When it comes to health, sleep is everything. Healthy sleep isn’t so much about quantity as it is quality. Quality sleep, which is defined as deep, restful sleep on a consistent rhythm, improves nearly all aspects of the body and mind. In this article, we’ll talk about the mechanics of sleep, including circadian rhythm, nutrition, and bioreactive light. We’ll also explore how red light therapy can be used to enhance quality, restorative sleep.

SLEEP IS ESSENTIAL FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Sleep is a requirement for optimal physical function and mental wellness. No amount of good nutrition or exercise can make up for the deleterious effects of poor sleep. Sleep is crucial for maintaining the body’s biological balance and cellular activity and plays a crucial role in supporting mental and emotional wellbeing.

The human body can be optimized. When your cells are creating and using energy as efficiently as possible, you will function and feel better overall. Conversely, a lack of quality sleep disrupts cellular function and creates systemic negative results.

Sleeping problems are very common among adults, especially in developed countries. To combat this issue, we must explore where sleep problems originate, how they affect us, and how we can turn them around.

THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF LOW-QUALITY SLEEP

Sleep deprivation affects us incrementally; the longer we go without restful sleep, the more the effects worsen. Even a small amount of sleep deprivation affects our mood and makes us less alert, lowering our reaction rate and decreasing productivity. Go longer without sleep, and major negative effects start to set in:

• Inflammation: Unbalanced sleep impedes the body’s natural inflammatory response, leading to increased inflammation, soreness, and poor healing. Inflammation levels often rise in people who sleep for longer periods of time than is recommended, a testament to the importance of sleep quality over quantity.

• Weight Gain: Sleep loss harms biological and metabolic balance. This leads to complications with digestion, insulin resistance, blood sugar, and can lead to increases in body weight. Setting a regular sleep cycle can help with these issues, as the body becomes accustomed to digesting, absorbing nutrients, and repairing at certain times.

• Mental Acuity: Lack of sleep leads to slower response times, decreased alertness, and impaired judgement, and cognitive performance. These intertwine with emotional issues that arise with sleep loss, explaining why one of the first symptoms of sleep deprivation is irritability.

LIGHT AND THE SLEEP CYCLE

Sleep problems have been common among millions of people for ages. Newer science has revealed that sleep plays a huge role in this issue.

Our brains read light inputs as signals even when our eyes are closed. These signals are used to program our sleeping and waking cycles, as our circadian rhythm evolved around the cycle of the sun. Unnatural light interferes with this adaptation, and bright lights and screens that surround us now can seriously disrupt our natural sleep cycles.

You probably already know that blue light -- the light emitted from most screens and LED lights -- tells the body to wake up. Your body controls these responses using hormones, primarily cortisol and melatonin. Cortisol is a stress hormone that increases alertness, while melatonin primes the mind and body to enter a sleep state. Blue light directly increases the production of cortisol while reducing melatonin production.

This is an obvious problem when it’s time to go to bed. Experts recommend ending “screen time” well before bedtime, wearing blue light blocking glasses at night, dimming the lights in your house, reducing the brightness of your TV, and wearing sleep masks even after the lights are off.

Light isn’t the only factor that affects sleep. What and when we eat can affect the body’s ability to rest fully. Chemicals and supplements -- caffeine being the obvious example -- can seriously impede the body’s sleep cycle.

There are many lifestyle choices to be made when it comes to sleep. For some, this can be prohibitive due to work or family constraints. Ideally, you will be able to adjust your diet, daily exercise, and light intake as needed. One of the most important decisions to make, however, is when to go to bed and how long to sleep once we get there.

WHAT’S THE BEST TIME TO SLEEP? HOW LONG SHOULD I SLEEP?

Not all sleep affords the complete benefits of a quality night of rest. Timing is just as important as quality and duration. Experts recommend following your natural circadian rhythm and matching your sleep cycle to the rising and setting of the sun.

