What are the benefits of light therapy? – Happiness and health

Currently, there is a lot of talk about the luminotherapy which is also known as phototherapy. Most of us have probably heard of it before, but to be clear, it is a cure using artificial light.

This practice includes treating skin infections, seasonal depression and many other disorders of the body with lamps that emit artificial light.

And so far, we cannot ignore all the benefits of this new treatment. This is why more and more wellness specialists are turning to this practice. Discover all the benefits of light therapy.

The origins of light therapy

Although light therapy is considered to be light therapy, it is only one of its many forms. The principle is simple, you expose your body in front of a lamp providing a light that reproduces that of the sun.

Thanks to this artificial light, the body reacts in a positive way. Many functions are thus improved. For the session to be really effective, you need an intensity of 2500 to 10000 lux. Below that, light therapy will have no effect, and beyond that, you risk burning your skin.

For information, light therapy appeared more than a century ago. It was a doctor of Danish origin called Ryberg Finsen who researched the benefits of light against several diseases.

In 1903, his efforts were rewarded with the Nobel Prize for Medicine. However, the light cure was abandoned in favor of other remedies only to return to the coast in 1984.

At that time, American doctors decided to use the light to treat victims of seasonal depression following fruitful research on all its benefits. Since then, light therapy has become more and more popular.

It is also noted that Arabs, Egyptians, Greeks and other civilizations have worshiped the sun since ancient times. The benefits of the sun were already evident to them, hence the divine names of the sun.

The multiple benefits of light therapy

Against seasonal depression

When autumn comes to the fore, a sudden feeling of sadness comes over us. But most of the time, it’s just a passing state. You get used to shorter days and longer nights after a few days.

However, some people do not manage to pass this course. They become easily irritable, have insomnia, mood swings, in short, behaviors that harm their social relationships and their productivity at work.

It is estimated that 1 in 5 people in France is affected by winter depression, also known as SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).

Your body produces melatonin, the sleep hormone that is synthesized during the night. In people with seasonal depression, melatonin production is disturbed during these seasons.

During the day, their bodies make more melatonin than they need. This leads to seasonal depression in these individuals.

The treatment of light therapy will inhibit the secretion of melatonin. This will regulate the internal clock, allow better synchronization of biological rhythms (1).

Premenstrual disorders

For people who have these disorders (bad mood, melancholy, painful swelling of the breasts, anxiety) before and during menstruation, the treatment with light therapy is to be seen closely.

This treatment actually regulates your mood, it allows you to see life in pink during your period.

Chronic fatigue

Some jobs are inherently very physically exhausting. People who exercise these trades are very often tired. Other jobs, on the contrary, require little physical strength, but require excessive concentration.

This also causes fatigue in the brain. Whether one or the other causes chronic fatigue in you, the use of light therapy will help you overcome your chronic fatigue.

Light therapy will act just like in the case of seasonal depression. This will boost your energy and remove the chronic fatigue you suffer from.

Sexual breakdowns

Yes you read correctly “sexual failures”, your eyes do not deceive you. Light therapy which is an alternative medicine is used by doctors to overcome sexual problems in individuals.

These disorders in men are among others: erection problems, impotence. In women it is during painful menstruation or during premenopause. Premenopause is an emotional period for women. It causes mood disorders, hot flashes, sometimes lack of appetite.

The use of a light therapy lamp helps to overcome the course of sexual disorders in both men and women. If you are affected by these cases, consider light therapy for the treatment of the disorders you have.

 Against the effects of jet lag

After a stay abroad with a different schedule from that of France or our country of residence, it is difficult to recover from our trip. Everything is topsy-turvy. We are sleepy at 8am while at midnight when everyone is asleep, we feel great.

It is quite tiring for the nervous system and the organism. This momentarily causes an imbalance that works against your productivity. To fight against the effects of jet lag and get back in shape straight away, a course of light therapy is welcome.

Get 30 minutes of light therapy at sunrise to recover. It takes an average of 5-7 days for a person to recover from jet lag if the time difference between the two countries (that of the stay and that of the residence) is 6 hours. But with the cure of light therapy, 1-2 days are enough to recover.

You can also do this cure in certain airport areas designed for this purpose. Paris airport allows light therapy cures in certain terminals, in particular those of Roissy and Orly Ouest.

You can also buy light therapy lamps or glasses in some shops at the airport.

