Why Use Red Light Therapy?

What is red light therapy and why should you use it? We’ll answer those questions below and explain how red light therapy treatments can improve your health and help you thrive. With so many other health modalities and therapies out there, it’s natural to be skeptical. In this article, we’ll also show that red light therapy is an effective treatment backed by science and peer-reviewed clinical research.

Everyone Needs Healthy Light, But Most People Don’t Get Enough

Light is essential for our health and cellular function, just like water, sleep, and the nutrients from food. The human body is designed to function with an abundance of natural sunlight, but with our modern lifestyles, most people don’t get nearly enough light every day. The average American spends over 90% of their time indoors. [1] That’s not nearly enough natural light for optimal health and balance! Worse yet, much of the time we spend indoors is filled with bright blue light from screens and overhead lighting, which can have a negative effect on sleep and circadian rhythms.

Bottom line: everyone needs healthy light, but most people don’t get enough. Instead, they get way too much blue light, resulting in worse sleep and overall health.

Red Light Therapy Delivers Healthy Light in Your Home

Red light therapy is an easy way to add healthy light to your life, in the comfort of your home, at any time of day, no matter the weather or season. An in-home red light therapy device like a Joovv treats your body with red and near infrared (NIR) wavelengths of light, delivered directly to your skin and cells. Check out this video to see how a Joovv treatment impacts the cells in your body.

Red Light Treatments are Quick, Simple, and Non-Invasive: Red light therapy is quick: Joovv recommends 10 minutes per treatment area. It’s also super easy: all you have to do is sit or stand in front of the device and your body & cells take in the light. Joovv treatments are also completely non-invasive and don’t include any ultra violet (UV) rays.

Red Light Therapy is Backed by Science and Peer-Reviewed Clinical Research 

Red light therapy is not a wellness fad. It’s a legitimate and widely-used health intervention backed by a large amount of peer-reviewed clinical research. NASA studied red light therapy in the late 1980s and 1990s for use in space, and over the last two decades, researchers have conducted over a thousand peer-reviewed trials and studies on various kinds of light therapy (also referred to as photobiomodulation or low-level laser therapy). The clinical consensus is that red and NIR light treatments are generally safe and effective, with a wide range of potential uses. You can learn more about the history of light therapy and light science here.

Joovv is Focused on Clinical Evidence: Joovv is a science-based company advised by some of the world’s leading photomedicine researchers like Drs. Michael Hamblin and Cleber Ferrarasi. We’re committed to working with our clinical partners to research & test red light therapy and are actively conducting clinical studies. You can also learn more about the Joovv difference on this page.

Red Light Therapy Supports a Wide Range of Systemic Health Benefits

Red Light therapy is a rare treatment that really is one-size-fits-all. Whether you’re an elite athlete, a weekend warrior, a busy mom, or a senior trying to stay active, you can benefit from more healthy light in your life. Light is for everyone, and light therapy supports greater balance and a wide range of systemic health benefits. What are the health benefits of Red light therapy? We’ll cover some of the main ones below.

Enhanced Cellular Function and ATP Energy Production: In conjunction with a healthy lifestyle, red light therapy treatments can have systemic benefits because they work by improving cellular health across the entire body. When your cells are working more efficiently and producing more ATP energy, the better you can look and feel. Learn more about cellular function, mitochondria, ATP energy, and red light therapy here.

Inflammation and Pain Relief: Red light therapy treatments help your body’s natural inflammation process as you recover from illness or injury. Check out this paper by Dr. Michael Hamblin of Harvard Medical School to learn more about red light therapy’s effects on inflammation. Dr. Hamblin is one of the world’s leading photomedicine researchers, and believes light therapy produces an “overall reduction in inflammation.” [2] Read more details about inflammation, strain, and red light therapy here.

Red light therapy also supports arthritis and joint pain relief by improving blood flow to damaged tissues.

Improved Blood Flow: One of the potential benefits of light therapy is a significant increase in blood circulation following treatment sessions. This indicates tissues are receiving more oxygen and other nutrients that are important for healing. At the same time, light helps the body and circulatory system rid itself of toxic byproducts. [3] Learn more about circulation and red light therapy here.

Sleep Optimization: Healthy light intake is essential for sleep and maintaining natural circadian rhythms. Our brains interpret light as a sign of when to be awake and asleep, and when to make crucial sleep hormones like melatonin. Bright blue light at night can knock your sleep cycle out of whack, but red light is a lower-intensity alternative that can help support longer, more restful sleep. [4,5,6] Joovv designed Ambient mode especially to support sleep and circadian rhythms. Learn more about circadian rhythms and light here.

Recovery, Healing, and Performance: Red light therapy is widely used by trainers and pro athletes to improve fitness, boost physical performance, and support the recovery process. Muscle cells require a great deal of energy, and grow and strengthen through a process of tears and repairs. Red light therapy helps your body produce and use energy more efficiently. Supporting circulation and inflammation reduction with red light therapy can also help you heal and recover after injuries and workouts. [7] Joovv’s unique Recovery+ mode is designed to optimize the body’s natural recovery process. Learn more about recovery, performance, and red light therapy here and see the pro athletes and teams using Joovv here.

Skin Health and Beauty: Taking in healthy light is crucial for skin cells, skin health, and beauty. Red and NIR light promotes balance across the body and skin by enhancing cellular respiration, making energy production more efficient, with less oxidative stress. [8,9] When your cells are in greater balance, your skin will look and feel softer and more invigorated. Learn more about skin health and light therapy here.

Mental Acuity: Mental acuity is a measure of how well your brain processes and responds in the moment. When shined on the head, NIR wavelengths of light can reach brain cells and stimulate the mitochondria in the body’s main processing center. [8] This can improve cellular energy production, enhance blood flow, and support better mental acuity. Learn more about mental acuity, brain health, and light therapy here.

Elite Professionals Trust Red Light Therapy and Joovv

In addition to people using red light therapy devices in their homes, many of the world’s best health practitioners, trainers, and pro athletes and teams trust Joovv devices to enhance health and performance. Check out Joovv’s community page to see all the pros using Joovv.

Conclusion: Red Light Therapy Supports Better Health

Red light therapy is a trusted and widely-used health modality backed by science and research. We all need healthy light to thrive, but most people don’t get enough for optimal function. A red light therapy device like a Joovv is easy to use in your home, with the potential for systemic health benefits like improved cellular function and better sleep. Ready for red light therapy? Take this short quiz to see which Joovv device is right for you and your health needs!