There are many therapeutic options for insomnia. One of them is using light therapy in order to achieve better sleep. Here we will find out what is light therapy for insomnia.
How are light and insomnia related?
When you suffer from insomnia you are tired, groggy and irritable. This is partly because you have not slept enough and partly because of environmental factors, which prevent you from fully waking up. You might be sitting still for long periods of time at work or elsewhere and not getting enough of natural stimulation to be awake. One of these natural stimulants is light. Light is important to our bodies because it lets us know when to sleep and when to be awake. Light therapy is used to let our bodies know when to stay awake. If this is successful you will be more awake during the day and in turn better able to sleep during the night. The reason light therapy works for insomnia is in the way it inhibits the production of melatonin during the day. This is why you are able to stay more alert and awake.
Seasonal affective disorder
Seasonal affective disorder or SAD is the condition of getting tired during the periods of the year when light is scarce. This affects people in the north more because of the long winters there. Therefore, light therapy is used as a way of correcting the imbalance of light and dark experienced by our bodies.
How light therapy works
Light therapy uses powerful lamps with full spectrum light, which have been found to be effective in treating insomnia and SAD. Other ways of achieving strong light is from lasers, light emitting diodes and fluorescent lamps.
Light therapy treatment can be used for many conditions ranging from sleeping problems to skin conditions. Here are some examples of what it is used for:
• Circadian rhythm disorder
• Delayed sleep phase syndrome
• Seasonal affective disorder
• Acne
• Wound healing
• Depression
