Heard of photobiomodulation (PBM) before? Put simply, it’s a drug-free, non-invasive and non-toxic treatment method by exposure to certain kinds of light.
PBM has been found to benefit us in many different ways:
Today, many laser technologies (such as the beloved NovoTHOR light pod at Core Collective) are widely available in order to safely and conveniently provide users with the correct type of light, wavelengths, operating modes and power to give them just the right amount of penetration and dosage needed to receive a cascade of beneficial chemical reactions and achieve countless benefits.
Sometimes we don’t have access to these laser technologies, so we’re letting you in on a little secret… It’s that there are indeed safe and effective ways for you to achieve the wonderful benefits of photobiomodulation from a very much accessible light source; the sun!
Sunlight vs. Artificial Light From Red Light Therapy
Having some knowledge of how the sun’s light differs from that of a red light therapy pod, can help to better understand how we can safely absorb sunlight.
Sunlight contains a broad spectrum of light ranging from ultraviolet light to near-infrared. Within this spectrum are healthy wavelengths of red and infrared, which deliver many of the benefits listed above, and also UVb (which produces Vitamin D in our skin). Vitamin D is key for normal growth and the development of bones and teeth, as well as to boost your immunity and improve resistance against certain diseases.
Red light therapy, on the other hand, exposes you to a more narrow and isolated spectrum that is only a tiny proportion of what the sunlight provides - low levels of red or near-infrared light (without the UVb).
So you’re probably wondering, why sit in a red light pod if the sun can give us so much more?
While the sun’s spectrum contains UVb, a wavelength that red light therapy doesn’t, sunlight also has wavelengths that can be harmful to human beings in excess. These wavelengths include blue-violet which reduces energy production and has the potential to damage the eyes, as well as UVA which causes sunburn and cancer. These wavelengths of light within the sun’s broad spectrum are necessary for plant growth and have various effects on the pigments of different species, but not so much for human beings - and this is exactly why sunblock and SPF sunscreens are necessary when being exposed to strong sunlight.
For these reasons alone, the specific wavelengths delivered through artificial light in red light therapy pods have exclusively beneficial effects with no known side effects or harmful components. It makes it a worry-free way of reaping the benefits of exposure to light.
That said, there are ways to reap the wonderful benefits of sunlight safely! Particularly when you can’t access your usual red light therapy, in order to continue to benefit from light, you should try to get some exposure to sunlight during sunrise and just before sunset as this is when there’s the least exposure to the harsh effects of UV and radiation.
Tips For Healthy Sun Exposure
If you’ll be exposing yourself to sun for a longer period of time here are some tips from the American Cancer Society on how to be sun-smart as you continue to get your dose of light therapy.
Try to avoid exposure between 10.00am and 4.00pm (however, since Singapore is much closer to the equator and the sun gets intense after a certain time, avoid excess exposure between 9am to 5pm).
Wear a hat to protect your eyes and skin
Use sunglasses that block at least 99% of UV light
Choose and apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30
Reapply sunscreen at least every two hours (as well as after swimming or sweating)
Stay hydrated
Contributor:
Avantir Wellness is the only studio in Asia that houses the NovoTHOR Light Therapy Bed.
The NovoTHOR Light Therapy Bed uses PBM Therapy (Photobiomodulation) where red light and near infra-red rays permeate and stimulate right down to the body’s cells, which contribute to how well tissue/muscles/body can work and perform.