Why Use Light Therapy?

 

What is light therapy and why should you use it? We’ll answer those questions below and explain how light therapy treatments can improve your health and help you thrive. With so many other health modalities and therapies out there, it’s natural to be skeptical. In this article we’ll also show that light therapy is an effective treatment backed by science and peer-reviewed clinical research.

Everyone Needs Healthy Light... But Most People Don’t Get Enough

Light is essential for our health and cellular function, just like water, sleep, and the nutrients from food. The human body is designed to function with an abundance of natural sunlight, but with our modern lifestyles, most people don’t get nearly enough light every day.The average American spends over 90% of their time indoors. [1] That’s not nearly enough natural light for optimal health and balance! Worse yet, much of the time we spend indoors is filled with bright blue light from screens and overhead lighting, which can have a negative effect on sleep and circadian rhythms. 

Bottom line: everyone needs healthy light, but most people don’t get enough, and get too much blue light, with worse sleep and overall health as a result. 

Light Therapy Delivers Healthy Light in Your Home

Light therapy is an easy way to add healthy light to your life, in the comfort of your home, at any time of day, no matter the weather or season. An in-home light therapy device like a Joovv treats your body with red and near infrared (NIR) wavelengths of light, delivered directly to your skin and cells. Check out this video to see how a Joovv treatment impacts the cells in your body.

Joovv Treatments are Quick, Simple, and Non-Invasive: Light therapy is quick: Joovv recommends 10 minutes per treatment area. It’s also super easy: all you have to do is sit or stand in front of the device and your body and cells take in the light. Joovv treatments are also completely non-invasive and don’t include any UV rays.

Light Therapy is Backed by Science and Peer-Reviewed Clinical Research

Light therapy is not a wellness fad. It’s a legitimate and widely-used health intervention backed by a large amount of peer-reviewed clinical research. NASA studied light therapy in the late 1980s and 1990s for use in space, and over the last two decades, researchers have conducted over a thousand peer-reviewed trials and studies on various kinds of light therapy (or photobiomodulation, or low-level laser therapy, as light therapy is also called). The clinical consensus is that red and NIR light treatments are generally safe and effective, with a wide range of potential uses. You can learn more about the history of light therapy and light science here.

Joovv is Science-Based: Joovv is a science-based company advised by some of the world’s leading photomedicine researchers. We’re committed to working with our clinical partners to research and test light therapy. We’re conducting active clinical studies on light therapy and mood, light therapy and inflammation, and light therapy and muscle recovery. We’ll continue to research, develop, and conduct cutting-edge research to further light therapy science. Check out Joovv’s Science Page for more on light therapy science. You can also see more of the Joovv Difference on this page.

Light Therapy Supports a Wide Range of Systemic Health Benefits

Light therapy is a rare treatment that really is one-size-fits-all. Whether you’re an elite athlete, a weekend warrior, a busy mom, or a senior trying to stay active, you can benefit from more healthy light in your life. Light is for everyone, and light therapy supports greater balance and a wide range of systemic health benefits. What are the health benefits of light therapy? We’ll cover some of the main benefits people see below.

Enhanced Cellular Function and ATP Energy Production: In conjunction with a healthy lifestyle, light therapy treatments can have systemic health benefits because they work by improving cellular health across the entire body. When your cells are working more efficiently and producing more ATP energy, the better you can look and feel. Learn more about cellular function, mitochondria, ATP energy, and light therapy here. 

Inflammation Support: Light therapy treatments help you body process inflammation and strain from illness and injuries. Check out this paper by Dr. Michael Hamblin of Harvard Medical School to learn more about red light therapy’s effects on inflammation. Dr. Hamblin is one of the world’s leading photomedicine researchers, and believes light therapy produces an “overall reduction in inflammation.” [2] Read more details about inflammation, strain, and light therapy here. 

Improved Blood Flow: One of the potential benefits of light therapy is a significant increase in blood circulation following treatment sessions. This indicates tissues are receiving more oxygen and other nutrients that are important for healing. At the same time, light helps the body and circulatory system rid itself of toxic byproducts. [3] Learn more about circulation and light therapy here. 

Sleep Optimization: Healthy light intake is essential for sleep and maintaining natural circadian rhythms. Our brains interpret light as a sign of when to be awake and asleep, and when to make crucial sleep hormones like melatonin. Bright blue light at night can knock your sleep cycle out of whack, but red light is a lower-intensity alternative that can help smooth the transition into sleep and support longer, more restful sleep. Joovv designed Ambient Mode especially to support sleep and circadian rhythms. Learn more about circadian rhythms and light here.

Recovery, Healing, and Performance: Light therapy is widely used by trainers and pro athletes to improve fitness, boost physical performance, and support the recovery process. Muscle cells use large amounts of ATP energy, and supporting circulation and inflammation reduction can help you heal and recover after injuries and workouts. Joovv’s unique Recovery+ Mode is designed to optimize the body’s natural recovery process. Learn more about recovery, performance, and light therapy here and see the pro athletes and teams using Joovv here. 

Skin Health and Beauty: Taking in healthy light is crucial for skin cells, skin health, and beauty. Red and NIR light promotes balance across the body and skin by enhancing the cellular environment, making energy production more efficient, with less inflammation and oxidative stress. When your cells are in greater balance, your skin will look and feel softer and more invigorated. Light therapy also supports healing and tissue repair to damaged skin. Learn more about skin health and light therapy here. 

Mental Acuity: Mental acuity is a measure of how well your brain processes and responds in the moment. When shined on the head, NIR wavelengths of light can reach brain cells and stimulate the mitochondria in the body’s processing center. [4] This can improve cellular energy production, enhance blood flow, help heal and regenerate damaged tissues, and support better mental acuity. Learn more about mental acuity, brain health, and light therapy here. 

Elite Professionals Trust Light Therapy and Joovv

In addition to people using light therapy devices in their homes, many of the world’s best health practitioners, trainers, and pro athletes and teams trust Joovv devices to enhance health and performance. Check out Joovv’s Community Page to see all the pros using Joovv.

Conclusion: Light Therapy Supports Better Health

Light therapy is a trusted and widely-used health modality backed by science and research. We all need healthy light to thrive, but most people don’t get enough for optimal function. A light therapy device like a Joovv is easy to use in your home, with the potential for systemic health benefits like improved cellular function and better sleep. Ready for light therapy? Take this short quiz to see which Joovv device is right for you and your health needs! 

Sources and References:

[1] Klepeis NE, Nelson WC, Ott WR, et al. The National Human Activity Pattern Survey (NHAPS): a resource for assessing exposure to environmental pollutants. Journal of Exposure Analysis and Environmental Epidemiology. 2001 May.

[2] Hamblin M. Mechanisms and applications of the anti-inflammatory effects of photobiomodulation. AIMS Biophysics. 2017 May.

[3] Mak MC, Cheing GL. Immediate effects of monochromatic infrared energy on microcirculation in healthy subjects. Photomed Laser Surg. 2012;30(4):193-9

[4] Hamblin, Michael. Shining light on the head: Photobiomodulation for brain disorders. ScienceDirect. 2016 Sept.