How Red Light Therapy can improve sleep and circadian rhythms?

In this journey for better sleep, a beacon of hope has emerged in the form of Red Light Therapy. Sleep is undoubtedly one of the most crucial elements of our well-being. This innovative approach claims to have the potential to re-calibrate our internal clocks, bringing them back in line with their natural rhythm. In this blog, We will reveal the science of sleep, the damage that our contemporary society does to it, and how red light treatment may hold the answer to reviving our slumber.

Red Light Therapy & its role on Circadian Rhythms:

The circadian rhythm is at the foundation of all of our everyday activities. Imagine it as an invisible clock that regulates our levels of sleep and wakefulness. These cycles correspond to outside factors, especially light. You can see lots of usages of this light by the internal biological clock, which modifies our mood and degree of attentiveness appropriately.

Our body has an internal clock called circadian rhythms that affects when we feel sleepy or alert. You can see the controlling of this clock by daylight and nighttime. There’s a part of our brain, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), that keeps this clock in sync with the day and night outside. When everything is working right, this brain part makes sure our whole body stays on the same schedule.

But if this rhythm gets disturbed, we can face sleep problems. That’s why finding a way to reset this internal clock can be really helpful. These irregularities of the circadian rhythm are:

  • The hallmark of delayed sleep phase disorder is an inability to fall asleep for at least two hours.
  • Advanced sleep-wake phase disorder: This condition is characterized by unknowingly falling asleep, waking up early, and having trouble falling asleep again.
  • Temporary circadian disturbance caused by abruptly switching between various time zones due to travel is known as jet lag.
  • Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder: This condition is characterized by irregular sleep patterns and sleep-wake cycles that are frequently longer than 24 hours.
  • An inability to adapt to a schedule that involves working at night and sleeping during the day is known as a shift work sleep disorder.
  • Disorder of the irregular sleep-wake cycle (rare): characterized by the absence of a sleep schedule since the circadian cycle has been lost; although people may obtain enough sleep, their patterns of sleep are unpredictable.

One of the main therapies for this class of illnesses is light therapy.

The Impact of Modern Lifestyle on Sleep:

The conveniences of today have a price. Our internal clocks are continuously disrupted by this, which results in poor sleep and related health problems. The clarion call is clear: we need to rejuvenate our circadian rhythms.

When our body’s internal clock goes off track, it can affect our thinking, social life, work, and overall well-being. Research has found that when this clock is disturbed and we don’t sleep well, mental health issues can get worse. Even though it’s hard to pinpoint exactly if poor sleep causes these issues, many times, sleep problems show up before other symptoms do.

The good news is that by fixing our sleep and getting our body’s clock back in sync, we might improve health in many areas. The key seems to be improving sleep quality.

Introduction to Light Therapy:

When we discuss Red light therapy, we are talking about a calculated and exact exposure to particular light wavelengths. Red light is one of them. It’s important to use the correct sort of light, not just any light. And it’s now feasible to introduce these benevolent light patterns on a regular basis at home using infrared light therapy, providing our internal clocks the rest they require.

People with insomnia, circadian rhythm sleep problems, and some forms of depression may benefit from light treatment. Your doctor may advise light treatment in particular if you have trouble sleeping due to:

  • Insomnia
  • Circadian rhythm sleep disorder
  • Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
  • Depression
  • Jet lag
  • Working an overnight schedule
  • Alzheimer’s disease or dementia

The circadian rhythm, a part of your body’s internal clock, controls when you feel alert or drowsy, hungry, and other emotions. The term “circadian” means “about a day” in Latin, and this clock roughly corresponds to the sun’s 24-hour cycle. Light therapy adjusts the internal clock, which uses strong light similar to sunshine.

When you utilize light therapy, the light affects certain eye cells, which subsequently change melatonin and serotonin levels in the brain. These substances regulate your mood and sleep. Your brain lessens melatonin when exposed to the treatment light, which makes you feel more alert and upbeat.