Circadian rhythms are naturally occurring processes that help govern numerous biological functions. Our bodies evolved to operate on this roughly 24-hour cycle, and many behind-the-scenes functions of the body adhere to it. We all perform at our best when we align our sleep to this natural adaptation.

This internal clock is tied closely to the sun and thus is “programmed” using light in the environment. Without artificial lighting and screens to disrupt this system, your body will naturally sync with earth’s day/night cycle. This is because our bodies function best with ample sunlight during waking hours and darkness while we sleep.

Anyone who has worked third shift can tell you that even when getting eight hours of sleep, the fact that those hours are taken during morning daylight hours makes the quality of that sleep very low.

DOES RED LIGHT HELP WITH SLEEP?

We’ve established that light is important for sleep, especially avoiding blue light before bed. But can additional light actually help you sleep? If used correctly, studies have shown that certain types of light can actually support the natural sleep rhythm.

Red light therapy treatments are one of those possibilities. Red light devices are designed to enhance cellular function and support a balanced lifestyle, and that includes restful sleep.

Red light or NIR therapy is a simple, non-invasive treatment that uses specialized bulbs to deliver wavelengths of red and near-infrared (NIR) light directly to the body. This affords several clinically-proven benefits, such as enhanced cellular function and improved circulation. You can read this article to learn more about how red light therapy works.

HOW DOES RED LIGHT SUPPORT HEALTHY SLEEP?

Our bodies need ample natural light every day, but most people don’t get enough. Most of us spend 90% of our time indoors, our light intake coming from artificial sources that actually do more harm than good. Fluorescent lights don’t give us the infrared and red light that our bodies have evolved to absorb over millions of years -- and those notorious flickering bulbs can wreak havoc with our ability to fall asleep at night.

TheraBulb products send concentrated wavelengths of red and NIR light to the body helping to deliver the much-needed NIR and red light that we would normally absorb straight from the sun. This gives you the same benefits as light from full-spectrum sunlight, but leaves out the UV rays, excess heat, and risks of overexposure.

HOW TO USE RED LIGHT FOR SLEEP

You may be wondering how to best use red light therapy for sleep optimization, especially if your only source of red light therapy is a clinic or spa. Using red light to improve sleep is a matter of consistency, and daily doses of red/NIR light are recommended for the best results. This can be difficult if you have to travel to a commercial location for your therapy sessions (not to mention how expensive this can be in the long term).

The good news is that red light therapy is easy to have right at home. TheraBulb red light devices are affordable and safe to use. For less than the cost of a single visit to a typical spa, you can purchase a bulb that puts out concentrated red light and near infrared energy. With these bulbs, you can have unlimited sessions in the comfort of your own home.

TheraBulb products are the highest rated and provide the most optimal wavelengths of light for biomodulation and therapy purposes. Unlike red party bulbs or general-purpose heat bulbs, our bulbs are designed to produce energy in the 650nm-699nm wavelengths that define red light.

CONCLUSION: QUALITY SLEEP IS VITAL FOR TOTAL WELLNESS

Sleep impacts every aspect of our minds and bodies and is one of the main factors influencing our overall health. To live a balanced life, you must optimize your sleep pattern and sleep quality. Numerous lifestyle choices affect sleep, but one of the most influential environmental factors is light. You can improve your sleep by avoiding the wrong kinds of light, especially at night, and by supplementing your light intake with red light during the day.

The fitness industry is well known for staying on top of the latest techniques and technology. Millions of people, fueled by the desire for optimum performance and health, collectively work toward finding the newest and best means to feel better, look better, and perform at their best.

In the world of athletics and fitness, many groundbreaking trends and new discoveries have a grassroots origin. Quite often, a scientifically-sound idea or therapy will be found within the pages of medical journals and tested by the masses long before it becomes a true consumer product. (In fact, the widespread public attention toward a new therapy is sometimes what drives continuing research.)

Through this process of testing, research, anecdotal use, feedback, and optimization, red light therapy has become a popular tool for fitness enthusiasts, athletes, trainers, and physical therapists.

