Red Light Therapy for Anxiety and Depression

I bet you must’ve witnessed a wide range of people struggling with anxiety and depression. Haven’t you?

Conditions linked with depression should not be taken lightly. People often avoid talking about their feelings of sorrow and anger. That’s what makes things much worse!!

Globally, between 2 and 6 percent of the population has clinical depression. Many people also resort to suicide because they feel they have nowhere to turn from this “insurmountable” problem in their minds.

Depression-related conditions are not something that can be taken lightly. In many cases, people don’t want to speak about their depression and frustrations. And that’s what makes these conditions worse!!

Moreover, this depression or stress is most likely to be found among teenagers, middle-aged, and old-aged people. So you can see that it’s already an “emerging threat” to the world.

Through this article, I’ll guide you through all the ins and outs of how you can cure depression and how light therapy can be a better remedy for this condition.

So read the complete article to get yourself “enlightened!!!”

[lwptoc]

What Makes Light Therapy an Astounding Depression Curing Treatment?

Devices that use light therapy for the treatment of depression and anxiety have been developed specifically in the past few years.

The artificial light in these gadgets is designed to mimic natural sunlight and help regulate your body’s internal clock.

Moreover, the therapy consists of sitting near the light for a few minutes at a time, and both the therapy method and time must be kept consistent.

This treatment is a must-to-take for patients with:

  • SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)
  • Stress
  • Frustration
  • Sleeping issues (such as insomnia).

It usually takes between three and five days before you begin to feel the effects of the treatment. Although, in many circumstances, a full recovery will take some time, depending on the nature of your ailment.

These devices emit light that imitates the light of the sun and improves the circadian rhythm of your body. Circadian rhythm means the body’s inner clock that helps to maintain the overall body’s condition.

As mentioned earlier, the key to this is consistency. You will not see overnight results. However, if you schedule therapies for a certain period of time for a few weeks, you’ll see viable improvements. When you take the therapy regularly, you’ll be seeing changes within yourself.

Usually, it can take about 3 to 5 days to observe improvements within yourself. But if you don’t see any changes in the first week of use, you’ll see it in the second week for sure!!!

Although it might take some time to recover completely depending on the type of condition you are suffering from in many cases.

Possible Side Effects of Light Therapy

There are always going to be good sides and drawbacks to anything in this world, and we just have to accept that. However, there are little to no negative side effects to light therapy too.

So, if you have sensitive skin, eye conditions, or a history of cancer, you should always check with a doctor before proceeding with this therapy.

Further effects might include:

  • Severe or mild headache
  • Sleeplessness
  • Weariness
  • Dryness in the nasal passages and the eyes.
  • Hypomania

The positive side of light therapy is it’s very safe and straightforward to use. There are no chances of severe risks during this therapy, and you can use it without any fear. But it’s always an excellent choice to seek advice from your doctor before getting yourself one as he knows the best device for your condition.

Average Therapy Time for Each Session

The standard recommendation from professionals is to take 10,000 Lux (amount of light intensity).

This is due to the fact that the level of illumination provided by this source is comparable to that of early morning sunlight.

Initiating a regimen of light therapy can take as little as 15 minutes per session. Although these sessions can last anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes, and the duration can be increased gradually.

But if you’re dealing with major depression symptoms, including seasonal affective disorder (SAD), you may require longer breaks.

You’re most likely to see progress within four to six weeks of therapy sessions.

Even though there are no signs of improvement within the first four to six weeks, you should definitely consult a doctor and tell him about your light therapy issues. The doctor might recommend changing the intensity of the therapy, or he might suggest other medications.

Although there are other treatment methods, for instance, if you are having severe issues with your condition, you can always go for sessions of a psychiatrist. And he might even prescribe you medications depending on the type of condition you have.

Other Therapy Methods to Tackle Anxiety and Depression

Here you’ll learn some simple, all-natural techniques through which you can say farewell to your anxiety and depression.

Routine

Many psychiatrists recommend setting a routine for everything you’ll be doing. Through this, you can control your depression as you are indirectly keeping yourself busy with your everyday routine. Then, there will be a time when this routine will become your habit, and the depression-related issues will be far gone.

Regular Scheduled Activity

A routine is something that many psychiatrists will recommend you establish. Depression can be managed in this way by remaining active with different and casual activities. When you stick to this schedule long enough, it can surely aid you in fighting depression.

Workout and Exercise

Working out regularly has shown to be a very effective treatment for depression. The reason for this is that engaging in physical activity provides a boost to the brain, which in turn improves mood. The positive effects will probably not be seen for some time. You will definitely notice a change, though.

Consuming a Nutritious Diet

A healthy diet is crucial to our daily functioning. Moreover, it has also been reported that regular intake of the right food will surely keep you active and away from depression. Omega-3 fatty acid-rich foods may also be helpful for people struggling with depression.

Cut Down Negative Thoughts

One of the main causes of depression is dwelling on negative thoughts. You will never be able to overcome your anxiety issues until you clear your head of these “cloudy thoughts of negativity.” When you feel these bursts of negativity, it’s best to distract yourself by reading or doing anything else productive.

Bottom Line

So, after going through this blog, you should know how red light therapy can benefit your anxiety and depression. However, to get the most out of your therapy sessions, it’s vital that you are consistent with these therapies. Along with these sessions, you can also take other natural therapy methods mentioned above.