Forget about melatonin, anti-jet lag diets and special glasses. The future of jet lag combat may be over your head, literally. The Air company Qantas and the University of Sydney announce a project to transform airplane cabins into real sunrise and sunset simulators. But will it really work?
Jet lag: when the enemy is time (and not the plane)
Who would have thought that the solution to jet lag would come not from a miracle pill, but from a smart light bulb? Qantas decided to "play" with ours circadian rhythm. Theirs Project Sunrise it's actually a very serious attempt to get us to our destination with fewer zombies and more humans.
How does it work? You get on a plane in New York and, 26,5 hours later, get off in Sydney feeling like you just took a nap. At least that's Qantas' ambitious goal. To achieve this, the company will transform the Airbus A350 into a sort of flying disco: instead of strobe lights, you will have sunrises and sunsets on command.
The new light scenes for the A350 have been developed to optimize the circadian effects of light at different times during flights.
Sveta Postnova, associate professor specializing in circadian modeling at the Charles Perkins Center at the University of Sydney.
In other words: they're trying to convince your brain that you didn't just travel halfway across the planet in less than 30 hours. Good luck, brain.
12 shades of jet lag
Qantas hasn't limited itself to a simple on/off switch. He developed 12 different light “scenes”. It's like having a personal lighting director for your journey.
There is "Awake“, for when they want to keep you awake (as if the child kicking the seat behind you wasn't enough), “Sunset” to simulate the sunset (because looking out the window would be too easy), “Sunrise” which moves from the front to the back of the cabin (for those who want to experience the sunrise in slow motion) and others.
The science behind light magic
Now, before you think Qantas is just trying to create the right atmosphere for a high-altitude rave party, there's some serious science behind all this. Talk about "melanopic illuminance” and how blue light can help shift our internal clock. It's a bit like trying to trick your body into thinking you're in Australia before you even land.
But will it really work? This is the million dollar question (or million airline miles, if you prefer). The truth is that jet lag is a subtle and complex enemy. Sure, these cool lights might help, but don't expect miracles. After all, you're still going from eating hot dogs in Times Square to surfing at Bondi Beach in less than 30 hours. Your body will still have something to say about it.
The future is bright (literally)
Despite the skepticism, there is something fascinating about all this. The idea that we can manipulate our body clock with a bit of smart lighting is as absurd as it is brilliant. And who knows? Maybe one day we'll get on a plane in London and get off in Sydney feeling fresh as a daisy (Australian, of course).
In the end, whether it works or not, we have to appreciate the effort. It could be the beginning of the end of jet lag as we know it. Or, in the worst case scenario, we will have an evocative play of lights at 10.000 meters above sea level. Either way, I'd say it's a win.