THE GROWTH OF RED LIGHT THERAPY

When red light and near infrared light treatments first began to show promise in its ability to aid healing and alleviating pain, it was an expensive and complicated treatment that was only available to researchers and a handful of practicing doctors. Public interest in the efficacy of this exciting new modality pushed demand, and so did the availability of medical-grade devices and treatment centers.

As the adoption of the method grew, so did the amount of research behind it and the associated body of evidence around its benefits. Perhaps most importantly, a growing mountain of studies showed almost unilaterally that red light therapy had no serious or lasting side effects. With doubt around the safety of red light/NIR therapy removed, the modality enjoyed another growth spurt.

The consumer market took notice of both the safety and reported benefits of red light therapy. Consumers wanted affordable ways to use red light devices without visiting spas or clinics. Manufacturers like TheraBulb came onto the scene to help people find safe, tested, and effective red light therapy bulbs for just that purpose.

RED LIGHT AND NIR HIT THE FITNESS WORLD

At this point in the history of red light therapy, it had been tested on numerous health issues from broken bones to Alzheimer’s disease. While the method was more effective in alleviating some symptoms than others, red light showed immense promise in helping in reducing inflammation, muscle pain, and cellular energy production. Naturally, these benefits are of great interest to the fitness world, so the use of red light therapy among athletes and trainers began to spike.

And the research continued.

To date, there have been hundreds of clinical trials indicating that red light therapy helps enhance physical performance at a cellular level. In a more directly tangible way, red light therapy has been shown to improve muscle recovery after a strenuous workout, help with soreness, and even speed healing after an injury. Much of this can be attributed to red light therapy’s effectiveness against inflammation.

It’s quite normal to experience inflammation after a workout, even if you’re not injured or strained. Exercise and training -- especially aggressive training -- usually involves breaking down muscle, pushing endurance, and taking the body to a point of exhaustion. These effects cause the body’s natural recovery and healing processes to kick in. Just as red light therapy helps with chronic inflammation, it can be beneficial for the acute inflammation that comes with working out. Keeping even minor inflammation in check helps the body to recover more quickly, and often with less accompanying pain.

WHAT IS RED LIGHT THERAPY, EXACTLY?

We’d better take a step back and address the elephant in the room for those who are just discovering red light therapy. We don’t want to leave anyone out by leaving this one unanswered:

WHAT IS RED LIGHT THERAPY?

You’ll want to know a few details before continuing to learn about the benefits of this modality, after all.

In short, red light therapy and NIR therapy are methods of photobiomodulation (PBM), a non-invasive treatment method that delivers specific wavelengths of red and/or near infrared (NIR) light directly to the surface of the body. Because it is an external therapy, it is often used to treat the skin directly. But NIR and red light have enough penetrating power to reach into the tissue beneath the skin, making it viable for application to muscles and joints.

WHY WOULD SOMEONE WANT TO DIRECT RED LIGHT INTO THEIR SKIN?

It actually makes perfect sense. Red and infrared light are abundant in the natural world. Our bodies are not only used to bombardment of these wavelengths -- they need it. The modern, largely indoor, lifestyles we enjoy actually deprive most people in developed nations of the natural light they need to drive cellular function. If cells are not functioning at their best, you can’t expect the body they make up to perform very well, either!

Apart from the cellular-level benefits of NIR and red light, the penetrating heat of the light has been shown to improve circulation at the therapy site. This is a key reason why red light therapy can help with inflammation and healing, as optimal blood flow supports the body’s natural recovery processes.

Read More: How Red Light Therapy Works

Now that we’ve taken a quick look at what red light therapy is and how it works, let’s explore a few of the most common fitness-related uses in detail.

RED LIGHT THERAPY AND MUSCLE RECOVERY

Many athletes and trainers turn to red light therapy after a workout. Intense training tends to cause inflammation, joint pain, and muscle soreness. As we all know, it’s difficult (and unwise) to push further along in training until you’ve recovered from these effects. With that in mind, it’s beneficial to speed along that healthy recovery process as much as possible.

