‘World First’ Device to Solve Sleep Woes
Here’s a device for those who are not able to sleep properly. Australian scientists have introduced a wearable green light device – claimed to be first in the world – that resets your body clock.
Invented from 25 years of research at Flinders University, the portable device helps high flyers beat jet lag, keeps shift workers more alert and gets teenagers out of bed in the morning by re-timing the body’s internal clock.
Known as Re-Timer, the device is worn like a pair of sunglasses and emits a soft green light onto the eyes. It was announced by Re-Time Pty Ltd. today, Jan. 9.
[ Also Read: Efforts Are On to Cure Unslept Zombies ]Professor Leon Lack, chief inventor, said “The light from Re-Timer stimulates the part of the brain responsible for regulating the 24-hour body clock. Body clocks or circadian rhythms influence the timing of all our sleeping and waking patterns, alertness, performance levels and metabolism.”
Photoreceptors in our eyes detect sunlight, signal our brain to be awake and alert, and set our rhythms accordingly. These rhythms vary regularly over a 24-hour cycle. However, this process is often impaired by staying indoors, travelling to other time zones, working irregular hours, or a lack of sunlight during winter months.
[ Also Read: Not Able to Sleep? Here’s the Remedy ]People who suffer from a mistimed body clock lie in bed for hours frustrated they cannot fall asleep. In the morning they wake fatigued which limits their performance during the day.
Prof Lack recommends wearing the glasses for three days for 50 minutes each day after awakening in the morning to advance the body clock i.e. fall asleep and wake up earlier.
Or if falling asleep and waking up too early is the problem, wear them for 50 minutes before bed if you want to delay your body clock i.e. wake up later.
Re-Timer:
- 100% UV –Free light source
- Able to be worn while reading and working on a computer
- Is compatible with reading glasses
- Independently tested for eye safety
Professor Leon Lack is a Clinical Psychologist at the Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health (AISH). Further to this, he is a Professor of Psychology at Flinders University.
