Doctor Robert Daniel always leaves space in his carry-on bag for a little extra.
The founder of the Sandton Eye Clinic, an ophthalmologist with training in human physiology and neuroscience, never boards a flight without his invention, SleepSpec.
He has them littered around his house and never checks into a hotel without a pair.
Daniel cites research pointing to the dangers of light - in particular artificial light and more specifically blue light - for his obsession with the device, a pair of amber-lensed glasses which harness the body's melatonin-producing process to encourage sleepiness.
The glasses should be worn two hours before going to sleep.
They eliminate the spectrum of blue light responsible for suppressing production of melatonin, the hormone of sleep.
At night the brain produces melatonin needed to prepare the body for sleep. When the sun rises, light - in particular blue light - increases, stopping the production of melatonin, causing the body to wake up.
''But today artificial light from lamps and electronic devices means that the brain struggles to distinguish the change from day to night, melatonin production is suppressed and so our bodies are unable to move effectively into sleep mode," Daniel says.
The same thing happens when we traverse time zones. The sleep-wake pattern is upset, as are the rhythms for eating and working. Until these factors are able to respond properly to the new environment we get jet lag.
''We all know the relaxed feeling we get having sundowners watching the sun set," says Daniel, explaining the effect of the longer-wavelength red light with lower energy. Blue light has a short wavelength and produces more energy, which keeps us alert.
Melatonin depletion can lead to serious health issues.
''Even if you're getting the required eight hours of sleep a night, your brain could not be producing enough melatonin," says Daniel. ''Your brain starts producing it only two hours after lights and screens are turned off and the hormone is needed to rid the brain of toxic waste products. People who lack melatonin are at extreme risk of dementia."
Daniels says that sleeping pills slow the brain's function and it s ability to neutralise toxins.
Three of South Africa's Super rugby teams have started using SleepSpec when they travel.
The Lions, the first team to travel to Japan this year, used SleepSpec during their travels. Dr Rob Collin, team physician, says there was a marked improvement in their recovery time on their arrival in Japan compared with previous trips to Australia and New Zealand and a decreased reliance on sleeping pills.
'The mood in the team was great," says Collins. ''And energy levels were good almost immediately."
SleepSpec can be used daily by anyone with sleep difficulties, says Daniel. Other than wearing his orange glasses, what is the doctor's best advice? ''Guard sleep jealously."
http://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2016/06/20/Banish-the-blues-of-insomnia
No comments:
Post a Comment