To help you sleep (in addition to light therapy), eat foods rich in carbohydrates at night instead. A bowl of warm milk will help you sleep well through the night despite the jet lag.

To stay awake in the morning, eat a protein-rich meal.

Avoid alcohol and coffee which further tire your nervous system already strained by the lag.

For night work

For night shift workers, get exposure to light therapy before starting labor. If you start at 6 p.m., 5 a.m. to 5:30 a.m., do some exposure to light therapy. Calculate your time on the basis of not being late for work.

At 1 am, another light therapy session is required. You can therefore use your light therapy glasses. Their intensity is low, but you keep them longer to compensate for this weakness.

You can have your light therapy lamp at work if you are concerned about side effects (though not yet reported) from these glasses. When you get off work, wear your sunglasses to limit your exposure to the sun. This will make it easier for you to fall asleep during the day.

For the benefit of athletes

High performance athletes who use light therapy have a higher level of concentration than athletes who are not subjected to light therapy.

In addition to the concentration that it promotes, light therapy boosts your energy, allows the body to rest well and therefore to be at its best for any competition or intense physical activity.

Against alcoholism

Studies were carried out on rats in a dark place and therefore deprived of light. These light-deprived rats drank alcohol rather than water (2). It has been shown that:

• The urge to consume alcohol is stronger when we are deprived of light. This also justifies the heavy consumption of alcohol in winter.
• Light therapy could therefore be used as a complement in alcohol withdrawal treatments in the future.

Sleep disturbances

Sleep disorders affect the daily lives of those who suffer from it. This can be restless sleep, too short a sleep time, sleeping at inappropriate times.

If you regularly have trouble sleeping, a light therapy lamp would be welcome in your room. How does light therapy work on your system to eradicate these disorders?

Melatonin also called the sleep hormone is a central regulatory hormone of the biological chrono system. It is mainly synthesized at night. Hence the importance of sleeping well at night to get quality sleep and the benefits that follow for your body.

Light therapy works directly on the production of melatonin in the body. Which acts positively on the immune system and mood. By using a light therapy lamp, you get quality sleep. You feel well rested and fresh when you wake up. Your energy is also boosted.

Light therapy has no side effects. It can be used in case of light sleep disorders. But if the disorders are chronic, refer to your doctor for optimal use of light therapy or to find other solutions appropriate to your case.

Affective disorders

Affective disorders, also called mood disorders, are emotional disturbances related to a lack.

The disorders are of various origins. They can come from, among other things, a lack of self-confidence, a lack of love, a lack of satisfactory social relations, difficult choices to make (careers, university orientations in high school students, etc.).

The origins are conscious or unconscious. They have been accepted or rejected. These disorders affect the daily lives of people who suffer from them. They play heavily against their productivity, their self-confidence, their mood and their relationship.

Light therapy is used to overcome affective disorders. This works well 80% of the time. Those affected were able to recover.

Against bulimia

During the winter, we are deprived of sun (3). Serotonin (a hormone produced by the body) regulates mood and diet in individuals. The lack of light in winter will therefore lead to a disruption in the secretion of serotonin.

This results in a greater appetite and an attraction for sugary, fatty foods.

Treatment with light therapy helps to overcome this bulimia naturally by regulating hormones.

Against anorexia

As we said above, light therapy acts in the regulation of behavioral disorders. It is a treatment that acts on the brain.

Anorexia is also an affective disorder that results from withdrawal. This lack can be conscious or unconscious, unrecognized, repressed or known. The use of light therapy also acts in the regulation of hormones involved in anorexia.

Depression before and after childbirth

The hormonal upheaval causes in women before and after childbirth behavioral disorders. I remember that following the delivery of my first child, I felt overwhelmed with sudden sadness for a few days.

I found myself crying for no apparent reason. I just felt weird. At that time, light therapy treatment was not well known to the public. The phase of pregnancy and childbirth is a rather delicate period for women.

No one can understand her, nor relieve her of this sudden melancholy that invades her being. I tried the light therapy treatment (on the advice of a friend) for my second baby and bingo, it works!

I started the treatment 2 to 3 months before the delivery and I continued until the normal resumption of my activities.

Apart from any scientific study, this treatment has worked with me and I recommend it (with the advice of your doctor of course).

Against computer vision syndrome

Computer use and screens in general lead to computer vision syndrome (4). It manifests as momentarily cloudy vision, migraines, back pain, heavy headache and chronic fatigue.

