Light therapy is a natural technique that emphasizes the use of sunlight in the implementation of treatment protocols. Known to increase energy levels, eliminate seasonal depression, but also to improve your dynamism, the effect of light on the body can have different properties.
Autumn and winter are times of the year when the sun is rarer. The lack of light is, therefore, a problem that has its full interest!
Want to know more? Discover in this article, its origins, its benefits, but also the ways to put it into practice so that you too can enjoy all the advantages that luminotherapy can provide you.
What is light therapy?
Today, changes in lifestyle, but also in consumption habits, mean that we are less and less exposed to natural light. Our internal clock and circadian rhythm are disrupted.
Luminotherapy, therefore, consists in exposing oneself to artificial white light which will then imitate the sun’s rays. This therapy uses a luminotherapy lamp that will reproduce the sun’s light spectrum while suppressing infrared and ultraviolet rays that can be harmful to our body. The side effects of light therapy are therefore practically non-existent, there are only very few. It is generally advisable to expose yourself for no less than 30 minutes to feel the benefits of luminotherapy and see an improvement or change in your condition.
Do you want to stimulate your dopamine, one of the hormones of happiness? Then try out luminotherapy too! It triggers the production of these essential hormones in the proper functioning of your body, but also your state of mind and well-being!
What are the multiple benefits of light?
Light therapy is therefore based on the benefits of light on the body and mind. Exposing yourself daily to the light of a luminotherapy lamp is a natural way to produce, among other things, good mood hormones, but also to fight against seasonal depression or other major ailments. So how does it work? All you have to do is get a lamp and install it next to you. You can use it in different situations either when you work or when you watch a series!
Confront seasonal depression
Seasonal depression is a syndrome that affects some people when the cold season arrives. Indeed, the decrease in light influences our internal biological clock. According to some sources, more than 3% of the Canadian population is affected by this syndrome, which will result in an irritable mood, fatigue, a constant need for sleep, but also a decrease in libido in some cases.
The light therapy process reactivates hormones such as serotonin, dopamine or endorphins. It will influence the production of these hormones and thus help to combat seasonal depression.
Improve your sleep
Melatonin is known as the sleep hormone. The benefits of melatonin are therefore numerous. Luminotherapy is a natural way to regulate melatonin in the body and thus promote more restful sleep. Natural light is known to establish a precise and balanced biological cycle that helps to regulate early awakening or to fight against insomnia.
Concentration at work
The last point resulting from the benefits of light therapy is an improvement in concentration when you are at work. The lack of exposure to the sun will force your brain and body into a forced hibernation that will affect your level of concentration, making you less productive than usual. Light therapy is, therefore, an excellent means of stimulating light to avoid this problem.
How to choose your luminotherapy lamp?
The properties of light are therefore known to fight against various ailments. Are you interested in buying a lamp or light therapy glasses?
Several criteria will have to be taken into account, such as:
- The type of device: A bright light therapy lamp for waking up or for the office must offer a light field or therapeutic spectrum of the lamp sufficiently large, but also of sufficient quality not to have a tendency to turn yellow and therefore cause a migraine and eye fatigue. If you want a lighter, more compact device that guarantees the same kind of efficiency, it is advisable to recommend the light therapy glasses. Thanks to its shape of glasses, it allows you to go about your business without losing a second of this precious light.
- The power of the device: If you choose a luminotherapy lamp for the office, you probably won’t be able to have a powerful lamp, we would recommend choosing a dimmable lamp.
- The emission of UV rays: You should be careful to select a lamp that has all the appropriate filters to prevent ultraviolet and other harmful rays.
