Licht therapie met rood en infrarood licht

Light therapy has grown enormously in popularity in recent years. Especially red and infrared light therapy is growing significantly, and there are many reasons for this. This form of therapy is not only incredibly good for body and mind but also convenient to do at home. All you need for this is a red light therapy lamp. However, many people still have doubts. How exactly does infrared therapy work? To help you a bit, this article explains exactly how the therapy works and what the benefits are.

What is light therapy?

Light therapy is a method where light is used to achieve various benefits. These benefits can vary greatly. One of the best-known benefits is using light to reduce winter depression. It is advised to sit in front of a special lamp for about 30 minutes each morning. The mood of the users actually improves after such a session. In the Netherlands, there are over 70 locations where light therapy is provided. Since the 1990s, research has been conducted by the University Medical Center Groningen. This is where the Winter Depression outpatient clinic is located.

What is light?

In 1905, Albert Einstein discovered that light is both a wave and a particle. He stated that light consists of energy packets of various particles, called photons. The size of the waves (wavelengths) makes us perceive different colors. The shorter the wave, the more energy it contains. Our eyes receive a certain amount of energy, and the brain converts these signals into colors. For example, a shorter wavelength with more energy is converted into the color blue, and a longer wavelength with less energy is converted into the color red.

Electromagnetic spectrum

Isaac Newton categorized colors into 7 groups: purple, indigo, blue, green, yellow, yellow-red, and red. In reality, there are countless colors. Each wavelength has a different color. When you look at visible light, these wavelengths range between 380 and 780 nanometers (nm). A nanometer is one-millionth of a meter. Beyond visible light, there are two other well-known types of light: ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR). UV light has a very short wavelength (100nm – 380nm), and IR light has a very long wavelength (780nm – 1000000nm).

Besides the color spectrum, there are many other signals related to wavelengths. Think of microwave radiation (1 to 1000mm), which is used in microwaves or radio waves and radar, X-rays, and gamma rays.

Red and infrared light

Now that you’ve read some background information, it’s time to delve further into red and infrared light. Red light (630nm – 780nm) and NIR-infrared light (780nm – 2500nm) are the types of light used in red light therapy (RLT). Research has shown that within these frequencies, a few wavelengths stand out. Specifically, 630nm/660nm & 850nm are notable. Of these three wavelengths, the first two are red light, and the last is infrared light.

Mitochondria

Mitochondria are small energy factories found in every cell. A cell can contain hundreds to thousands of these energy factories. They are responsible for energy production in the body, and when they function well, they produce a lot of energy. This energy is called Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). About 70 kg of ATP is produced daily. This is crucial for all bodily processes to function properly. Without ATP, our heart cannot beat, our intestines cannot digest, we do not produce hormones, and our cells do not repair or renew.

Red light therapy allows mitochondria to produce ATP under the influence of light. So you literally get more energy by exposure to these specific wavelengths.

 Benefits of a treatment with a red light therapy lamp

Research over the past 50 years has shown the benefits of a good red light therapy lamp. Here are some results:

– Promotes hair growth
– Promotes the wound healing process
– Improves the skin by producing more collagen
– Relieves pain and inflammation
– Repairs UV damage, such as from the sun
– Promotes muscle recovery
– Reduces acne symptoms
– Accelerates bone healing

Red light therapy lamp

A good red light therapy lamp contains the correct frequencies as mentioned earlier and is powerful enough to stimulate mitochondria to produce energy. Additionally, it is important to switch between red and infrared light. This is because both types of light have different effects in different places. Red light is mainly effective on the skin but does not penetrate deep enough to treat everything under the skin. This is where infrared light is beneficial. Infrared light penetrates deeply into the body, allowing it to treat muscles, bones, tendons, blood vessels, and organs.

Moreover, time is crucial. If the treatment is too short, there is no effect. Unfortunately, this is also true if the treatment lasts too long. The treatment time also depends on the distance. If you are very close to the lamp, a shorter time is needed. A company that supplies red light therapy lamps should be aware of this and provide their customers with the correct data.

Tips

– Red light is for superficial tissue (skin)
– Infrared light is for everything under the skin
– Make sure you get information about treatment times from the supplier

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