There are at least 32 proven usages of light therapy so far. Light therapy can affect a variety of different body parts including your brain. Unlike traditional treatments, light therapy has no side effects and can easily be used to treat a variety of different brain related conditions quickly and effectively. In some cases, there has been measurable improvement in as little as one treatment. Light therapy can be used to increase mental cognition, memory capacity, and help with mood related conditions. It is also an amazing substitute for all of the current mental cognition treatments and medications currently on the market. Using light as a natural medicine can save individuals hundreds of dollars from not having to pursue multiple avenues of treatment.

Light is needed by your cells just like the body needs food to function. Light acts as nutrients for your cells, which allows them to perform at their best. Light can be the best medicine because it is a natural way to achieve a specific reaction in the body. We can easily influence the body to do what we are aiming for using specific wavelengths of light. 

Depression has been linked to blood flow. This means that patients with abnormal blood flow in their frontal cortex are more likely to experience depression than other individuals. When light therapy takes place, red light penetrates the skull and enters the brain. This causes an increase in blood flow which can help alleviate depression and anxiety symptoms. ATP production is also increased in the process. Consequently, this leads to a boost of Serotonin and Dopamine in the body which work to elevate the patient’s mood.

Short-term Mood and Hormone Regulation

Light therapy can produce immediate positive effects to a patient’s mood and hormones. This can help people combating anxiety and depression in a significant way. In 2009, there was a study by Harvard that determined that just a few minutes of near-infrared light exposure would positively affect individuals with diagnosed long-term depression. Ten individuals were exposed to 16 minutes of near-infrared light during each individual session. The study lasted four weeks but these individuals showed mass improvement and symptom relief with just ONE session of infrared treatment!

Long-term Mood and Hormone Regulation

Light therapy has even more potential in the long term when it comes to combating mental disease and mood boosting. More than half of the individuals in the study experienced a temporary relief of their symptoms by the end of the four-week study. 6 out of 10 individuals experienced relief from their depression symptoms. Similarly, 7 out of 10 individuals experienced relief from their anxiety symptoms. The Harvard study has shown that using light is a great substitute for medication. Other studies have also shown that the effects of light therapy are comparable to the effects of anti-depressant medications.

Increasing Mental Cognition and Memory Capacity

Most of us have family members that suffer from a degeneration disease related to old age. In addition to helping increase mood, light therapy has also been widely considered as a potential treatment for elderly patients who suffer from Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia. Studies have already shown that light therapy has the potential to increase the mental cognition of the elderly which would greatly impact individuals inflicted with these diseases. It could also help with the prevention of these diseases in the elderly. However, some studies have also shown that the cognitive benefits aren't limited to just the elderly. Younger patients and patients with traumatic brain injuries could also experience increased mental cognition through light therapy.

The Process to Increase Mental Cognition or Enhance Mood

Unfortunately, light therapy isn’t as simple as just shining a light at a patient and expecting to receive results. The effectiveness of the treatment depends on using the correct pulse rate, infrared light range, and power density. A wrong variable could make the treatment ineffective. For example, if the power density is too low, the light will be unable to penetrate a patient’s skull.

Here is an example treatment to improve mood and mental cognition. You should use a pulse rate of 40hz and a power density of 37 joules per cm2. The infrared rays used during the treatment should be in the 810 – 880nm range and the light should be aimed at the base of the skull and the frontal cortex. A treatment that lasts for 20 minutes with these specifications would lead to results comparable to the mentioned studies. This particular treatment is proven to increase dopamine and serotonin. It also leads to improvement in how the mitochondria in your cells function which can make an individual more energetic. This is because the mitochondria of the cell produce energy.

By using light therapy, patients are able to save tons of time and money. Light therapy can be an extreme improvement compared to most treatments and medications out there for anxiety and depression. For example, most depression and anxiety medications take time to get into your system. There are medications called Benzodiazepines that do work immediately but the medications are extremely hard to be prescribed. This is due to individuals who have abused the medications in the past because of the addictive properties of the medications. Most doctors use these more addictive medications as a last resort when other types of medications fail. 

Slow-acting medications are usually the medications that are prescribed for anxiety and depression. An example of a slow acting medication for these conditions is Prozac. Doctors commonly prescribe Prozac. Unfortunately, users will receive no immediate effects from this medication. It takes up to two weeks for this medication to gradually get into your system. Individuals can experience anxiety or depression symptoms during this adjustment period. Unlike slow-acting Prozac, light therapy works immediately to help relieve anxiety and depression symptoms. It is also just as good for long term use.

Another difference between light therapy and medications is that medications tend to be addictive. You need to be weaned off of Prozac and many other similar medications due to your body becoming reliant on the medications to function normally. If you stop taking the Prozac all at once, you go through withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms can be similar to having a long-term flu and are very unpleasant to experience. Anxiety and depression medications alter brain function and you have to consistently supply your body with the medications. This is similar to replacing your depression or anxiety with an addictive substance.

Due to the lack of risk, light therapy is a great natural alternative to medication. In comparison to traditional medications, light therapy is non-addictive. You can stop getting therapy treatments at any time without going through withdrawal symptoms. There are also no side effects associated with being treated this way. Suffering individuals also do not have to wait in order to see effects which are also beneficial.

Nushape exists to develop top-tier, industry-leading LED light therapy devices for photobiomodulation. Implementation of specific wavelengths of LED light can effectively enhance bodily processes by improving mitochondrial health, ATP production; ultimately aiding the cellular ability to work faster, stronger.

