NASA-inspired sleep aid raises the bar

By Mark Pavilons
Editor

Too much “screen time” is interfering with our sleep patterns.
Sleep deprivation, even in small amounts, is disrupting our lives and impacting our health.
Those who have trouble getting to sleep will try almost every remedy in the book.
A Canadian company and its French counterpart have taken this to new heights, literally, with some NASA-inspired technology.
Creators of Helight spent roughly three years developing and validating the parameters that make their product work so well.
According to Greg Bonnier, vice-president of Helight in Montreal, they used NASA's work on regulating the circadian cycle of the astronauts in orbit. This led to what we now know today about the importance of exposure to blue-rich light during the day: luminotherapy.
Bonnier said very few people actually pondered the question of why it's so important to not be exposed to blue light at night. It wasn't an issue until society became immersed in LEDs and LED based screens.
“We're just starting to understand the intricate relationship between sleep, hormones and exposure to light at different wavelengths.
“It was only in 2002 that the presence of ipRGCs (Intrinsically Photosensitive Retinal Ganglion Cells) were discovered and shown to be at the source of the regulation of certain hormones linked to our sleep/wake cycle.”
Helight contains technology, innovation and light waves all in one small, simple unit.
After a lot of testing (100+ patients) and several prototypes, they've come up with the right combination of light purity, diffusion, intensity and timing.
The soothing red light emitted by Helight is perceived through the eyelids to signal the brain. It emits a pure 630-nanometer wavelength. It runs on a 28-minute cycle, which caters to the vast majority of people in terms of how long it takes to fall asleep.
Its compact size belies its true power. Just holding it, you can tell it packs a punch and is constructed of the best materials. It's so simple to use, but there's nothing simple about the amount of research and tech that goes into the unit.
Helight improves sleep quality, relaxation and sleep inertia – the feeling of fatigue upon waking – as well as biological rhythm and mood. It works to promote the body's natural secretion of melatonin, a hormone that controls our sleep-wake cycle.
Helight has come to the rescue of a growing number of people who have trouble sleeping.
Statistics Canada estimates one in three Canadians sleep less than the recommended seven to nine hours per night. Some experts say the culprit is too much screen time. We're getting, on average, an hour less sleep than we were 15 years ago. Statistics Canada also found roughly 40 per cent of men and 48 per cent of women don't consistently have a refreshing night's sleep.
The consumer response has been amazing, Bonnier said. They offer a 30-day money back guarantee and yet 96% of the people who try it keep it. That's an astonishing number, which is a testament to the painstaking R&D that went into the design before hitting the market.
“What really gets us going is the amazing testimonials we get from people who really improved their quality of life just by using the device. Beyond that we do have a couple of clients who solved very serious sleep disorders using the technology.”
Bonnier stressed it's not a miracle solution but it's definitely worth trying.
The device all started with the launch of Centre Helight in Montreal, where the company uses its photobiomodulation devices.
“It's very gratifying to help people, to bring positivity in someone's life and actually make a difference.”
It's also a family business and they all share the philosophy of “caring, sow good and well being. We leave a positive impact on people and this is very addictive.”
Bonnier said the satisfaction was getting a project like this to fruition and making sure they got everything right.
“And we're certainly not done. We're in the midst of doing very interesting research with a professional rugby team in France to measure the performance enhancing potential of using the device with, so far, great results.”
For more information, visit www.helight.ca and email canada@helight.com