Lights On, Mood Up: How Light Therapy Can Turn Your Day Around

Are you in a funk and having trouble lifting your spirits? If so, you might want to consider light therapy as a way to improve your mood. Light therapy, also known as phototherapy, is a form of treatment that uses a combination of light intensity, duration, and wavelength to treat a range of conditions. It has been found to be particularly effective in improving mood and treating depression, though it can also be used to treat a range of other conditions.

Light therapy is an increasingly popular treatment to improve mood, energy levels, and sleep. But what exactly is light therapy and how can it benefit your life? In this blog post, we’ll look at the definition and history of light therapy, the benefits of using it, and the different types of therapy lamps.

What is Light Therapy?

Light therapy is a non-invasive treatment that uses full-spectrum lights of different intensities for various lengths of time in order to improve mood and energy levels. It works by stimulating the essential hormones and chemicals in the body responsible for regulating our moods, emotions, energy levels, sleep patterns, and concentration.

History of Light Therapy

The use of light therapy dates back thousands of years when people used natural sunlight to treat seasonal depression. In the 20th century, light therapy was studied more extensively to determine its effects on treating other mood disorders such as anxiety, depression, and insomnia.

Types of Light Therapy

There are two main types of light therapy: bright white light therapy and coloured light therapy. Bright white light therapy has been traditionally used to help regulate melatonin in order to treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD) while coloured light therapy is typically used to treat other mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression.

Benefits of Light Therapy

Improved Mood

One of the main benefits of light therapy is improved mood. Studies have shown that exposure to full spectrum lights can help boost serotonin levels in the body which helps regulate our moods and emotions. In addition, it has been found that regular exposure to bright white lights can help reduce symptoms of SAD such as sadness or depression during winter months with less natural sunlight available.

Increased Energy

Light therapy has also been found to improve your energy levels throughout the day by helping you regulate your sleep cycles so that you get better quality sleep each night. By improving your sleep quality, you will feel better rested throughout the day which in turn will improve your overall energy levels.

Improved Sleep

Light therapy can also be used as a treatment for insomnia since it helps regulate our melatonin production which helps us get into a deeper state of restful sleep during the night. Studies have also found that regular exposure to blue or violet spectrum lights can help reduce symptoms of insomnia and improve overall sleep quality.

Improved Concentration

Lastly, using light therapy has been found to improve concentration by helping you stay alert and focused throughout the day without feeling overly fatigued or sluggish after prolonged periods without adequate rest or sleep in between tasks or activities.

How to Use Light Therapy

Intensity and Duration

The intensity and duration of light therapy will depend on several factors such as what type of light is being used (bright white/coloured) as well as how much time you would like to spend exposed to the light each day (15-60 minutes). Generally speaking though, most health care providers recommend an initial period of 15-30 minutes per day at least 4 days per week with a good quality full spectrum light bulb set up at least 10 inches away from your face with eyes closed while wearing protective eyewear if needed.

Timing of Light Therapy

The timing of when you use light therapy is also important for obtaining optimal results from this form of treatment and should ideally be done early in the morning or near midday when natural sunlight is most available. Doing this will help strengthen your circadian rhythm so that you can maintain healthy sleeping habits year-round which in turn will help keep your energy levels up throughout the day.

Types Of Light Therapy Lamps

There are a few different types of light therapy lamps and each type has different benefits.

Sunlight Stimulation Lamps

Sunlight stimulation lamps are designed to mimic the therapeutic effects of natural sunlight without harmful UV rays. These lamps use special lights that emit the same wavelengths as natural sunlight so the body can react in the same way it would under normal daylight conditions but without the skin damage or eye strain associated with UV rays.

Colour Lights

Colour lights are another type of light therapy lamp that emits different colours which are known to have beneficial healing properties for certain ailments such as headaches or depression. This type of treatment relies on colour psychology which uses the science of how different colours affect the human mind in order to determine which will provide the most effective treatment for an individual’s symptoms or condition.

Broad-Spectrum Light Therapy Boxes

Broad-spectrum light therapy boxes are larger devices that are typically used in hospitals but can also be used at home. These devices emit a full spectrum of artificial white light that replicates natural sunlight while blocking out any harmful UV rays so that users can experience all the benefits without any potential harm to their eyes or skin.