You’ve probably scrolled past it on your feed of a bedroom encased in red light. It looks inviting, almost like you’d catch up on the sleep you desperately need in the red hues. While aesthetically pleasing, what does red light actually do for your body?
There’s usually some caption that claims better skin, better health, better sleep – anything to make your finger hover and ponder if it’s actually true.
Red light therapy is best known in skincare, but different pillars of the wellness community point towards sleep as the next step towards RLT.
What is red light therapy?
According to Women’s Health, red light therapy (RLT) treatments involve “exposing the skin to a safe wavelength of light in order to address a number of skin concerns, including signs of aging, stretch marks, scars, hyperpigmentation, and acne.”
These are usually conducted in sterile environments like a spa or dermatologist’s office. They are usually recommended to do once a month once your skin has adapted towards it. And sure, you can try to DIY at home with certain products, but these treatments are less strong than they would be in a medical environment.
If we keep in mind that the RLT is typically LED lights instead of painted bulbs, we can approach this towards the bedroom.
What are the benefits of red lights?
A study in the Journal of Nature and Science of Sleep found that red light prevented “sleep inertia.” Sleep inertia is the feeling of grogginess some people experience when they first wake up.
According to the CDC, red light has no effect on the circadian clock, so you can use a dim red light at night. Your circadian rhythm is basically the 24-hour internal clock that is running in the background of your brain. It’s your sleep/wake cycle.
So, could this be beneficial? It’s a murky science that still has room to grow from dedicated research. For now, you can certainly try to implement this into your routine. At the very least, it helps with morning grogginess.
Embellish your current routine with red light therapy
Red lights won’t fix your sleep instantly, but putting an intentional routine in place gives you the best advantage when trying something new.
We recommend starting with a slow morning ritual that balances you out for the day. Try journaling your thoughts in the morning, weaving through the workday with positive affirmations, exercising as your body allows, and preparing a proper bedtime routine that mimics your mornings.
You want to feel your best, and to do that, you need to treat your body with the utmost care. Every day won’t be like this, but the sooner you place care into your routine, the easier it will be to see if these hacks work for you.