The University of Arizona conducted a study on the impact of LED light on patients who have migraines. The Massachusetts General Hospital has studied whether this light can help patients with traumatic brain injuries recover. Other universities are studying the light’s impact on Alzheimer’s patients. There are also many devices available to the public today so you can do light therapy in the comfort of your own home. What all this shows is that people are highly interested in learning more about this therapy.
The Way in Which Light Therapy Works
LED light may be new but light therapy has been around since the 20th century when doctors started placing their patients’ beds in sunny locations. In 1903 Dr. Niels Finsen won the Nobel Prize for his invention of a giant lamp that was used to treat lupus. Then in the 1920s Olympic athletes started bathing in the sun before races because they found that they performed better when doing so.
We all know that plants react to light through photosynthesis. What we’re just starting to realize though is that when light hits your skin it’s absorbed by your cells, which is what responds to the light itself.
Different Types of LED Light and Their Effects
There are different types of light and different wavelengths too. Each has a varying effect on your body, including:
• Longer wavelengths of light (those that are visibly “red”) encourages your mitochondria to become more efficient at making energy for the body. It also boosts the production of anti-inflammatory, disease-fighting antioxidants.
• When light enters your eyes, it stimulates your nerves leading to your brain. This encourages your body to make more serotonin and dopamine – mood enhancing chemicals.
• “Blue” light helps you feel more awake by hindering melatonin production.
• “Green” light that enters your retina boosts the production of enkephalins (natural pain killers) in your spinal cord.
Conclusion
Dermatologists are leading the way when it comes to LED light therapy. They routinely use blue light to fight the bacteria in acne and red light to fight wrinkles. There are also companies taking advantage of this, creating blue light treatments that you can wear in the comfort of your own home. While these at-home gadgets are safe when you follow directions, they don’t work as well as what you’d receive at a doctor’s office.
There’s still much to be learned about LED light therapy, but the future looks very promising, nonetheless. For instance, doctors are still working to discover the correct techniques, wavelengths, and doses of light to be used in treating various conditions. Many of the patients who have taken part in these studies are now firm believers in the power of light therapy to help them with their medical conditions.
With many people turning to light therapy today, you may find yourself interested in it as well. If you have any questions about it or you’re simply ready to give it a try, make sure you reach out to America’s Best LED. They’re there to help you succeed.
Picture Credit: ian dooley