The Lumos Smart Sleep Mask was designed to bring the Stanford scientists’ groundbreaking discoveries in the lab to real world applications for our users. It is designed to be a non-invasive, drug-free sleep solution to help users overcome circadian rhythm disorders and improve overall health.
The Lumos mask uses a process known as "light therapy", which involves exposing the eyes to specific light programs that are known to regulate the body’s internal clock, or, more scientifically, the “circadian rhythm.”
The mask emits short, low-intensity light pulses that penetrate the users’ eyelids while the users are sleeping. Due to special properties of retinal biology, the light pulses have been shown by research from Stanford to be the most effective and practical way to adjust the circadian rhythms.
The short answer is: everyone.
The body’s internal clock, or, more scientifically, the “circadian rhythm,” exists in almost every organism on Earth, including animals, plants, and humans. It is the single most important factor of your sleep quality. It determines when you’re tired and when you’re wide-awake.
Biologically all humans are prone to poor sleep when there is misalignment between your body clock and your sleep schedule. Scientists call this phenomenon circadian rhythm misalignment, circadian rhythm disorder, or circadian clock disruptions. This gap makes it difficult to fall asleep (restless) and wake up (groggy), and might even result in frequent wake ups at night. A simple example of this is jet lag, however, there are other common obstacles that can knock your sleep out of alignment.
Jet lag is the most common example of circadian rhythm disorder. Jet lag can mess up your sleep when traveling across different time zones. When we travel to a new time zone, our internal clock can get out of sync with the new environment, leading to common jet lag symptoms such as sleep problems like difficulty falling asleep, waking up too early, or being groggy during the day. This is because our body needs time to adjust to the new time zone, and until it does, we might not get the best sleep.
Typically the human body can adjust for 1-hour time zone difference per day, so if you are heading from the US to Europe, it might take you a week to adjust. When it comes to what the Lumos Mask can do, in our product testing with 150 testers, 85% reported that they felt jet lag reduction by using Lumos. Additionally, based on our latest survey, out of the 240 respondents who have used the Lumos Mask, 89% reported that the mask had helped them.
The human body is naturally designed to sleep at night when the lights are out, and up during the day when there is sunlight. This is contradictory to your sleep schedule if you work on a night shift.
Light therapy, like what we deliver in the Lumos Smart Sleep Mask, may help you adjust your body clock based on when you want to sleep. Additionally, both comfortable and functional, the Lumos mask can also help you block the light if you have to sleep during the day.
Night owls often have difficulties going to bed early and getting up early in the morning. A large part of this is controlled by your natural body clock.
The light flash technology in Lumos has been shown in the lab to shift human body clocks. You may try using Lumos to set an earlier bedtime and wake up earlier.
Biologically, the secretion of melatonin, a chemical our brains pump out to tell our body it’s time for sleep, can be delayed by 2-3 hours during our teenage years. Most school and work schedules start early in the day, which makes it hard for you, or your teen, to get the right amount of sleep.
A teen study from Dr. Zeitzer’s lab at Stanford demonstrated that short light flashes assisted with cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-i) successfully promoted earlier bedtime for teenagers and extended their sleep for 45 minutes longer each night. To bring this research to you or your kids, we have implemented the same light flash technology in the Lumos Mask.
As a parent of young children, you may often have to adjust your sleep schedule to accommodate your little ones' early wake-up times. Babies and toddlers tend to wake up early, and it can be tough to get the rest you need when you're constantly on their schedule. Don’t worry! Light therapy like what is provided in the Lumos Smart Sleep Mask is intended to help you get up early, so you are more in sync with your little ones.
Occasionally you may need to get up 3 hours to go skiing, or “burn the midnight oil” for a one off event, project, or other important events. Using Lumos a day in advance may help you get in bed early for the morning ski trip, or stay at peak performance when you need to burn that midnight oil.
The Lumos Smart Sleep Mask was designed to bring the Stanford scientists’ groundbreaking discoveries in the lab to real world applications for our users. It is designed to be a non-invasive, drug-free sleep solution to help users overcome circadian rhythm disorders and improve overall health.
The Lumos mask uses a process known as "light therapy", which involves exposing the eyes to specific light programs that are known to regulate the circadian rhythms.
The mask emits short, low-intensity light pulses that penetrate the users’ eyelids while the users are sleeping. Due to special properties of retinal biology, the light pulses have been shown by research from Stanford to be the most effective and practical way to adjust the circadian rhythms.
If you're a night owl who struggles to fall asleep at a reasonable hour, adjusting your circadian rhythm can be a game-changer. Night owls often have a delayed circadian rhythm, meaning their bodies naturally want to stay up later and sleep in later. However, this can conflict with schedules that require waking up early in the morning, leading to difficulty falling asleep, not getting enough sleep, and daytime grogginess.
While it is possible to training your body to train your body to fall asleep faster by sticking to an earlier sleep schedule and prioritizing good sleep hygiene, it is usually very difficult. Fighting against your body’s natural circadian clock is like trying to kayak against the current or push a rock up the hill. That is why a lot of night owls cannot fall asleep even when they go to bed early. Therefore, aside from adjusting your daily routine, we also want to help you shift your circadian clock earlier, so you can actually fall asleep when you get in bed early.
