Sunglasses and light showers

Happy new year! Like many others, I've used the opportunity to escape the winter and fly in the Sun. The time was running out and I didn't want to waste any day with sleep. And certainly not sure to cure jet lag.

That's why I've researched a bit and came – by the way – on a beautiful new idea!

A self test

After a presentation about "Lighting and health", which I held in Stuttgart, came to a light Planner on me and asked me what you actually could do with light in airports for transit passengers, suffering from Jet lag after long journeys. Interesting! Because the construction projects, I advise staying always in the same place, I had given not many thought about.

Of course, you can reach a lot with light for Jet lag: the so-called "Jet lag disorder" is a failure of our inner clock. The individual circadian rhythm suddenly no longer matches the rhythm of the environment. This confusion results in different symptoms.

There are many scientific studies on the treatment of "circadian Dysrhythmie" using light therapy. You recommend, prepare yourself for a trip with the right light at the right time and after the trip to facilitate adaptation.

Great! Thus nothing, these research results in projects to implement. Before I present my proposal for a concrete application of light in the airport however, I dare even attempt.

My new year holiday in Taiwan (the seven time zones are difference) is perfect for this.

In addition to the recommendations of different scientists, I know many advice from friends, like "just do not sleep when you arrive!" or "sleep as much as possible!". All these pieces of advice are of course pointless, when is not certain in what time I'm actually travelling which rhythm there and what I want to do there.

I have a business trip, in which I want to be fit at 6 o'clock in the morning? I went on holidays, where my day never starts before breakfast?

I travel to the East, where the days start earlier and earlier end than at my departure? Or in the West, where it is later bright as here and much later night?

What does recommend the science with Jet lag?

To fly from East to West is most people easier. This is because most of us are not an early riser, and we actually like to be like the later standing up. In the evening many after a trip to the West can keep up just hard up for this.

With targeted light gifts in the evening, you can support your body to cope with the new situation.

E.g. If you want to fly from Frankfurt to New York and enjoy the night life, should you necessarily as long as possible suburb use daylight and might also help with artificial light in the evening.

Travel East, indicating that the body must be awake much earlier than he actually wants. This leads to fatigue, loss of appetite, digestive problems, blood pressure problems and other ailments.

Also it is felt at the destination too much dark too early. This manifests itself in insomnia at night.

Bright light in the morning – the best daylight – helps to adapt as quickly as possible to the local time. To positively affect the circadian rhythm, the light is almost more important than the light in the evening in the morning.

Blue-rich light is our internal clock "provided by". Blue light suppresses the production of the night hormone melatonin and stimulates the production of activating serotonin. Start the new day.

In the morning is also set, when ends this day for me personally, or When I get tired in the evening. Who wants to sleep so well at night, must get up early in the morning and surround yourself with bright clear day light.

Example: if I have to be up early in Taiwan, I will have to get up early and go to the light of day. I'd better pack my jogging shoes…

It is recommended to apply these simple measures even before the trip. Then of course with artificial light. A good preparation facilitates the adaptation on the ground and saves time. (Reid and zee 2009)

It is also important that the "treatment" continues after the trip. On the first evening, it is important to pay attention on shortwave, warm light for a traveler who has flown to the West. The body should understand that light, what is now offered him, is no daylight and get ready for the night. Who traveled to the East, must sit out morning lots of cool light.  (Krause and Rod 2012)

How do I simulate daylight?

To simulate the light rhythm of the country home, normal lighting with adjustable colour temperature suited better than light therapy equipment.

Light therapy devices for home use are relatively small. For light therapy, it is important that the necessary light for handling occupies the entire field of view.

Under the open sky, for example, reaches us daylight from all sides. It is also in a light therapy room. The advantage here is that plenty of light over a large area can be projected. In this way it doesn't dazzle.

The smaller light therapy equipment must deliver the relatively large light output over small areas. Some subjects of such small devices complained after their treatment of headaches. The illuminating surface is often much brighter than their surroundings. The contrast is very tiring for the eyes and the brain and can cause pain.

Normal lamps are designed to illuminate entire rooms. At sufficiently high illuminance levels, it is so reasonable, the room where you are located, to the light therapy cabin work to.

Light cabin can be used with workplace against jet lag
Image: Bartenbach

Departure: West to East

Since I'm visiting friends in Taiwan and celebrate new year's Eve, I want to come out on Taipei time. I will be awake at Sunrise rarely anyway. But still I must schedule eight hours sleep.

On the outbound flight, the problem will only be that I want to celebrate the day of my arrival equal to new year's Eve. For this I want to be rested of course. With a change at night at 12 (7 o'clock in the morning local time) it is of course difficult.  For flights from West to East but only sleep in the evening is difficult and I don't want it then anyway!

The return flight from East to West is the larger challenge to my body. Finally would like to arbeitsfählig I be relatively quickly after the landing and not only still three days my jet lag cure. Need a plan!

