How to Relieve Stress Naturally with Near Infrared Light Therapy
What is Near Infrared Light Therapy?
Near Infrared Light (NIR) therapy is a form of Light Therapy and similar to red light therapy with a couple major distinctions. Both NIR and red light therapies are forms of photo-bio-modulation, light waves that penetrate the 
body for healing. NIR penetrates deep into your body and reaches your muscles, tissues, organs, blood, and nervous system.
Red Light therapy infuses the surface of the body, making it a good choice for treating skin conditions, aging skin, and used as part of an anti-aging regime. Near Infrared Light therapy is great for treating tendons, muscles, deeper tissues, organs, blood, deep tissues, and your nervous system.
Also Called Photobiomodulation Therapy
Photobiomodulation is another term you may run across in relation to light therapy and it specifically refers to”Low level laser therapy.” Broken down into digestable segments, photo-bio-modulation, means light delivered to biological systems (aka your body) at specific frequencies in low doses. You may also hear the term “low level laser light therapy” which is applied to the surface of the body using low level lasers or LEDs (light emitting diodes). But to understand how far photobiomodulation therapy has come let’s take just a moment to understand how it has evolved from earlier versions of light therapy.
Low-level laser (light) therapy (LLLT) has been around for approximately fifty years, however the term “low-level” was highly subjective. LLLT was considered to be “snake oil” with no substantiated results in part due to a lack of treatment protocols including wavelength and power. Due to inconsistent protocols and results, LLLT got a bad wrap despite the overwhelming evidence of positive clinical trial results.
According to Dr. Michael Hamblin, a leading researcher in the field of light therapy and PBM, has done extensive work on PBM to stimulate, preserve and regenerate cells and tissues. Hamblin and fellow researchers assert that PBM is a new paradigm that is gaining acceptance by the medical professionals, scholarly journals, medical schools, and the public in general.
How Does Near Infrared Light Therapy Work?
Your body converts NIR into cellular energy, much like the way your body digests food, and therefore has wide ranging benefits.
Benefits of Using Near Infrared Light Therapy
- Leads to Deeper Relaxation
- Reestablishes Healthy Cellular Function
- Reduces Inflammation
- Deep Tissue Rejuvenation
- Increases Muscle Recovery
- Improves Sleep
- Increases Blood Flow
- Enhances Mental Clarity
What’s the Difference Between Near Infrared Light and Red Light Therapy?
Red Light therapy uses a different wavelength of light (660 nanometers). Unlike Near Infrared Light which is invisible to the human eye, red light is visible. The important difference is that red light is easily absorbed by the skin which helps collagen production and surface skin issues. Near Infrared goes deep for treating the conditions mentioned above.
I like the combo unit by JOOVV so that my skin gets treated along with the areas I need most.
Choosing a Near Infrared Light Therapy Produce
Wavelength and energy are vitally important when choosing—and using—a light therapy device.
1. Wavelength
Look for products with the optimal intensity for the desired effects. Near Infrared that has been researched and clinically proven to be effective is the 850 nanometer range.
2. Intensity
NASA-supported research and other published studies have tested devices that deliver 4 to 6 Joules/cm2 of energy to the body. For the relief of deeper symptoms, like joint inflammation, up to 40 Joules/cm2 has been shown to be effective. I like the JOOVV product line so that I know I’m getting enough power delivered while spending the least amount of time getting my treatments.
3. Treatment Area
First determine what are your treatment goals. The more surface area of your body that gets treated the better overall effect it will have. For example, maybe you want to use Near Infrared therapy for inflammation, as I do. Then select a system that will give you full body coverage. The JOOVV system is modular and you can always add to it.
Michael R. Hamblin, Ph.D concludes that:
“it can justly be said that, after decades confined to the “scientific wasteland”, PBM may be finally emerging into the light of day (pun intended).”
