Light glasses aim to solve sleep woes

Thursday 10th January 2013

An innovative set of spectacles designed to mimic the effect of sunlight on the body’s natural sleep/wake cycle has been presented at the CES technology trade show in Las Vegas this week, in a further example of the increasingly hi-tech solutions that are being proposed to combat sleep disorders. The Retimer glasses use UV-free green light, delivered via small bulbs beneath each eye, and effectively allow the wearer to ‘re-time’ their sleep and wake routine to a manageable level.

The makers of the Retimer claim that their device can be used for a number of sleep disorders and sleep-related issues including minimising or eliminating the effects of jet lag, sleeplessness, shift-working and seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Light plays a powerful role in our sleep cycles, representing the most important environmental factor in how our bodies determine night and day. Exposure to natural light floods the body with active hormones that help create energy, alertness and the wakefulness to begin the day. Being forced to be awake or active in an environment where this light isn’t available – such as working at night – goes against the physiological process that the body is following.

 

Tags: sleep light retimer

Category: Sleep Research

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