Computer vision syndrome is caused by the brightness of screens affecting your eyes.

A light therapy device will allow a healthier distribution of the brightness of the screen. In addition, the light will be indirectly in contact with the eye. This helps protect your eyes.

Another option is also to use anti blue light glasses.

Against acne

Whether in adolescence or adulthood, acne is a major problem for women. It is caused by the bacteria Propionibacterium acne. Everyone has this bacteria on their body. It does not a priori constitute a danger.

But when it multiplies on a large scale due to fat or other causes (dust, hormonal change), it leads to the formation of pimples and inflammation in the face, neck.

Acne is difficult to prevent, especially if it has a hormonal cause. There are no typical remedies. More and more research is turning to the use of blue light and red light in the regeneration of the skin.

Studies have been conducted in the United States on 107 people with acne. Some were treated with white light, others were treated with red light, a third group was treated with blue light.

The fourth group was treated with combined blue and red light. The treatments lasted between 4 and 8 weeks for this latter group. At the end of this period, patients treated with the combined red and blue light showed better results than other treatments.

The researchers also stated that the combination of blue and red lights would have more significant results when combined with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory products (5).

Light therapy in the treatment of Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s disease causes the cells of the biological clock to weaken. Which leads to sleep and mood disturbances in patients.

Treatment with light therapy does not cure Alzheimer’s, but it allows a better life in patients. Their sleep and seizures are better controlled thanks to light therapy. In addition, treatment in the early stages of the disease reduces the effects of the disease.

Lack of concentration

Lack of concentration negatively influences your productivity whatever your role in society. Light therapy through its action on hormones promotes better concentration.

How to properly use the light therapy lamp

Lux is the unit of measurement for the intensity of light. Nature offers you 100 lux on a beautiful sunny day. At home or in enclosed spaces, the lamp used gives you between 000 and 50 lux.

The recommended daily dose is 10 lux for 000 minutes in the morning.

The light intensity of your light fixtures is important because they indicate whether you are receiving enough light or not. Less light will expose you to mood swings and other benign afflictions.

More and more, light therapy lamps are used (even outside of treatment) to compensate for deficiencies in light. Manufacturers are subject to strict and specific rules in the manufacture, safety and information to consumers of light therapy lamps.

Light therapy lamps are like all bedroom lamps. They are very easy to use.

1. The treatment of light therapy promotes better synchronization of your body, especially good sleep. However, these lamps should be used in the morning, not at night. Expose yourself for 30 minutes each morning in front of your lamp.
2. Using the lamp at night would interfere with the regulation of your body. This can cause insomnia or restless sleep. Exposure to the light therapy lamp helps reduce melatonin.
3. This hormone that promotes sleep (6). So by using the lamp in the evening or at night, you create the causes of your insomnia and the disruption of your system. Light therapy also has the effect of stimulating serotonin, a hormone that promotes wakefulness. The lamp also plays on your biological clock.

For all these reasons, even if it would be more interesting to do a treatment in the evening in a very relaxed way and to fall asleep, it is not recommended to do this treatment in the evening (for your good).

How long does the cure last?

The duration of the light therapy treatment depends on the case. But in general, it runs from mid-autonomy to the end of winter. During this period, the days are shorter, gray and cold. You don’t have optimal light exposure. Hello the depressed.

To prevent behavioral disorders (quite common in this period), expose yourself to a light therapy lamp for 20 to 30 minutes in the morning, every day.

When your lamp is 10 lux, expose yourself for a period of about 000 minutes for a distance of 30-50 cm. For low intensity lamps, exposure should be prolonged to achieve the same results.

You can extend the period of exposure to the lamp over several months depending on your needs. This can be to treat a behavioral disorder or simply to compensate for the lack of light (night work).

When you start a course of light therapy, the benefits on your body appear after 4-6 days of successive exposure. These benefits extend over 3-5 days without exposure to light. This is why it is recommended a daily exposure.

Doctors recommend for better use to look at the lamp in the face from time to time to allow better absorption of light by the eye.

Light therapy lamps are generally made from neon, which is quite durable. That’s about 10 hours of use. This means that you can use your lights over several winters (000).

The dangers of light therapy and cancer risk

What about the risk of cancer?

Phototherapy which includes light therapy uses light for the treatment of certain diseases.

Light therapy is generally used for affective and related disorders, while other forms of light therapy are used for the treatment of skin cancer or the treatment of neonatal jaundice in hospitals.