By promoting better circulation and muscle healing after an intense workout, red light therapy can offer welcome pain relief and faster recovery. This means less aching, reduced downtime and more productive training sessions.

RED LIGHT AND OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE

Red light therapy is also widely used to enhance total-body wellness and general performance. Rather than just using red light to speed recovery, the modality can be used to improve cellular function, reduce oxidative stress, and prime muscles for strenuous workouts so they’re less likely to suffer injury.

Many of these benefits come back to the effects of photobiomodulation at a cellular level. Red light therapy has been shown to increase ATP production, the “fuel” that drives cellular function. With stable and optimized ATP production, the body can be primed for maximum output as well as rapid recovery.

RED LIGHT THERAPY FOR HEALING SPORTS INJURIES

Sports-related injuries are common among athletes, and nothing dampens the competitive spirit like downtime from training injuries. High-intensity contact sports carry obvious risks of course, but even sports like running, cycling, and swimming put strain on the body that can result in muscle injury, joint pain, nerve damage, or acute injuries.

 These are all effects that red light therapy has been evaluated against -- and shown some form of positive benefit in studies.

We’ve already talked about red light therapy and recovery, but what about its usefulness in terms of rehabilitation from an injury? Sports medicine practitioners use two factors when assessing an athlete’s injury and their ability to return to the sport: inflammation and pain. Inflammation is a key indicator of healing progress, and the athlete’s pain level is an obvious barrier to reentry.

Red light therapy works to improve the inflammation response by stimulating ATP production at a cellular level and boosting the production and flow of anti-inflammatories. Because red light has been shown to promote collagen production, it can help with repairing connective tissue and torn muscles.

 The penetrating heat of red/NIR light therapy also works to relieve pain, as well as improving circulation at the treatment site. By minimizing pain, reducing spasms, and improving blood flow, the athlete may be able to return to their normal level of activity more quickly and more comfortably.

WHAT SPORT INJURIES CAN BE TREATED WITH RED LIGHT THERAPY?

Because red light therapy is accessible, affordable, and deemed safe through numerous studies, it can be used liberally without much concern. As long as basic safety guidelines are observed, red light can be directed toward nearly any injury or part of the body (although you should check with a medical professional if you’re not sure about a particular application).

Let’s take a look at a few specific injuries that are commonly treated with red light therapy:

• Running: Stress fractures in the feet, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, and runner’s knee.
• Cycling: Neck and lower back strains, muscle fatigue, and knee/joint pain.
• Swimming: Lower back and neck pain, torn connective tissue, rotator cuff injuries, tendonitis, shoulder pain, and shoulder impingement syndrome.
• Softball/Baseball: Muscle strains and sprains, lower back sprains, knee injuries, and rotator cuff tears.
• Weight Training: Back strains and back pain, knee injuries, general soreness, and shoulder impingement.
• Tennis: Tennis elbow, back pain, wrist strains, rotator cuff injury, knee injuries, and tennis elbow.

If you experience any of the above, it’s likely that you will find some relief by using red light therapy. Safe and easy-to-use home options like TheraBulb make it possible to experience these benefits without costly subscriptions or trips to a clinic.

CONCLUSION: RED LIGHT THERAPY SUPPORTS RECOVERY AND HEALING

It’s uncommon for athletes to go their entire career without incurring some form of injury. Even amateur athletes run into sprains, strains, or overtraining issues from time to time. When these situations occur, inflammation and pain are par for the course. These are natural responses to injury, but they can severely impede athletic performance and return to activity. Healthy, natural light is key for recovery, and can typically bolster or boost the body’s natural healing response. Because red light therapy enhances cellular energy production, improves blood flow to damaged tissues, and supports natural inflammation response, red light therapy has become a go-to modality in the fitness world.