Red Light Therapy is one of the modern-day biohacking techniques that has gained a lot of popularity in recent times.
In this article, we will discuss what exactly Red Light Therapy (RLT) is? How does it work? What are its benefits? And what are the options?
Let’s quickly look at a brief history of lighting therapy first to understand how it all began. Modern-day Light therapy dates back to 1903, where Niels Ryberg Finsen won the Nobel Prize for Early Light Therapy Treatments [1]. But it was not until the early 1990s where the actual advancements started happening with reduced lighting costs and improved efficiency. It was during this time NASA tested red light therapy to grow a plant’s space in the absence of sunlight. It worked as the plants started responding, leading to several further experiments and studies.[2]
What is Red Light Therapy? And How Does It Work?
Red light therapy (RLT) is basically exposing your body to a low-level red wavelength of light.
This red light is natural and penetrates deep into the skin, where the cells (mitochondria) can absorb and produce more adenosine triphosphate, which is the energy source for all cells. It is believed that with this extra energy, the cell can effectively repair itself from the common damages caused by the modern-day lifestyle like pollution, radiation, free radical damage, etc.
RTL also has several other names like :
- photobiomodulation (PBM),
- low-level light therapy (LLLT),
- biostimulation,
- photonic stimulation.
Benefits of Red Light Therapy:
Many studies have shown the potential benefits of RTL on skin and hair health. In many instances, RTL has also been used to treat wounds, scars, wrinkles, and spots.
As we discussed above, RTL helps in protecting and restoring the damaged cells.
One of the review journals states that RTL improves collagen production, which gives skin elasticity. It also increases the blood circulation between the blood and tissue cells, improving the complexion of the skin, reducing wrinkles, and improving the overall health of the skin.
RTL is also said to have positive effects on reducing inflammation, healing wounds, and muscle breakdown.
There are also other benefits like increased oxygen production, increase anti-oxidant defense, improved circadian rhythm, improved mood, better sleep and faster muscle recovery.
Red Light Therapy Options:
There are many red light therapies out on their market. Let’s have a look at a few of them.
- Red Light Rising is a great panel due to its length (it’s longer than other panels) and the most powerful, meaning that you don’t have to spend as much time in front of it.
- Joovv is another option. It is not as powerful or as large as Red Light Rising but the advantage here is a timer. Timers are usually handy to plan your sessions and snapback in case you dose off or go into a deep meditative state. Joov is comparatively more expensive than the Red Light Rising, making the latter a little more appealing.
- The next option is Flex Beam. Flex Beam is one-of-a-kind because you can wrap this around your shoulder, back, neck, abdomen, or anywhere you want to target specifically without having to stay in one position.This is great for busy individuals, as you can multi-task wearing this. It also has 3 settings for superficial such as skin, thyroid or injury.
- Joov Go is a great option for frequent travelers or commuting individuals. This is a very small panel but useful when you travel, especially to different countries and timezones. This helps by providing restorative red light to your retina when you are spending most of your time indoors.
- Clearlight Sauna is the last one we will discuss here. The full spectrum Infrared heaters in the Clearlight Saunas warm the body in the same manner as natural sunlight. Infrared heat therapy uses the wavelength of the visible and non-visible light spectrum of sunlight that heats the body in the same way as natural sunlight.
Takeaway
RTL has shown some promising results in improving overall health. It will be a great addition to your routine if overall health and performance is your priority. As always, it is highly recommended to consult your doctor before starting with RTL, especially if you have any conditions.
