Remedial Power Of Infrared Light
The sun doesn’t just provide light for us to see by. That same light becomes energy that living things use to thrive and grow. Humans absorb the sun’s energy through the skin which helps to support cellular healing and repair. Learn how to capture the healing power of solar energy and strengthen immune function, reduce fatigue, reverse depression and improve sleep.
A critical part of solar energy is called infrared light, an invisible healing energy emitted from the sun. Unlike ultraviolet light, which can provoke sunburns or skin cancers, infrared light does not damage the skin, but instead supports healing and repair of cells and tissues.
Infrared light and its therapeutic properties have been studied in China and Japan for over 30 years. Researchers have found that infrared light can be helpful for enhancing blood circulation, reducing pain, strengthening the cardiovascular system, easing joint stiffness and inflammation, and revitalizing skin cells.
Going way beyond the old heat lamps, there are now products available like infrared saunas, mineral lamps, as well as knee, ankle, and elbow wraps. Many of these products are enhanced with infrared-emitting elements composed of oxides of zirconium, aluminum, zinc, titanium, and antimony. These products have been undergoing extensive investigation for their ability to retain body heat and emit safe infrared rays that penetrate deep into joints and surrounding tissues.
Research Confirms Diverse Healing Effects of Far Infrared Light
A growing body of clinical evidence supports the use of far infrared as a non-invasive health-promoting therapy. As far back as 1989, researchers found convincing evidence that when infrared was applied to local areas or to the entire body, it had a sleep-modulatory effect on patients suffering from insomnia. Additionally, infrared therapy produced a blood circulation-enhancing effect in human skin.
Questionnaires to more than 500 users of far infrared devices revealed that the majority reported an overall improvement in health. The effects appeared to be triggered by infrared-induced increase in body tissue temperature, as well as enhanced blood circulation in human skin.
More recent studies in China explored infrared therapy as a method to improve inadequate blood circulation in patients with vascular access malfunction, a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in hemodialysis patients. Study subjects treated with infrared showed measurable blood flow improvement after a single session. Test results were consistent after one year of therapy.
A similar study on laboratory rats found that treatment with infrared could help reduce the prevalence of ischemia (shortage of the blood supply to an organ) and ischemic diseases. In cases of trauma, reconstructive surgery, and diabetes, insufficient microcirculation in skin can lead to acute tissue ischemia. The study found that infrared therapy produced a significant increase in skin microcirculation in the treated animals.
The benefits of infrared extend to the cardiovascular system as well. Repeated therapy has also been shown to improve impaired vascular endothelial function in patients with atherosclerosis and other coronary risk factors.
A Japanese study tested the effects of infrared rays on chronic pain. The investigators studied its efficacy in patients suffering from fibromyalgia, a condition characterized by sleep disturbances and widespread pain with tenderness in specific areas. Thirteen female patients received infrared therapy once per day for two or five days per week.
All of the patients experienced a significant reduction in pain (by about half) after the first session. The effects of treatment became stable after 10 sessions, with participants experiencing up to a 78% reduction in their pain.
Capture the Healing Benefits of Infrared Light
Living things require sunlight in order to grow and thrive. Infrared light, the safest segment of energy that comes from the sun, offers a wide array of therapeutic benefits for various health conditions. Studies demonstrate that infrared light helps enhance circulation in the skin, modulate sleep, ease pain, protect against oxidative stress, and relieve inflammation.
