If you’ve ever found yourself in the midst of a long-haul flight, dry-eyed, weary and unable to sleep, you’re not alone.

You see, traveling through timezones can be nightmare for even the most frequent of travelers, which is why a Polish start-up has designed an intelligent sleep mask to help you sleep like a baby, even in cattle class, should you somehow end up there (shudder).

The Neuroon mask’s key feature – the Jetlag Blocker – works by shifting the body clock to prepare its user for a long-haul trip via short bursts of light while asleep. This helps reduce the effects of jetlag, which typically occurs when traveling to destinations with three hours or more in time difference. Based on findings from Stanford University in California, these flashes of light allow for adjustments in melatonin, a sleep hormone. The result: an adequately adjusted circadian rhythm for the new time zone.

In-built biometric sensors also translate brainwaves and heart rate into sleep analytics, which wearers can track on their smartphones via an application (for iOS and Android). For this nifty device to work effectively, however, therapy should be started a few days before the long-haul flight for your best chances against jetlag.

Neuroon is now available online at $299.

This story was written in-house, with images and a background story from the AFP.