The circadian rhythm is one of the two most important factors regulating sleep. If you are experiencing poor sleep, chances are by optimizing the circadian rhythm, you may significantly improve your sleep quality.
By prioritizing good sleep habits and paying attention to your body's natural sleep patterns, you can help your bodies better align with your desired sleep schedule. This means if you are naturally a night owl and don’t have to get up early, maybe you don’t have to force yourself to go to sleep early.
However, if you don’t have the luxury of flexible sleep timings, or you have to sleep at a different time than the natural tendency of your body clocks, you can try adjusting your body’s circadian clock. Natural remedies such as light therapy - like what we deliver in the Lumos Mask, can help regulate the circadian rhythm and improve sleep quality.
Additionally, exposure to morning light upon wake up has been shown to help maintain a healthy circadian clock, helping you fall asleep faster and reduce morning grogginess. The Sunrise alarm function in the Lumos Smart Sleep Mask mimics the process of gently waking you up, and getting you the morning light exposure that sets the foundation for a satisfying sleep for the next night.
Lumos is not intended to be used for the diagnosis or treatment of any sleep disorders. If you have a sleep disorder or suspect that you may have one, it is better to talk to your doctor, or even better, get an appointment at a sleep clinic to get further help.
Human-subject studies conducted at Stanford Sleep Center using millisecond light pulses on hundreds of participants have not shown any known negative side effects to this point. Lumos Smart Sleep Mask is designed to mimic the light programs used in the Stanford studies. So far, only about 5% of our users have reported sleep disruptions from the lights, and 1-2% reported other possible side effects, all of which are minor.
Additionally, the light intensity from Lumos Smart Sleep Mask is orders of magnitude lower than the intensity of light a human eye will be exposed to during normal activities on a typical sunny day. The pulse frequency is orders of magnitude less than the frequency that can induce seizure and epilepsy.
Despite the safety evidence from lab studies, we recommend that users who are on non-sleep medication or suffering from any sort of serious medical conditions check with their doctor before using the Lumos Smart Sleep Mask, and discontinue use if experiencing any adverse reactions such as dizziness or migraines.
We understand that no one wants to wear a hard device to sleep, so we have spent a lot of time working with our testers to make sure that the mask is light, breathable, soft, and comfortable.
The Lumos Smart Sleep Mask is charged by MicroUSB, making it easy and convenient to recharge wherever you are.
The removable cover in the Lumos Sleep Mask makes it easy to clean and maintain. The cover is made from a soft and comfortable material that feels great against your skin, but over time it can become dirty and stained from regular use. In that case, all you need to do is remove the cover and wash it in a laundry bag in the washing machine and then air dry to keep it clean and fresh.
According to the FAA, products with lithium batteries will be allowed in both carry-ons and checked bags, so Lumos is compliant with regulations when packed either way. Always good to check the latest regulation to be sure.
The Lumos Sleep Mask has an adjustable strap, which allows you to adjust the fit to your specific head size and shape.
The Lumos Sleep Mask is designed to fit comfortably over your eyes, therefore it won't interfere with the operation of your CPAP machine. We do understand each person has a different preference, so you will get to decide if this works for you.
The circadian rhythm is like a biological clock that helps your body know when it's time to be awake and when it's time to sleep. It's a natural process that regulates many important bodily functions, from organ function and hormone production to metabolism and gene expression.
Your circadian rhythm is influenced by things like the light and temperature around you, which help your body know when it's daytime or nighttime. When your circadian rhythm is working well, you feel awake and alert during the day and sleepy at night. But if your circadian rhythm is disrupted, it can cause problems with your sleep, mood, and even your health.
The scientific model of sleep regulation suggests that there are two factors that affect how well we sleep: 1) the circadian rhythm, which regulates the timing of our sleep; and 2) the homeostatic sleep drive, which measures how “hungry” we are for sleep. The timing of our sleep is controlled by our circadian rhythm, which helps our body know when it's time to be awake and when it's time to sleep. When our circadian rhythm is working properly, we feel awake and alert during the day and sleepy at night. This helps us get the right amount of sleep each night and wake up feeling rested. If our circadian rhythm is disrupted, we can have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or feeling alert during the day. That's why it's important to keep our circadian rhythm in sync with our daily routine by getting exposure to natural light and other environmental cues.
Poor sleep could result from various factors such as poor sleep environment or poor sleep hygiene. It can also happen when your circadian rhythm tells you to stay awake while you are trying to sleep. You might experience this when you travel across time zones, work on night shifts, or simply have a misalignment of circadian rhythm with your sleep schedules. Taking too many or too long naps during the day could also reduce our “hunger” for sleep, making it harder to fall asleep. Due to the multifactorial nature of sleep, it’s not easy to pinpoint specific causes of poor sleep. The best way to figure this out is to consult a sleep doctor if you don’t get good sleep for a long period of time.
