Traveling long-distance across multiple time zones can leave the body feeling exhausted, and often leads to trouble concentrating and adjusting to a new environment. While sleeping on a flight can help the body adjust to a new time zone, external factors can still have an effect how you feel after traveling.
For example, the body’s natural circadian rhythm responds to cues such as sunlight and temperature to regulate physiological processes during a 24-hour period. If the body experiences natural or artificial light during normal sleeping hours, the mind is alerted and reduces the amount a naturally occurring hormone called melatonin, which helps the body sleep. New research, however, suggests that intermittent light therapy may help the body recover from jet lag more efficiently.
Worldwide Map of Local Time Zones
Intermittent Light Therapy and Jet Lag
The research study conducted by Stanford University explores how intermittent light therapy during sleep can help the body’s circadian rhythm adjust to new time zones. According to researchers, jet lag occurs when natural sleep and wake patterns do not synchronize with the body’s natural circadian rhythm. Current methods of curbing jet lag include exposing the eyes to light according to destinations time zone.
During the study, 39 participants were placed on a fixed sleeping schedule for a period of time. This part of the study is intended to mimic the sleeping habits representative of the general population. After completing the initial portion of the study, participants were then placed in a lab where they were either exposed to continuous light, or a sequence of flashes with different wavelengths for an hour while sleeping.
The findings of the study concluded that participants who were exposed to flashes every 10 seconds during their sleep had a circadian rhythm change of up to two hours. The participants, who were exposed to continuous light on the other hand, only experienced a 36-minute shift in the body’s circadian rhythm. What the results of the study suggest is that the body could benefit from flashes of light when adjusting to new time zone more efficiently than current methods.
Other Uses
The outcomes of the study are promising, and it could help night workers who are exposed to artificial blue light in the work place sleep better. More research is proposed to study the effects and benefits of this therapy on larger population samples.
