Sleep can easily be taken for granted when it comes easily and without interruption. But anyone who has dealt with insomnia or similar sleep-related issues understands how crucial sleep is to health and day-to-day functionality. If you struggle with sleep, you may feel you’ve tried everything to alleviate the sleepless nights and drowsy days. But there may be another option other than sleeping pills and sleepytime tea.
Red light therapy has shown promise in helping people experience better, more restful sleep, including those struggling with sleep disorders. Red light therapy presents a superb, medication-free alternative for promoting relaxation and winding down during the evenings. Red light therapy can potentially alleviate sleep-related challenges linked with conditions such as insomnia, circadian rhythm sleep disorders, jet lag, seasonal affective disorder, and depression.
Sleep Disorders
Around 90 distinct varieties of sleep disorders have been identified, ranging in severity and prevalence. These disorders can contribute to poor health, increased risk of accidents, and many other issues. Below are some of the more prevalent disorders people may experience.
Insomnia
Insomnia is the most commonly reported sleep disorder, impacting 10 percent of Americans. This condition is characterized by struggling to initiate or maintain sleep, even when given a chance for a complete night's rest, and is unrelated to substance use or medical conditions.
Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia refer to clinically significant excessive daytime sleepiness that cannot be attributed to circadian sleep disorders, sleep-disordered breathing, sleep deprivation, or any known medical issues.
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea entails irregular and frequently disrupted breathing during sleep. It contributes to disruptions in hormonal balance, the development of conditions like hypertension, arrhythmias, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, stroke, and diabetes.
There are also circadian rhythm disorders, which encompass sleep-related problems caused by environmental or lifestyle factors. Jet lag, shift work, demanding work cultures (such as staying up late to work), and the easy accessibility of television and the Internet have all been shown to negatively impact sleep quality.
Impacts of Poor Sleep Quality
Depriving yourself of sufficient sleep can harm your health in various ways. In the short term, you might experience:
- Decreased alertness: Even missing as little as 1.5 hours of sleep can impact your overall sense of alertness.
- Excessive daytime sleepiness: Lack of sleep can lead to heightened drowsiness and fatigue throughout the day.
- Impaired memory: Sleep deprivation can hinder cognitive abilities, affecting memory retention and information processing.
- Strained relationships: Moodiness can ensue, making conflicts with others more likely.
- Diminished quality of life: Participation in everyday activities and exercise may decline.
- Increased risk of car accidents: Drowsy driving contributes to numerous accidents, injuries, and fatalities annually, per the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Functioning without adequate sleep can result in more enduring and severe health issues. Some gravest potential consequences of chronic sleep deprivation are elevated blood pressure, diabetes, heart attacks, heart failure, and strokes. Additional potential concerns encompass obesity, depression, compromised immune system function and decreased libido.
Moreover, chronic sleep deprivation can even influence your physical appearance. Over time, it may lead to premature wrinkling and the development of dark circles beneath your eyes. There exists a connection between sleep deficiency and heightened levels of the stress hormone cortisol in your body. Cortisol has the capability to break down collagen, the protein responsible for maintaining smooth skin. In essence, inadequate sleep could translate to an increase in the formation of wrinkles.
Red Light Therapy
Red light therapy (RLT) is a treatment technique that holds the potential to facilitate healing in various bodily components, such as skin and muscle tissue. This therapy involves subjecting you to low levels of red or near-infrared light. Although your eyes can't detect infrared light, your body perceives it as heat. On the other hand, red light is both visible and perceptible.
In red light therapy, your skin is exposed to a lamp, device, or laser emitting red light. Mitochondria absorb this light and generate additional energy. Some experts propose that this process aids cells in self-repair and enhances their overall health, thereby fostering healing in skin and muscle tissue.
Red light therapy employs extremely mild heat levels and does not cause discomfort or skin burns. It differs from the light in tanning beds and doesn't expose your skin to harmful UV rays.
Treatment For Sleep
Light therapy is rapidly gaining popularity as a practical approach to addressing various health conditions, spanning from skin issues and chronic pain to hair loss and muscle recovery. Yet, the benefits of red light therapy extend beyond these domains, encompassing improved sleep as well. Red light therapy distinguishes itself from harmful ultraviolet light, working to regulate circadian rhythms by utilizing visible light within the range of 620nm (nanometers) to 700nm.
Thanks to its comparatively shorter wavelength, red light can deeply penetrate the skin, exerting its effects at the cellular level. Research has demonstrated its ability to alleviate pain, slow inflammation, and foster healing within compromised cells and tissues.
Your physical well-being significantly impacts your capacity to initiate and maintain sleep. By lessening pain and inflammation while expediting the healing journey, red light therapy promotes sound sleep—both physically and emotionally. When discomfort is minimized, the path to restful sleep becomes smoother. But it also offers additional benefits contributing to easier, more consistent rest.
