|
Sunday, December 23, 2007 Free holiday ‘light therapy’ at Paris airports
Does holiday travel give you the blues, or simply wear you out? It is said that as many as one in five people suffers from lack
of exposure to daylight during the winter months. Meanwhile, a majority of air
travelers experience some degree of jet lag when crossing three or more time
zones. So with millions of passengers packing their bags and bracing themselves
for the traditional year-end airport crush, it may be nice to know that
someone, somewhere, at least, has given a little thought to the weary winter
wanderer. As of Dec. 20, and through the end of the month, Aéroports de Paris, the operator of
the French capital’s two main airports — Charles de Gaulle and Orly
– is offering free “light therapy’’ sessions to
passengers in two of its departure lounges. Assuming you clear check-in and
security with enough time to spare, a restorative visit to one of these
igloo-shaped rest stations might just help make your holiday journey a little
more bearable. Located near boarding lounge E51 of Terminal 2E at Charles de
Gaulle and near Gate R on the departures level of Orly’s West terminal
are two dedicated light-therapy areas equipped with white-light emitting lamps,
relaxation chairs, and a sound system playing soothing music. Specially trained
staff offer visitors a brief explanation of the benefits of light therapy and
also offer brief massages. Roving teams of light therapists will also offer
“express’’ sessions elsewhere in the terminal. All of this has a catch, of course. Aéroports de Paris is
promoting a light-therapy service at a new airport boutique opening in January
called Be Relax. The boutiques offer a
range of so-called wellness services — including massage, oxygen therapy
and manicures — and sell everything from bath products and scented
candles to, you guessed it, light-therapy lamps. Be Relax is making its debut at the two Paris airports, but
plans are to open boutiques soon at several other airports, including Frankfurt
International Airport, Milan’s Linate and Malpensa airports, Leonardo da
Vinci Airport in Rome. According to the Paris-based European Sleep Center , a one-hour
light therapy session per day for the first three days of a long-haul trip will
help the body adjust to the new local time. For optimal effect, the light
exposure should take place in the afternoon for a westbound flight and in the
morning for an eastbound flight. |
