What is light therapy?
Light Therapy (also known as phototherapy or photo-biomodulation) is the process of utilizing natural and artificial sources of light to combat depression, SAD (seasonal affective disorder), promotes secretion of serotonin from the pineal gland, stimulates production of vitamin D and resets the body’s circadian rhythm. Some consider the practice of light therapy pseudoscience or quackery. I personally am an advocate for practicing light therapy. The positive effects from exposure to sunlight or even certain types of artificial light has been a tremendously positive influence on my mood, particularly in the winter months when sunlight is limited.
History of light therapy
The concept of light therapy can be dated back thousands of years to ancient civilizations that practiced sun worship. In the early 20th century a scientist named Niels Ryberg Finsen invented a device capable of producing artificial sunlight. With this device he was able to treat health conditions like lupus vulgaris, using the radiation emitted by the light to alleviating the person’s condition. In the 1950 when rickets was more prevalent, light and laser therapy was used to help those with vitamin D deficiency and issues with malabsorption of nutrients. More recently in the early 1990s, NASA was exploring methods to use lamps to promote the growth of crops on planets that don’t receive adequate sunlight. This endeavor aided in the understanding of the epigenetic effect of light sources on living organisms.
Colored lights and its effect on human psyche
There’s no question that the source of where light comes from is of great importance. The color of light being emitted is also an extremely crucial factor in influencing the mental state of human beings. The study of different colors [of light] and how they affect human mood is called chromotherapy. Have you ever noticed when you’re really tired and you use a device with a bright screen it makes it almost impossible to fall asleep? Watching T.V., using a computer, smartphone, tablet or even using certain light therapy lamps, emit a blue light, and blue light (and light of any kind for that matter) inhibits the production of melatonin which raises alertness and makes it difficult to sleep. This is why it is important to avoid T.V. and computer usage a few hours before bedtime. (Although it may be possible to change the color settings on the T.V. and computer) When it comes to using handheld devices, many of them have a light filter setting that block out blue light so you can use your phone or tablet at night without the worry of it disturbing your circadian rhythm.
Light sources
Using proper light sources in your home/apartment is an important factor to consider. There are a few different ways to light your living space, such as natural light and artificial light (there are subcategories of these as well). For example natural light includes sunlight and open flame like candlelight and fire (from a fireplace or a bonfire). Artificial lighting comes from light bulbs, like LED, fluorescent, halogen, and incandescent. Each one is unique in terms of the elements and materials used to make the bulb emit light. For example fluorescent lights are made by ionizing mercury in a glass tube. Mercury is a very harmful heavy metal that can have harmful effects if absorbed by the body. In addition, LED bulbs emit radiation, which can cause headaches, eye strain, and over time could cause skin cancer. Aside from the materials and chemical structure, other important factors to consider are the light color, brightness (lumens) and the flicker rate (Hz). Ideally you want a bulb with a minimal hue rather than something like a blue light because, as I mentioned, blue light inhibits melatonin production and can be problematic around bedtime. When it comes to light exposure during the day, don’t be afraid to open the window blinds and let the sunlight brighten up your day (literally). As far as bulbs go, incandescent bulbs have been around for a very long time, but in many ways considered to be superior to newer bulbs like LED and fluorescent. Although fluorescent and even halogen bulbs aren’t as energy efficient as newer bulbs, the trade off is a brighter bulb that has a lower flicker rate. I was listening to Dave Asprey’s podcast and he talked about using the slow motion video recording feature on smartphones to determine how frequently lights flicker.
Points to take home:
Light therapy (Phototherapy) is the method of using light as a way of positively influencing mood , regulation of circadian rhythm, and healing health conditions
The practice of light therapy can be traced back thousands of years in ancient civilizations
Blue light (the type of light emitted from certain electronic devices) inhibits melatonin secretion from the pineal gland and promotes serotonin
When purchasing light bulbs for your home; it is important to consider factors like brightness (lumens) and flicker rate (Hz) to be able to have optimal lighting
Leave a Reply