Studies are being done to decide whether or not phototherapy (including light therapy) can lead to cancer risks. So far no study has been able to demonstrate a direct link between light therapy and cancer.

Dangers relating to the quality of your lamp

The light therapy lamp is a light panel fitted with compact fluorescent tubes of soft yellow to cold white light in principle. This original light is safe for the eyes even during a long period of use.

But given the success of light therapy treatment in recent years, some manufacturers have innovated blue light emitting diode (LED) lights which can cause damage to the eye over a period of time.

Avoid low-cost LED lamps, prefer higher qualities. Also make sure that your LED lamp has a protective cover (8). Read the technical data of your lamp before committing to a purchase.

Some manufacturers have medical approvals (their lamps are of better quality), and others do not. If your lamp has the CE symbol followed by a series of 4 numbers (for example CE 0197 Certification), it is a sign that it is a medically approved lamp according to the European directive on medical devices (9).

Medically approved lamps are safe, healthy and do not emit harmful UV rays to the skin.

When your lamp is marked IP44 this means that it can withstand water projections (9).

In addition to the intensity of the lamp which is indicated in lux ’10 lux’ ‘for example, check the distance at which you must dispose the lamp from you for the treatment.

Light therapy devices and neighboring devices

• Illuminated wall lamps: they are useful when two or more of you are using light therapy at the same time. In addition, if you do not want to be too close to the source of the light, this type of lamp will suit you perfectly.

In addition with this lamp format, you can do activities in the room (where it is placed) and at the same time do your light therapy treatment.

• Desk lamps : they are suitable for individual use. With this lamp you are closer to the source of the light. They are placed on the desk or any other piece of furniture. For this format, you can read during your treatment. Activities with this lamp format are reduced.
• The feel good glasses : They work with batteries. You wear them and can go anywhere you want. Their intensity is low. But this is compensated by the proximity to the source of the light.

Light therapy lamps are to be distinguished from the dawn simulator. The dawn simulator allows you to wake up gently, unlike the morning alarm clock which sounds like a siren and gives you migraine headaches when you wake up. The simulator gently wakes you from your sleep.

You are more rested, fresher and without migraine. However, it is not used to treat depression or any other health problem that light therapy can solve.

How does it work exactly?

What are the real effects of white light on the body?

Light therapy is known to be a gentle and effective remedy for various disorders related to the internal biological clock. It is a privileged treatment against seasonal depression, chronic fatigue, insomnia as well as against various skin diseases.

Thanks to artificial light, without ultra-violet, the body secretes more serotonin, a substance known to be excellent for morale. It regulates sleep in particular, so we find with just a few sessions the balance between waking up and sleeping. Light therapy is therefore ideal for dealing with jet lag.

When you are often faced with stress, serotonin is a great help. There is nothing better than exposure to artificial light to restore morale.

It is ideal for people who are depressed due to the change of seasons or because of childbirth. At the same time, we regain energy and vitality for the day.

Those who suffer from chronic fatigue can therefore be cured with light therapy. Just like the elderly with sleep disorders.

In addition, the light emissions relieve skin infections such as eczema, acne, psoriasis … Infrared rays are known to accelerate the healing of lesions while reducing inflammation. To quickly regain healthy skin, you therefore know what you have to do.

A cure recommended by doctors …

As soon as winter arrives and throughout autumn, the days are shorter. Thus, we have less and less natural light.

However, light prevents our bodies from producing melatonin, the sleep hormone, according to specialists.

This affects our internal biological clock, which is responsible for wakefulness and sleep, temperature, appetite, hormones … Our body should only secrete melatonin in the evening.

And when the brightness is not sufficient, the body automatically secretes more melatonin during the day. As a result, the vitality of the body is affected. We start to get depressed, to lose our morale and our biological system goes wrong.

This is the reason why light therapy cures the problems and disorders mentioned above since they are, for the most part, caused by the lack of light.

Doctors, especially psychiatrists and neuropsychiatrists therefore recommend light therapy for prevent the harmful effects of the disruption of the internal biological system manifested by the lack of sun, the Depression, lack of libido… Also, well-being specialists offer different kinds of light cures. But light therapy is not suitable for all patients.

… but not recommended for some people

There are indeed contraindications for light therapy. People with eye problems, for example, are far too sensitive to light. The treatment of cataracts, glaucoma, retinal pigment, etc., are not suitable for light therapy.