Some individuals naturally have a biological clock that is delayed, which causes them to feel awake late at night and drowsy in the morning. A more regular schedule can be achieved with the use of morning light treatment. However, people who fall asleep relatively early in the evening, such as night shift workers, may find that light treatment in the afternoon or evening is beneficial.

How Light Therapy Affects Sleep:

Infrared light therapy is like a helper for our body’s internal clock, making sure it works just right. When our internal clock is working well, we sleep better at night and feel more alert during the day. How does it do this? It uses certain types of light to adjust our levels of a sleep hormone called melatonin. When melatonin is in balance, we sleep better.

Now, there are some people who feel really down during specific times of the year, like winter. This is sometimes called seasonal affective disorder, or SAD for short. There are also those who just can’t sleep well or have their body’s clock out of sync. Light therapy can be a big help for them.

So, how does light therapy work? It’s simple. With guidance from a doctor, people sit in front of a special bright light box. This isn’t just any light – it’s as bright as 10,000 candles lit at once! They do this for a little while each day, typically between 30 minutes to an hour. This special light helps reset their mood and sleep patterns, making them feel better overall.

There are many different styles of light boxes, including desk lamps and wall-mounted lights. They could assist in resetting the circadian rhythm when used consistently as directed by a doctor.

There is a belief that light treatment may help your brain to produce more serotonin, a hormone that impacts mood, and less of the sleep hormone melatonin. As a result, this may aid in improving mood and sleep for those who use it.

Some people may benefit from gradual dawn simulation devices, commonly referred to as “sunrise alarm clocks.” They function by gradually lighting the surroundings of a sleeper before their typical wake-up time.

Practical Applications of Light Therapy:

It is a bygone era that the days of requiring a spa visit to receive light treatment. Home infrared light therapy provides spa advantages right to your door. Users may easily include light therapy into their everyday routines with the help of gadgets like light therapy lamps, dawn simulators, and even wearable. Plan your infrared therapy light sessions to coincide with your regular waking and sleeping hours for the best benefits.

Light treatment restores your circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythms are cycles of physiological and psychological processes that occur in the majority of people over a 24-hour period. Because these cycles are crucial to many areas of health, study is ongoing even though scientists are yet unsure how they operate.

The majority of organisms create a circadian rhythm that syncs with the cycles of light and dark in their surroundings. In reality, there is a discovery in the human eyes’ backs that sensors that sense light and dark patterns and utilize them to determine the circadian rhythm.

Safety and Considerations:

Security first! It’s crucial to choose approved equipment while experimenting with infrared light treatment. Although side effects are uncommon, some people may feel a little sensitive or uncomfortable. The sun’s cycle of light and darkness significantly influence the circadian clock, sleep, and alertness. The circadian clock in your body interprets light as a cue to wake up and dark as a cue to sleep. To become more aware during the day, turn on more light. To help you sleep better at night, make your bedroom darker.

The circadian clock is most sensitive to light around two hours before typical sleep and one hour after typical wake-up time.

  • about 2 hours before usual bedtime
  • through the night
  • about 1 hour after usual wake-up time in the morning

Avoiding harsh lighting It will be simpler to fall asleep if you go to bed two hours early.

  • Dim the lights two hours before you want to go to bed if you have difficulties falling asleep.
  • In order to feel more alert if you start to feel drowsy too early in the evening, move into a well-lit place.

Go to bed early to receive the rest you need if you don’t feel rested or like you need more.

  • If you wake up in the middle of the night or too early in the morning, keep the lights muted to help you get back to sleep.

You’ll have an easier time falling asleep at night if you wake up to bright light. Soon after waking up, getting strong light could make you feel more awake.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, getting enough sleep is essential. Red light therapy can naturally help us sleep better, especially when our body’s internal clock is off. If you’re looking for a healthier lifestyle, think about using red light therapy at home. It might just lead to brighter, more rested days ahead. Here is a mention of another device, such as RED LIGHT THERAPY FX 300 that may raise your interest.

 

References & Scientific Studies : 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3499892/

https://www.scielo.br/j/anp/a/KcDcMJgRGBMZ48FvFz3PYqN/?lang=en

https://new.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2013/476565/

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