According to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, around 17.3 million people suffer from depression in the United States. Not only does depression make you less productive but it can also lead to several other health problems.
If you’re suffering from this condition, you can use red light therapy to minimize its symptoms. Let’s discuss how red-light therapy works and how to use it to treat depression.
How Does Red Light Therapy Work for Depression?
One of the common causes of depression is lack of natural sunlight exposure and that’s why many people experience this problem in winter. Decreased natural light exposure reduces serotonin levels, leading to seasonal depression.
That’s why doctors and health experts suggest natural light treatments to deal with depression. But what should you do when there’s not enough natural sunlight available? That’s where red-light therapy comes into place, which uses artificial light to reduce major depression symptoms.
The red or near-infrared light that a clinical light therapy device emits can penetrate your skin and affects the cells in your brain directly.
The mitochondria absorb this light and enhance cerebral metabolism, decrease inflammation, and improve neuroplasticity, according to research.
Additionally, it also boosts the ATP energy of your brain cells, improves oxygen consumption, and enhances the metabolic capacity of neurons.
A study conducted by leading mental health researchers, also shows that light therapy can also regulate your biological clock, increase serotonin levels, and improve sleep quality, which can help with depression.
Science Behind Red Light Therapy for Depression
There are tons of clinical trials and studies that show the potential of red-light therapy to treat the seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and other mental health disorders.
For example, a National Library of Medicine study shows that red light therapy has antidepressant properties and it can also help patients suffering from the major depressive disorder.
Red and NIR light therapy appears to increase the melatonin level in your body to regulate sleep, which can indirectly help with depression.
How to Use Red Light Therapy to Treat Depression
First, you’ll need to choose the red-light therapy device suitable for treating depression. We recommend you opt for a red-light therapy box or device that comes with 630 to 650 wavelength specifications for red light and 810 for near-infrared light.
In addition, choose a red-light therapy bed, full body panel, specially designed helmet, or headband, so that the light can reach your brain cells. Start with 10-to-20-minute sessions every other day and make your way up to a 30-minute day session.
A study was conducted on people, who were suffering from depression. All the participants underwent red light therapy and experienced significant improvement after 20 therapy sessions (24 minutes for each session). They felt even better after six months. So, you can try the same to see if it works for you.
Final Words
Red light therapy shows incredible potential and it can be used at home to reduce depression symptoms. While it’s still unable to replace the traditional medication for depression, it can help you recover faster.
If you have any vision-related problems or are taking any medication for a medical condition, make sure that you consult your doctor before starting light therapy.