Sleep disorders, especially insomnia, have grown frequent in recent decades. Wondering how to use light therapy lamp for insomnia? It may not make sense at first, but exposure to bright light before bed might improve your quality of rest and help treat sleep disorders.
Bright lights, known as light therapy lamps, are often used in the treatment of seasonal affective disorder (also known as SAD), depression, and sleep disturbances.
Let us have a look at light therapy as a sleep aid and learn how to use light therapy lamp for insomnia.
Source: healthline.com
What Is Light Therapy?
Light therapy is a sort of treatment that involves subjecting a patient to artificial light in order to cure a variety of different medical ailments.
During a session of light therapy, the patient will sit in front of specialized equipment known as a light therapy box.
This box will produce an intense light that is analogous to the light produced by the sun. There are a few different names for light treatment, including circadian light therapy, phototherapy, bright light therapy, and light exposure therapy.
Insomnia, sleep rhythm disorders, and some forms of depression may respond well to treatment with light therapy.
How Effective Are Light Therapy Lamps?
It is easy to understand how to use light therapy lamp for insomnia. For a certain period each day, you sit in front of a specific lightbox or visor1 made for light treatment.
Usually, patients place a light box between 16 and 24 inches away from their faces, with a 10,000 lux light intensity. A session may only last 20 to 40 minutes at this intensity, with longer sessions being more effective. The session might last up to 2 hours when utilizing a device with lesser intensity, such as 2,500 lux.
Exposure to these RLT lamps, which is what is known as your body’s circadian rhythm in scientific terms, helps reset your body clock when utilized regularly and by a doctor’s advice.
As a consequence, people receiving light treatment are better able to sleep longer in the morning or fall asleep sooner at night, depending on their needs.
Source: dreamstime.com
How Is Sleep Affected by Light?
Our internal clocks, which run on a 24-hour cycle, control our sleep and waking cycles. The biological process that determines how much sleep we require and when in the night we begin to feel drowsy is known as the circadian rhythm.
Over a person’s lifespan, rhythmic activities like sleeping and waking patterns change. Teenagers, for instance, often sleep longer and later. On the other hand, as we age, our circadian rhythms change, resulting in earlier mornings and fewer total hours of sleep.
The pineal gland, a little gland tucked away deep in the middle of your brain, regulates your circadian cycle. One thing that influences how the sleep hormone melatonin performs is light. The more exposed you are to light, blue light specifically, the harder it is to fall asleep.
Photoreceptors present in the retina absorb sunlight throughout the day. These photoreceptors then communicate with the pineal gland, which inhibits the release of melatonin.
At least, in theory, melatonin output rises when the sun sets, signaling your body to get ready for sleep. But, this can be disrupted by the light emitted from the electronic devices.
How to Use Light Therapy Lamp for Insomnia
Sleeplessness
The condition known as insomnia is characterized by recurrent problems falling asleep, remaining asleep, or getting enough quality sleep overall.
Chronic pain is pain that occurs at least three times per week for three months or longer.
Insomnia may occur on its own, or it can be comorbid with a mental health illness like anxiety or depression, Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, or some other health condition.
Insomnia can also develop in older adults. In many of these situations, light therapy might help ease the symptoms of insomnia.
Circadian rhythm disorder
An underlying issue with their circadian clock might cause some individuals to struggle with sleeplessness.
These sleep disorders might manifest themselves in a person spontaneously, as is the case with those who are severe night owls, or they can be brought on by working overnight shifts.
Even something as common as jet lag might theoretically be classified as a circadian rhythm sleep disorder. One of the key therapies for these illnesses is light therapy.
Depression
People who suffer from seasonal depression often struggle with sleep disorders such as insomnia, oversleeping, and excessive daytime drowsiness.
The study is less definitive, but it seems that those who suffer from depression that is not related to seasons might potentially benefit from light treatment.
The use of light therapy by itself may be helpful for these people, and with constant use of light therapy, you can expect great results in a couple of weeks to a month.
Conclusion
The use of light as a non-invasive and non-pharmacological therapeutic option for sleep problems is known as light therapy.
If you utilize light therapy regularly, it may help reset your circadian cycles and enhance the quality of your sleep.
Insomnia is a symptom that may point to a more serious underlying health problem. Before you go out and purchase a light box, you should consult with your physician.
Hopefully, after knowing how to use light therapy lamp for insomnia, you might be able to treat any health difficulties this way. We hope you have received valuable insights into the optimal light intensity, session time, and other factors that contribute to effective light therapy.
Hello! I’m Nicky Rodgers.
Almost a decade ago, I got excited about the idea of employing alternative methods like red light therapy to create a healthier life.
To learn more about it, I did my Certified Light Therapist course from Photonic Therapy Institute and started looking into the intricacies of how light therapy influences several bodily processes. Before I knew it, my interest had become an obsession which resulted in this extensive blog.
Here, I offer countless well-researched articles to help you understand the benefits and uses of light therapy. I hope this information gives you a head start in your wellness journey.