If you have diabetes or herpes, light therapy may make your sight problems worse because these diseases affect the retina.

The treatment is strongly discouraged for patients suffering from certain mental illnesses such as paranoia, schizophrenia, etc. Also, epileptics cannot stand light rays as they can trigger seizures.

And of course, it’s best not to consider light therapy when you’re hyper sensitive to light or the sun.

Medicines such as lithium, essential oils of citrus fruits and angelica are, for example, photosensitive drugs which must not be combined with light therapy.

Before starting a course of light therapy, a medical consultation is required. Only treating physicians such as psychiatrists, ophthalmologists and general practitioners are able to determine if the treatment corresponds to your body or if you will actually obtain the desired effects.

How to use light therapy?

The best time to expose yourself to light therapy lamps is before eight in the morning. At this time, the brightness acts more effectively. Throughout the day, we keep fishing.

But it is possible to have your session at any time of the day. But never do your session in the evening unless you suffer from jet lag. You can sit comfortably in your living room, in your bedroom, in your office … for the session.

A light therapy session takes about thirty to two hours depending on the intensity of the light. At a minimum, an intensity of 2500 lux is required. The lamp is placed 30 cm from the face and slightly above the eyes, the goal being to let the retina absorb the light. The ideal is to keep your eyes open as much as possible.

During the session, you can continue to work, watch television, eat or do a little reading. Attention all the same to keep the lamp in your visual field. We also recommend choosing a lamp with a sufficiently wide light field.

Light therapy treatments for children and adolescents should not exceed thirty minutes daily.

In general, the effects of light therapy are felt after a week of treatment. But by extending your treatment over four weeks, you will see incredible results on your body.

Some specialists even recommend combining light therapy with sports activities. They also suggest going out more often during the day to support and optimize the effects of the treatment.

At home or at a professional?

If this is how light therapy is used, you may wonder if you can use it at home or at a professional’s. Know that it is quite possible to follow the cure at home or go to a professional.

Wellness centers and hospitals offer light therapy in their services. By going to these professionals, count at least one session of one or two hours over seven to ten days as needed. The session is estimated at around 20 euros.

But practice the light therapy at home and by oneself has other advantages, particularly in terms of costs. The costs are, in fact, less important than with a professional.

A light therapy device costs between 50 and 150 euros. Our article choose your light therapy lamp may interest you.

In addition, you can do the sessions as regularly as you want. However, it is essential to choose the right device. A device conforming to medical standards is required, they can be recognized by the CE medical equipment markings (93/42 / EEC). Likewise, their power, that is to say their intensity, must be chosen with care. It is of course advisable to purchase a home light therapy device on the recommendation of your doctor.

LED lamps are cheaper and more energy efficient. Note that dawn simulators are not exactly light therapy devices but still improve the quality of sleep.

And to optimize the effects of the session, it is essential to know how to use the device to avoid all the risks.

Contraindications to the use of light therapy

Light therapy is safe. However, headaches and insomnia may occur when starting treatment. Rather, it is advisable to start treatment timidly.

Do a 10-20 minute exposure in the morning in the first days of treatment. Do the treatment every 2 days. When your body gets used to it, at this point you can do an exposure of 30 minutes or more / day.

Light therapy is contraindicated or should be monitored closely in the event of (10):

• Glaucoma and Bipolar Depression: If either of these conditions applies to you, you may be treated with light therapy.

But you must absolutely discuss it with your doctor because specificities (intensity of light, period of treatment, ideal time.) Exist for people suffering from bipolar depression or glaucoma.

• High sensitivity to light

• Treatment with lithium salts or tetracyclines: see your doctor beforehand

• Macular Degeneration and Diabetic Retinopathy: In these two cases, light therapy should be avoided because the light promotes or worsens the symptoms.

• Childhood and Adolescence: For children and adolescents, see a pediatrician first if you think your child is suffering from seasonal depression. For use, the duration of the cure is 15-20 minutes each morning.

Conclusion

The treatment of light therapy is an alternative medicine without side effects. It helps rebalance your hormonal system by acting directly on your brain cells.

Abandoned in favor of modern medicine, light therapy now occupies a prominent place; after several decades of struggle for its recognition.

Do you know of other benefits of light therapy that we have not highlighted in our article, please share it with us.

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Have a good light therapy session 🙂

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