London: Here is good news for frequent flyers. Researchers have developed new 'time-control' spectacles which they claim reset the body clock to overcome jet lag and insomnia.
The high-tech glasses emit a soft green glow which works on the human body clock to change our sleep patterns.
Using the device, called the Re-Timer, means long-haul air passengers can step off the plane feeling fresh, even after flying over long distances, say the sleep researchers who created it.
Inventor of the glasses, Professor Leon Lack said the glasses could also help insomnia sufferers, keep shift workers more alert and get teenagers out of bed in the morning, the 'Daily Mail' reported.
"The light from Re-Timer stimulates the part of the brain responsible for regulating the 24-hour body clock.
"Using a light device allows you to transition your body clock to a new time zone in small steps. This eliminates the sudden change people experience after flying and reduces the symptoms of jet lag," said Lack from Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia.
Scientists say the light exposure changes the behaviour of a gland at the base of the brain which controls the body clock.
It sends signals to the rest of the body, triggering the production of hormones, which create daily cycles known as circadian rhythms.
Those who want to sleep and wake up early should wear the device for 50 minutes in the morning, while those who want to sleep and wake late should wear them for 50 minutes before bed to delay the body clock, say the researchers.
The battery-powered glasses, which are on sale in the UK on the website for 162 pounds, can be worn while completing normal daily tasks such as working on the computer or reading.
Almost 94 per cent of passengers experience jet lag after a long flight, the report said.
This is because travelling through different time zones confuses the body clock, which uses cues from the outside world such as light, dark, silence and noise to tell the body when it should be asleep or awake.
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