Armed with sunglasses and daylight lamp I would venture the experiment!

To know when I avoid light and when I specifically must sit out light, I made a plan.

If this confusing, don't worry! There's an app for that. You mean "unloading rain", developed by the University of Michigan. Discharging rain used mathematics and algorithms that help to reduce jet lag by mobile tracking.

Local time in Munich, Beijing, and Taipei compared

It felt somewhat extravagant to wear sunglasses in the aircraft and in airport (7: 00 a.m. when outdoor temperature is-7 ° C), but it was for a good cause: a great new year's Eve holiday without jetlag!

For security reasons, it is not everywhere, you can wear a pair of sunglasses in the airport. For aircraft was a good solution but. Especially the Board toilet had very bright lights that could have made me a spanner in my plan. Alternatively work also sleep masks very well on the plane.

Other direction: East to West, Taipei – Munich (via Shanghai)

On the day of my departure, I woke up late and have begun to prepare for the day-night cycle in Munich. When it was morning in Munich it was raining in Taipei. When unpacking suitcases sparkled all the lights in the room to my support. It was as bright as day.

Local time in Munich, Beijing, and Taipei compared (arrival)

Phototherapy for the eyes on the plane against jet lag
Phototherapy for the eyes in the plane

During the trip, I had a stopover in Shanghai by four and a half hours. There I would have liked a "Sun-box": A room in the clear bright light prepared me for the situation at my destination.

Contrary to my inner time by 14 o'clock in the afternoon, it was already 9 pm. All shops and restaurants in the airport were already quiet, it was dark outside and the people prepared themselves for their closing time and a quiet night.

My objective, however, was to be awake and have a day. After a slight 'lunch' in the brightest restaurant I could find, I explored the airport. I needed movement; always in search of bright light sources in which I could look for a while.

Dim airport lighting helps little against jet lag
Light. More light!

This bright light should ensure that I would later get tired and fall asleep.

And so I came up with an idea:

The Jet lag lounge

Tadaa!

International aviation hubs such as Shanghai are destinations not in the first place, but serve as a transportation hub. People spend here – as I do – some time before it goes on the next trip.

Frankfurt airport, London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Amsterdam Schiphol, Hong Kong International or Beijing International are transfer points for long flights and therefore part of the problem "Jetlag".

With a concept of space reminiscent of the light therapy you can make passengers stay enjoyable fashion, the total travel time make effective and reduce the effects of jet lag.

for example like this: (only prettier, please!)

Jet lag lounge
Jet lag lounge

Rooms split makes sense by time zones, three time zones per room.

The light in these rooms is adapted to the light in the target zone, and will be continuously regulated from 6500 K, (so daylight-like light) in the early morning, over 5000 K in broad daylight, up to a soft warm light for evening moods (2700K). history

Since Jet lag for most people only occurs from travel across more than three time zones, is used for the local time zone and the adjacent time zones (+ 1, + 2, -1 and 2) no space is needed. Rising to flying in a destination region within this five time zones, can use the natural day light at the airport, if that is possible.

E.g. There 6 rooms, where you can prepare himself and his body for all time zones, which are not on the same latitudes like Europe in Frankfurt (UTC + 1).

Time zones of the Earth

In the best case provides the Jet lag lounge the travelers not only with the right light, but also sufficient drinks and meals to the times of the target region and information that will help the transition,.

A simpler version of the Jet lag lounge, which consists only of two cabins is also conceivable: one for "Day" and one for "Night". Passengers will be informed through hourly announcements, visitors of what time zones have now done enough for their circadian rhythm and left the lounge, or the cabins should be replaced.

This solution has the advantage that she are physically less is expensive and comes with a dynamic lighting control.

Users of the lounge must "move" and, where appropriate, to interrupt their work is little client-friendly and a clear disadvantage.

Travel stress

Don't forget: flights take place in a busy environment with artificial day / night rhythm. That alone is already tired. We must provide for adequate sleep so always, whether our own day-night rhythm is disturbed or not.

The difference is that you only must rest from the stress of travel, while a timezone cat despite of all quiet like a couple of days.

About the health effects of jet lag when flight attendants or frequent travellers, there is little research. Shift workers are known health impacts of exposure to the continual changes of rhythm.

The trip has done me well: early getting up for work after the flight is easy. I take care of me in the morning right with plenty of natural light (supported by an organic-driven slett lamp). In the evening, I use only warm white light and weary at the usual time. During the day, I'm awake, efficient and pretty cheery. But that may be due to the beautiful holiday.

Your questions, suggestions, and ideas can reach me via eMail.


Literature:

Krause, Rolfdieter; Rod, Rainer (Hg.) (2012): light therapy. Berlin: Springer.

Reid, K.; Zee, PC (2009): Circadian rhythm disorders. Semin. Neurol. 29

www.DLR.de – Institute for air and space medicine

Temporal integration of light flashes by the human circadian system, Raymond P. Najjar and Jamie M. Zeitzer

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