If you could put the benefits of red light and near-infrared light into a pill, it would be the most profitable pharmaceutical in the world.
According to recent market research, the global market for red light treatment is projected to reach $ 1351.09 million by 2027. This shows that more and more people worldwide are using light therapy for health and wellness purposes.
Red light therapy, also called low-level light therapy or photobiomodulation, is a safe and non-invasive method of health care that uses red and near-infrared light to speed up the body's natural healing processes and fuel mitochondria.
Over 3000 studies have shown that red light and near-infrared light could be helpful in various medical procedures.
In this guide, we will cover this health modality in detail so that by the end, you will better understand its benefits and hopefully be convinced to add this routine to your health program.
Sun and Light
The sun is the generator of everything in our solar system and is the ultimate source of all life on Earth. Without the sun, life on Earth would not be possible. Light, a form of electromagnetic radiation, is the energy that powers all life.
Light waves are measured in nanometers (NM), with a visible spectrum between 400 and 700nm. Unfortunately, the human eye can only detect 9% of the available range. Red light, which falls between 600 and 700nm, represents the highest part of the visible spectrum. You get near-infrared light as you progress along the spectrum towards the 700nm to 1,100nm range.
Red and near-infrared light have a bioactive effect on humans, and they are known to power the cells. Unlike humans, who can only see a fraction of the electromagnetic spectrum, near-infrared light is one of the most heavily studied. It has been shown to provide numerous health benefits.
To better understand where red and near-infrared light falls on the electromagnetic spectrum, take a look at this graphic:
Light as Nutrition
One of the pivotal epiphanies in my understanding of light was the analogy to food nutrition. Light powers our cells and plays an integral role in hormone regulation, physical performance, sleep, and gene expression. Just like food, we need light in the right amounts and quantities.
Science has identified five types of bioactive light in humans:
- Ultraviolet light (UV Light) - how your body synthesizes vitamin D from the Sun
- Blue Light - large impact on setting circadian rhythm
- Red Light - stimulates ATP production at the mitochondrial level
- Far infrared light - heats up your body. When you feel the sun's heat, this is what you're feeling
- Near-infrared light - Stimulates ATP and acts on mitochondria
Light as nutrition - Get Your Daily Light Needs
It's well understood that vitamin D deficiency, caused by insufficient UV light, is a culprit in many modern diseases. Similarly, blue light has been linked to mental health issues and insomnia due to the rise of devices everywhere.
While we may not know the exact mechanisms of each wavelength and its resulting health implications, it's safe to surmise that humans need the full spectrum of light the sun provides in whatever the average dose is.
Having the proper amount of these five forms of light is crucial for maintaining good health in humans. During the last few generations, modern humans have switched to living indoor lives with electricity, artificial lighting systems, and little sun exposure. As a result, we have developed light deficiencies and toxicities that seriously harm our health and quality of life.
Now imagine how many other modern chronic diseases, which science has yet to understand fully, are directly connected to light imbalances. Maybe it's the lack of red and NIR light that's causing so many issues? Maybe it's the far infrared, which we can only get from fire, the sun, or the heat from something like a radiator, is what we're missing in our modern enivorment?
I think it's ALL of these.
As science catches up by studying the benefits of light and light technology, I feel it's just telling us something we should already know—our environment is mismatched to our biology.
Red light and near-infrared light have grown in popularity as science has caught up with the principle of human health. As demonstrated by the benefits of these two types of light, incorporating them into your health program can lead to a healthier, happier life.
Some of the consequences of light deficiency are:
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): SAD is a type of depression that occurs during the fall and winter seasons when there is less natural light from the sun. The lack of the sun can affect the body's production of serotonin and melatonin, leading to symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, and difficulty concentrating.
- Vitamin D deficiency: Vitamin D is synthesized when the skin is exposed to sunlight. A lack of the sun can lead to a flaw in this vital nutrient, weakening bones, muscle weakness, and an increased risk of chronic diseases.
- Sleep disturbances: Exposure to natural light helps regulate the body's internal clock or circadian rhythm. Light deficiency can disrupt this rhythm and lead to sleep disturbances, such as insomnia or disrupted sleep patterns.
- Mental health problems: Light deficiency has been linked to an increased risk of an anxiety attacks and depression, cognitive decline, and dementia in older adults.