Light therapy is used to treat many conditions and can be used as either a stand-alone treatment or in conjunction with other therapies. It has been known since the time of ancient Greece and the Romans that the presence of light can have many beneficial effects on the human body. In modern times, many advances have been made in the use of light to promote healing and therapy.
As always, when it comes to anything to do with the brain and the physical body, there are many differing opinions. The most commonly agreed-upon fact about light therapy is that it can relieve some symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). The seasonal affective disorder is characterized by depressed moods, changes in sleep patterns, overeating, fatigue, irritability, decreased energy, and other similar symptoms. The National Institutes of Mental Health is currently conducting clinical trials to determine if light therapy is an effective way to combat these symptoms. If the results of these trials are positive, doctors may be able to prescribe more powerful forms of light therapy for the millions of Americans affected by SAD. For instance, in September 2021, the National Institute of Health (NIH) partnered with Icahn School of Medicine to initiate a clinical study on the efficacy of light therapy on patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, which affects 6.2 million people in the U.S.
There are many ways that people can get light therapy treatments, but they usually involve two things: exposure to natural sunlight, and exposure to special light-emitting devices (LED's). In the case of SAD, exposure to natural sunlight is usually enough to alleviate the symptoms. However, there may be cases where only a small amount of exposure is required to achieve success. One of the most popular forms of light therapy is to expose the patient to a bright light source as close as possible to the eye. This can be accomplished in several different ways and is often done when the patient is at home or while in bed. Another popular method involves hanging white-colored curtains or blinds from the ceiling, which also provide some exposure to bright light.