How Red Light Therapy Helps Sleep
In a light therapy session, the retinal cells in your eyes perceive the light emitted by the therapy box, influencing specific chemicals in your brain. These chemicals, melatonin and serotonin, play pivotal roles in regulating your sleep-wake cycle. The light perception postpones the brain's melatonin production, resulting in increased wakefulness and an elevated mood.
Many individuals grappling with sleep issues linked to their circadian rhythm are described as "phase-delayed" by researchers. This term signifies possessing an internal body clock that lags behind a typical circadian rhythm. Since light is the most potent cue for shaping your circadian rhythm, regular morning light therapy is usually the most effective.
Nevertheless, light therapy can be equally beneficial for those who are "phase-advanced," feeling fatigued quite early in the evening, such as individuals working overnight shifts. Light therapy in the afternoon or evening can be advantageous in such cases.
Red light therapy is still being researched to understand better its benefits and uses. However, multiple advantages have already caught the attention of the scientific community.
Natural Melatonin Release
Red light could contribute to better sleep by aiding the natural release of melatonin. Melatonin, a hormone produced by the brain, governs the sleep-wake cycle.
In a small study conducted in 2012, researchers examined the impact of red light therapy on a group of 20 female athletes. These participants were divided into two groups, with one receiving 30 minutes of red light therapy nightly for a span of 14 days. In comparison to a placebo group that did not undergo light therapy, those who received red light therapy exhibited enhancements in sleep quality, melatonin levels, and endurance performance.
Studies have demonstrated that exposure to red light wavelengths doesn't suppress melatonin production, unlike the effects of blue light. This can encourage a more natural sleep pattern and enhance sleep quality.
No Disruption to Circadian Rhythms
Circadian rhythms encompass the 24-hour cycles that function as a fundamental component of the body's internal clock, operating in the background to facilitate crucial functions and processes. The sleep-wake cycle is one of the most vital and recognizable among these rhythms.
Various bodily systems adhere to circadian rhythms synchronizing with a biological clock within the brain. This internal timekeeper is profoundly affected by environmental cues, most notably light, thereby establishing the connection between circadian rhythms and the natural day and night cycle.
When harmoniously aligned, a circadian rhythm contributes to consistent and rejuvenating sleep. However, disruptions to this rhythm can lead to significant sleep disturbances, such as insomnia. Additionally, ongoing research is uncovering circadian rhythms' pivotal role in various physical and mental health aspects.
Research from 2020 indicates that most individuals exposed to red light displayed minimal to no disruption in their circadian rhythms. Unlike blue light, red light does not interfere with this cycle.
May Improve Sleep Disorders
Red light therapy can potentially ameliorate specific sleep disorders, like insomnia and sleep apnea. Various studies have been done on bright light therapy and red light therapy to help improve sleep and improve circadian rhythms around sleep. However, more studies are needed to fully understand the impacts and efficacy of using red light therapy to treat disorders like insomnia and sleep apnea.
Mitigates Jet Lag
Jet lag, a common phenomenon that occurs after traveling across different time zones, can disrupt the body's internal clock. Symptoms may include fatigue, insomnia, and concentration difficulties.
Red light therapy could potentially counteract jet lag by aiding in regulating the sleep-wake cycle. Certain research suggests that exposure to red light wavelengths could reset the body's internal clock and diminish jet lag symptoms. Combining this with melatonin supplementation may amplify the effect, allowing people to acquire a natural sleep schedule faster after travel.
Pain Alleviation
Another potential benefit of red light therapy for sleep is its capacity to alleviate pain. Chronic pain can hinder falling asleep and maintaining restful sleep throughout the night.
Red light therapy holds analgesic properties that effectively reduce pain and inflammation. It has been used to help treat chronic pain from osteoarthritis, lower back pain, and dental issues. Since Red light therapy helps reduce inflammation and pain without interrupting circadian rhythms, it can facilitate falling and staying asleep, particularly for those dealing with back, neck, or shoulder discomfort.
Eases Depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder
Red light therapy also holds promise for addressing depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD, a form of depression prevalent during winter months due to reduced natural sunlight, can find relief through red light therapy. It mimics some of sunlight's benefits, elevating serotonin levels and decreasing cortisol levels. These biochemical shifts contribute to alleviating symptoms without interrupting the sleep cycle.
Safe for Nighttime Use
An advantage of red light therapy is its safety for nighttime use. Unlike blue light, which can disrupt melatonin production and sleep, red light may promote sleep by augmenting serotonin and reducing cortisol levels, allowing the body to fall asleep easier.
Better Sleep With RLT
Sleep is one of the most important healing activities for the body, providing necessary rest and time for the body to recover after each day. Poor sleep can lead to detrimental health issues and long-term impacts.
Red light therapy offers a simple strategy to improve sleep without pharmaceuticals, complicated procedures, and costly appointments. While it may not be effective for everyone, it has shown promising results for boosting melatonin and helping people return to a more regular sleep schedule without interfering in the ways other lights might in the evening.
