us with autoimmune disorders, adrenal dysregulation, chronic fatigue, or thyroid issues, optimizing sleep can be one of the most profound therapeutic strategies.

What Are Silent Nights Patches?

Silent Nights are patches that are embedded with a crystalline nanomaterial designed to reflect specific wavelengths of body heat (infrared light) back into the skin.

Each patch is placed on specific acupressure points like 

• behind the ear (Triple Burner 17) which in Traditional Chinese Medicine corresponds to improving relaxation, nervous system balance, and sleep. 
• on the temple (Taiyang) which is used to calm the spirit, relieve stress, and ease headaches. 
• on the Third Eye which corresponds to points associated with the pineal gland and the “shen” or spirit. The pineal gland produces melatonin which regulates sleep-wake cycles and is sensitive to light.

The goal? To stimulate natural melatonin production—your body’s own sleep hormone—without the need for supplements or sedatives.

What Does the Research Say?

First, I cannot find any research that has been done outside of Lifewave.

In a 2004 study conducted by LifeWave and submitted as part of a patent filing, people using the Silent Nights patch had significantly improved total sleep time and reduced time to fall asleep as compared to placebo. Participants reportedly fell asleep more quickly and slept more deeply. Salivary melatonin was elevated post-application, suggesting endogenous upregulation.

In a 2006 clinical evaluation, people wearing Silent Nights patches showed:

• 66% increase in total sleep time
• 43% decrease in time it took to fall asleep
• Improved sleep efficiency and decreased early awakening

These are internal, small-scale studies that need to be interpreted with caution. However, reported outcomes and practitioner feedback consistently show benefits in those with circadian rhythm disorders, adrenal dysfunction, and insomnia.

For ME, I decided it was worth it to try.  I do not see anything harmful, BUT please do your own due diligence in deciding if they are right for you.

How Melatonin Affects More Than Sleep

Silent Nights supports deeper physiological healing by supporting:

• Circadian Regulation – Melatonin synchronizes the circadian clock which influences cortisol, insulin, and thyroid hormone rhythms.
• Mitochondrial Repair – Melatonin is also a powerful antioxidant that protects mitochondria which helps reduce oxidative stress.
• Neuroprotection – Deep sleep promotes glymphatic drainage which is necessary for brain detox, mood, and memory.
• Immune Support – Melatonin regulates immune cell activity and supports anti-inflammatory pathways.

For those with autoimmune thyroid disease or adrenal imbalances, restoring circadian balance with a non-invasive, non-medicated tool like Silent Nights may help recalibrate the HPA axis and lower inflammation.

My Husband’s Results

My husband has mixed results, as well, AND he is also reusing the patches and still uses them for 3 days in a row.  He is only using the Silent Nights and has not tried the X39.  He does not have a watch or ring to give him feedback on his sleep, but he is having very vivid dreams.  This is something new for him.  He also thinks he is sleeping deeper and longer and is continuing to wear them.

Who Doesn’t Like a Pros and Cons List?

Why Choose Silent Nights?

Pros:

• Drug-free and non-transdermal
• Can be used with other therapies (including supplements or medications)
• May help reset circadian rhythm naturally
• Helpful for people with chronic stress, autoimmune disease, or sleep issues

Cons:

• Not a substitute for good sleep hygiene or circadian alignment practices
  • See last week’s post for sleep tips
• Needs to be used consistently and with other supportive strategies (e.g., blue light reduction, early morning sunlight, calming evening routines)
• I cannot find any research studies outside of Lifewave. BUT, who is going to fund a research study?  No one outside of Lifewave benefits financially.

Want to learn how to pair Silent Nights with your healing routines, liver detox cycles, or adrenal reset programs? We help clients and coaches with all of these things in The Zen & Zest Zone Membership!

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