Those afflicted with Alzheimer’s (the most common form of dementia) and the people who love them are constantly concerned about the steady decline in memory as well as seemingly odd thought patterns and unusual behaviors which affect daily life.

Over time, there have been some medical breakthroughs in the field of Alzheimer’s research, but overall, the future is generally grim, rendering the patient a shell of their former self, often unsure of their surroundings, unfamiliar with family and friends, and in a state of confusion and disorientation. Physical symptoms such as problems walking and speaking can also affect the patient.

The cognitive effects of Alzheimer’s can be scary, especially when everyday tasks and to-dos become a challenge, sometimes posing danger to the person afflicted. As the disease progresses, the patient gets progressively worse, with no cure currently in sight.

Treatments are improving, slowing down the speed of the decline to a degree, but for those dealing with the disease, anything new on the horizon is eye-opening. From therapy to medication, there is always hope, and as science advances, there is a positive outlook for a more fulfilling life, with fewer burdens which Alzheimer’s undeniably brings.

One form of therapy not as well-known is causing a stir in the medical community. Light therapy is useful for a variety of medical conditions, and Alzheimer’s has been added to the list – an optimistic path for patients, their providers, and loved ones.

According to Medical News Today, a brain wave called gamma oscillation is impaired in patients afflicted with Alzheimer’s. These brain waves play a role in memory retention. Light therapy has been shown to repair this brain wave, as per a study conducted by scientists at MIT.

Unlike medications which can provide improvement but may have unwanted side effects, light therapy has been shown to be equally beneficial, side effect free.

Studies have suggested that light therapy helps Alzheimer’s patients with achieving a sounder sleep, less random wandering events, cognition improvement, less depression, and a return to “normal” behaviors. 

Red light therapy (and near-infrared therapy) has been particularly interesting in its advancements, thanks to the shorter treatment time needed, as well as how the light is administered – by the patient’s forehead. This safe and effective strategy is also used for patients suffering from multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, and other brain injuries. It tackles the debilitating issues at the cellular level, is absorbed by the brain, and repairs damage, including inflammation and oxidative stress, while improving circulation and protecting neurons.

LEDphototherapies is onboard with this medical marvel, with products designed to improve a wide array of illnesses, disorders, and conditions via light therapy. Patients have found relief, improvement, and a new lease on life. Professionals have given LEDphototherapies’ products rave reviews, recommending this type of treatment for everything from fat loss to fibromyalgia.

Alzheimer’s patients are finding success with this form of treatment. If you or someone you love is affected by this disease, looking into light therapy is a smart move that has proven beneficial.

For more information, or to speak with a light therapy consultant, contact LEDphototherapies. 

Nushape exists to develop top-tier, industry-leading LED light therapy devices for photobiomodulation. Implementation of specific wavelengths of LED light can effectively enhance bodily processes by improving mitochondrial health, ATP production; ultimately aiding the cellular ability to work faster, stronger.

Let’s be real; infrared saunas are kind of a big deal. From weight loss to clear skin, the benefits are endless. However, one of the biggest reasons people seem to turn to infrared saunas is because of pain. Honestly; we aren’t the young ducklings we used to be. And whether it’s from an injury, age, or just day-to-day activities, we all get pain from time-to-time that just won’t seem to go away (in other words, welcome to adulthood!). However, it has been proven that infrared saunas may be the ultimate solution to this. So set that Icy Hot down, sit back, and let’s talk about a few of the benefits of infrared saunas for pain relief. 

The first way that infrared sauna’s assist with pain relief is with their ability to release tension in joints. This is because the infrared sauna helps to target build-ups of stress and inflammation in the joints. And the way inflammation occurs is ultimately due to the lack of oxygen to certain parts of the body caused by fluctuation with the synovial fluid. This causes stretching of the tendons, which leads to extreme discomfort. Infrared, on the other hand, allows ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) production to be increased, which allows more oxygen to the area under stress and helps to soothe it within minutes (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). So, to put it simply, if you don’t want to snap, crackle, and pop your way through life, infrared saunas might be the thing for you.

The other way that infrared saunas can help you to reduce pain is by reducing stiffness in your body. Whether it’s your back, shoulders, or neck, we all carry tension in our body somewhere that can cause us to be in pain frequently (yet another perk of adulting). The way infrared saunas help to reduce this pain is because the wavelengths from saunas promote circulation throughout your body. This, in return, gets all that built-up tension moving, instantly alleviating pain in your body. Not to mention, it has even been shown that infrared saunas have been able to help reduce pain in people with severe health conditions, such as arthritis (drwillcole.com). Therefore, if these saunas can do all that in just minutes, think about the positive effects prolonged exposure could have for your body. I mean, seriously, do these saunas have a downside?

Overall, infrared saunas are a great solution to combating pain in your body. From tension to stiffness, these saunas are truly a one-of-a-kind experience that is a lifesaver to many. So next time you go to pick up that pharmacy pain reliever cream, consider a sauna session instead, as it seems to be the best, long-term solution with so many incredible benefits. And honestly, when all is said and done, I think we can all end this article by saying one thing, and that is: infrared saunas, where have you been all my life? 

Nushape exists to develop top-tier, industry-leading LED light therapy devices for photobiomodulation. Implementation of specific wavelengths of LED light can effectively enhance bodily processes by improving mitochondrial health, ATP production; ultimately aiding the cellular ability to work faster, stronger.