Since November, each member of the team has had use of sleep/wake light Lumie Bodyclock Starter to help them get up in the dark for early morning training. The sunset feature prepares you for sleep while a 30-minute sunrise wakes you gently. The light triggers the reduction of sleep hormones like melatonin and the production of get up and go ones like cortisol. In January, new bright light Lumie Vitamin L was then introduced to the boat house for training with each rower having one light positioned next to their rowing machine. The bright light emits 2,500 lux at about 50 cm which is stimulating enough to have a positive impact on performance.
Research in sports science* has shown that light therapy boosts mood, energy and productivity leading to marginal gains for athletes. Back in 2016, the GB Olympic swim team reported improvements in both mood and energy after using Lumie Zest in their training protocol. It then helped them recover from jet lag after their arrival in Rio.
“I know how tough it can be for the crew to cope with early morning training on dark winter mornings, particularly for international students used to warmer climes. I’d read about the benefits of light therapy and got in touch with Lumie as they’re also based in Cambridge. Not only has it helped the crew to wake up brighter, we have seen improvements in mood, alertness and concentration in their training. Lumie light therapy has certainly been a welcome addition to the tool kit we use to get the crew race-ready.” - Steve Trapmore MBE, Chief Coach, Cambridge University Boat Club
“Adopting Lumie Bodyclock has helped me wake more naturally on the dark winter mornings. I feel a bit more alive ahead of our early morning training sessions." - Cambridge University crew member
“There is a growing body of evidence showing links between light and sports performance and Lumie supports ongoing research in this area. For elite athletes, light therapy is very helpful for fine tuning their body clocks in a bid to achieve marginal gains. Lumie is based in Cambridge so we were delighted to have the opportunity to supply our lights to the Cambridge crew. We look forward to cheering them on at this year’s Cancer Research UK Boat Race.”- Jonathan Cridland, CEO, Lumie
The Cancer Research UK Boat Race takes place on the eve of the Spring clock change when the clocks go forwards by one hour. You can use a sleep/wake light like Lumie Bodyclock Starter to help you adjust to the change. While it’s tempting to hit the snooze button on Sunday, that only further disrupts your body clock making the early start on Monday even harder. Instead, the trick is to advance your body clock back by an hour in the run up to clock change. This plan is based on a typical routine of bedtime at 11pm and wake-up at 7am – simply adjust to your own sleep pattern.
Step 1: Saturday am – get up about half an hour earlier than usual (6.30am).
Step 2: Saturday night – go to bed about 10.30 pm. The earlier than normal start should mean that you are extra tired and able to sleep earlier than usual. Remember to put your clock forward by an hour!
Step 3: Sunday am – wake up at 6am (BST 7am).
Research refs (more available on request): Int J Sports Med. 2015 Feb;36(2):101-6;
Front Physiol. 2014 May;12(5):184
Info on the lights used:
Lumie Bodyclock Starter 30 (RRP £59.95) is a sleep/wake light that offers a 30-minute sunset/sunrise with optional beep.
Lumie Vitamin L (RRP £90), a slimline bright light for SAD and wellbeing. It has warm white LEDs to create a particularly authentic sunlight effect and a rippled diffuser for a soft, comfortable light. Also comes with an adjustable stand that allows for both portrait and landscape use.
Retailers include: Lumie, Amazon, John Lewis.