Being exposed to brief flashes of light the night before a trip across time zones could help curb the feeling of jet lag, according to a study by Raymond P. Najjar and Jamie M. Zeitzer at Stanford University. In the study, 39 participants were exposed to 60 minutes of either continuous light or varying sequences of 2-millisecond light flashes. The latter was found to be three times as fast at adjusting the body’s circadian clock, compared to continuous light; it adjusted participants’ circadian clocks nearly two hours forward on average, which was determined by measuring melatonin in the saliva. The light that is detected by retinal photoreceptors influences subcortical functions, including circadian timing, sleep, and arousal, the researchers say.
Source: Study Points to a Way to Prevent Jet Lag While You Sleep
