High-tec specs to banish winter blues

Sleep disorders, jet lag and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) could soon be 扱う／治療するd with a simple 麻薬-解放する／自由な 器具 - a pair of glasses.

The high-tech specs use fibre 視覚の light therapy to 刺激する sensors in the brain that 影響する／感情 our sleep.

Worn at 明確な／細部 times of the day, they help to 規制する the 団体／死体's 内部の clock to 促進する and 回復する normal sleep patterns by beaming light 直接／まっすぐに into the 注目する，もくろむ.

By replicating the 影響s of sunlight in this way, the glasses have the 可能性のある to 緩和する winter 不景気.

Somnavue 製品s are in the final 行う／開催する／段階s of 開発 by the U.S. company Enlightened 科学（工学）技術s Associates, Inc (ETA) and could be on the market late next year.

The company, soon to have a European base in the UK, says the 科学（工学）技術 could 取って代わる the need for sleeping pills and anti-depressants.

The remarkable spectacles, that look like an ordinary pair of glasses, are fitted with fibre 視覚のs embedded into the レンズs and light emitting diodes (LEDs) secreted in the でっちあげる，人を罪に陥れるs.

Each fibre is coated with a reflective 構成要素. When light from the diodes in the でっちあげる，人を罪に陥れるs is 事業／計画（する）d 負かす／撃墜する the fibres, it bounces off the reflective 塗装 and into the 注目する，もくろむ and on to a part of the retina that 取引，協定s 特に with the 団体／死体 clock.

Signals transmitted through the 視覚の 神経 to the brain from the retina then 刺激する the sensors that 規制する sleep.

Dr Neil Goldman of ETA explains: 'In the 注目する，もくろむ we have photo receptors that we use for 見通し. However, in the past couple of years we have 設立する that there are other light receptors in the retina whose 単独の 機能（する）／行事 appears to be in 規制するing the 団体／死体 clock.

'We try to illuminate these areas and not those 伴う／関わるd with 見通し.'

The light from the LEDs is 力／強力にするd by a 始める，決める of rechargeable 殴打／砲列s 含む／封じ込めるd in a Walkman-sized box worn on a belt or in a poc ket. A thin wire from the 殴打／砲列 pack runs to the earpiece of the glasses.

Any type of prescription レンズs can 会社にする／組み込む the high-tech 装置 which may be worn for several hours a day, depending on the problem, without 干渉するing with normal 見通し.

Since the 発見 of the 団体／死体 clock 支援する in the 早期に Seventies, scientists have been trying to understand its 影響（力） on the brain and the 残り／休憩（する） of the 団体／死体. One of its main 機能（する）／行事s is to 始める，決める the time for sleep.

A 条件 known as 前進するd Sleep 段階 Disorder, that typically 影響する／感情s the over 65s, 干渉するs with the 団体／死体's time clock, 原因（となる）ing night-time insomnia.

苦しんでいる人s feel the need to go to sleep earlier than normal but then wake in the 早期に hours and have difficulty getting 支援する off again.

Using light 治療 for two hours before bedtime has the 影響 of 転換ing the 団体／死体 clock 支援する to its normal sleep pattern.

類似して with jet lag. Somnavue worn en-大勝する or the day after a trip seems to re-始める，決める the clock.

A new 熟考する／考慮する at the U.S. 国家の 学校／設ける of Mental Health is looking into the 利益s of Somnavue for 苦しんでいる人s of SAD.

Dr Goldman says the 治療 tricks the brain into seeing the day as longer than it is. He says: 'We advise about an hour of light therapy as soon as people get up.

'After using the 治療 for about three weeks, a large number of 苦しんでいる人s 設立する they were in remission - not just feeling better.'

Unlike light box therapy, where people have to sit still and 星／主役にする at the light, 使用者s of Somnavue 簡単に slip on the glasses and wear them about the house.