I have magic for you…near-infrared light therapy.  The most traditional ways of keeping good health that we know about are eating healthy, getting enough sleep, managing stress, and exercise. But recently there have been many alternative treatments hitting the mainstream. For awhile infrared saunas were trending, but lately, near-infrared light  (NIR) therapy has become all the rage!

It is certainly popular in our house! You can picture us taking turns throughout the day making sure each section of our body gets 20 minutes of solid light time. Gus loves it too! We have set it up for him and he lays in front of it.  The light is really warm and comforting, so we have enjoyed the therapeutic effects a ton.

I’ve been diagnosed with psoriasis and finding methods of treatment that improve my skin has not been easy. NIR therapy has made a big difference in healing psoriasis and hormonal acne that flared up last year. Alex’s sunspots have also faded. Infrared-light works by boosting the collagen in your skin. It smooths, heals, and plumps the skin. It has been amazing for our complexion! We do the light at home, but I’ve also done it for my face at a medical spa.

NIR therapy uses a variety of near-infrared and red light wavelengths, which penetrate the cells in our body. Each wavelength penetrates a different depth and has its own healing properties. When the wavelengths are combined near-infrared light therapy has been shown to heal, restore, regenerate, and optimize the health of our body. Near-infrared light therapy is very safe and effective. The light is warm and feels relaxing, making it a very comfortable experience. NIR therapy has been shown to aid in healing muscle and joint injury, autoimmune disease, anxiety, skin appearance, sleep issues, headaches, fatigue, fertility, and cardiovascular disease.

How long should I use the light?

We recommend using the light for 15-20 minutes per body part. You won’t overdo it, but spending more than 20 minutes is not necessary. Set it up to do your back and then adjust to get your chest, face, etc.

Benefits of Near-Infrared Light

Reduce Inflammation

One of the core benefits of NIR therapy is the reduction of inflammation. Elevated inflammation is a significant risk factor in autoimmune disease, obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, injury, joint pain, sore muscles, and mental health. Reducing your inflammation markers will improve your overall health. Not only does it lower your risk, but it also combats any existing disease. You will experience the greatest benefits of infrared light therapy when it is combined with nutrient-dense foods.

Improved Recovery Time

Near-infrared light decreases the time it takes for the body to recover. NIR therapy stimulates the mitochondria, which triggers the cells to grow and repair.  This mechanism will improve how quickly the body regenerates from exercise, muscle strain, fatigue, lack of sleep, and poor food. After my surgery, I used this light every day and have been healing miraculously fast. I definitely owe a lot of that to the light. It has accelerated my healing process.

Increase Testosterone and Balance Hormones

Near-infrared light has been shown to drastically increased testosterone. Infrared light stimulates the testes to produce more testosterone. It has been found that testosterone levels in men have declined over the last few decades. Testosterone is critical in the body’s health and particularly correlated with sex drive, fertility, sexual satisfaction, and physical performance. testosterone is also critical in gaining muscle and increasing sexual performance. NIR therapy targets the cells to raise testosterone, which improves sexual health and increases sexual function. This is extremely beneficial to men who struggle with ED. the increase in testosterone increases sexual performance. Supplementing with strength and cardio exercises will also increase testosterone and your body’s ability to use it.

Not only is NIR extremely beneficial to men’s health, but it is for women’s health as well. Infrared light has also been shown to increase fertility in women. Women who are breastfeeding have vouched for infrared therapy to increase milk production.

Increase Energy

Most of us could use an increase in energy throughout the day. Keeping your energy up is critical in accomplishing and achieving more. In order to be in the best state of mind, you need the energy to take care of yourself. A lot of people spend most of their day on a computer. The harsh light and focus on a computer screen are not conducive to high energy. Rather it weakens your eyes and lowers energy levels. However, in the modern world, we know that minimizing screen time isn’t always an option. For this reason, finding, other ways to increase your energy and alertness are critical to helping you optimize your life. The same mechanisms that stimulate NIR to decrease inflammation, improve recovery time, and balance hormones will simultaneously increase your energy levels. As you give your body more tools to perform better it will not have to work as hard to heal on its own. The less your body has to heal and repair the more it can focus on optimizing.

Improve Your Skin Appearance

We all want to look and feel our best!  How we feel about ourselves is in direct correlation with how we perform mentally, physically, and emotionally. Our skin is one of the top aspects of physical appearance that individuals desire to improve. Fortunately, the infrared light is also fantastic for healing, regenerating, and improving the appearance of skin. Near-infrared light, therapy increases collagen and stimulates the mitochondria. Together these mechanisms improve the complexion of your skin, heal acne, smooth scars, and have anti-aging effects. No matter your skin concern NIR light will encourage optimal skin health and boost your confidence.

Stimulate Hair Growth

Just as we want great skin, a luscious head of hair is usually on the list of things that make us feel good. Feeling confident in yourself is just as important to your success as anything else. Confidence is key to success in your personal and professional life. One aspect of achieving greatness is feeling confident in your physical appearance. If a luscious head of hair will help you with that, then go for it! Get a fresh haircut and try out the infrared light! By stimulating the hair follicle infrared light therapy will increase hair growth and the health of your scalp.

Improve Blood Flow

Near-infrared light therapy increases nitric oxide, which is important for the health of blood flow and arteries. This increase in circulation provides more oxygen and nutrients to tissues. This benefits the cardiovascular system, blood flow, and improves healing time. An increase in blood flow triggers many of the other benefits of near-infrared light therapy.

Where can I get a near-infrared light?

There are many companies that have started to make infrared lights. It is definitely important to do your research so that you get a quality light. Joov has become a popular brand through its many social media campaigns and advertising. When Alex was researching which light we should get he considered the Joov, but came across another brand called Platinum LED Therapy Lights. This is the light he chose for us. We have been super happy with it and loved it! A driving factor for us was that through the research Alex found it to be the best light and of the highest quality. Alex is the best product researcher I know, so I definitely trust his pick (probably over my own…). So if you are looking for the light that we recommend and have personally used it is the Platinum LED light!