Red and near-infrared light are part of the electromagnetic spectrum, and more specifically, part of the spectrum of light emitted by the sun (and fire light). These wavelengths of light are “bioactive” in humans. That means that these types of light literally affect the function of our cells.
Specifically, most research showing benefits of red and near-infrared light have used wavelengths in the narrow ranges of 630-680nm and 800-880nm.
you’ll discover the incredible power of red and near-infrared light therapy and how it can help:
Increase your energy Combat aging and make your skin healthier, reduce wrinkles, and help get rid of cellulite Speed up fat loss Improve muscle recovery and athletic performance Improve mood and cognitive function Speed healing from injury Improve metabolism and hormonal health
Red and near-infrared light have already been proven in over 3,000 scientific studies to do all that and more!
and near-infrared (NIR) light therapy devices have been FDA-approved for several purposes so far, including anti-aging, hair-loss reversal, acne treatment, pain relief, slow to heal wounds, fat loss, among other purposes.
Shockingly, new research has shown that it is not necessary to use these expensive laser devices, and most experts now agree that it’s possible to get the same benefits from red and near-infrared light therapy LED panels at a fraction of the cost.
You can do light sessions at home with your own light and get all the same benefits, while saving yourself the thousands of dollars you would spend at an anti-aging or medical clinic.
These are the five types of bioactive light in humans: Blue light—sets the circadian rhythm in our brain, which in turn regulates numerous different neurotransmitters and hormones UV light—allows us to synthesize vitamin D from the sun Far-infrared—acts to heat up our cells (this is the part of the sun’s spectrum that you feel as heat) which stimulates changes in cell function, as well as circulation changes Red light—acts on the mitochondria in our cells to stimulate increased cellular energy (ATP) production (among other mechanisms discussed in this book) Near-infrared (NIR)—acts on the same pathways as red light—particularly in the mitochondria in our cells to stimulate increased cellular energy (ATP) production (among other mechanisms discussed in this book)
Some people have made calculations on the difference between living outside vs inside houses, and have suggested that the difference in light exposure is roughly a 1000-fold difference, and in many cases even more! And that is just one point about light intensity—it says nothing of the huge deficiencies in exposure to specific wavelengths of light, like red/NIR, far-infrared, and UV light.
The point is that modern humans are deficient in the benefits of all of these five wavelengths of light, and there are health consequences when we don’t get enough.
The most common light-related health problems that most people are already familiar with are vitamin D deficiency (from too little UV light) and circadian rhythm disruption (from too little blue light in the morning, and too much artificial light at night). Just these two light-related health issues alone are responsible for a massive burden of disease in the modern world. These two issues caused by inadequate and improper light exposure are linked with dozens of types of cancer, as well as heart disease, obesity, diabetes, neurodegenerative disease, and multiple other conditions.
Sunlight deficiency has been linked with numerous diseases, such as: Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, dementia, Multiple Sclerosis, and Parkinson’s5,6,7,8 Dozens of types of cancer9,10,11,12 Obesity13,14 Diabetes15 Metabolic syndrome16 Heart disease17
Put bluntly, most peoples’ light exposure habits are the equivalent of eating an all-McDonald’s diet all day, every day. Like I said, mal-illumination.
Given that virtually all modern humans now spend almost all their time indoors, we are massively deficient in sun exposure. Thus, we are massively deficient in red and near-infrared light exposure. And, as you’re about to read in this book, this causes big problems for our health. I personally believe that much of the positive literature around the benefits of red and near-infrared light devices is largely due to how it corrects the deficiency in red and near-infrared light.
While most other wavelengths of light (such as UV, blue, green, and yellow light, etc.) are mostly unable to penetrate into the body and stay in the layers of the skin, near-infrared light and red light are able to reach deep into the human body (several centimeters, and close to 2 inches, in some cases) and are able to directly penetrate into the cells, tissues, blood, nerves, rods and cones of the eyes, the brain, and into the bones.
Once in those deeper tissues, red light and near-infrared (NIR) light have incredible healing effects on the cells where they can increase energy production, modulate inflammation, relieve pain, help cells regenerate faster, and much more.
The key point is this: Red/NIR light are not some weird technology that benefits us for some random reason. These wavelengths of light come from the sun, and it turns out that our body has evolved over millions of years to be capable of utilizing red and near-infrared light from the sun to help power up our cells—literally enhancing the function of our mitochondria, our cellular energy generators—among many other beneficial effects.
How Does Red and Near-Infrared (NIR) Light Therapy Work?
First, it’s important to understand that there isn’t just one mechanism. For example, this isn’t a drug that acts on one particular enzyme, compound or receptor (e.g. serotonin, cholesterol, etc.). There are literally dozens of mechanisms at the biochemical and cellular level.
Molecular Mechanisms: Cytochrome c oxidase: This is a photoreceptor located on mitochondria in our cells that “accepts” light photons and then triggers events in the mitochondria. (More detail on this below.) Retrograde mitochondrial signaling: This is a key factor where mitochondria in the cells communicate with the nucleus of the cell about what is going on, thus affecting what genes get expressed in the DNA-containing nucleus of our cells. Light-sensitive ion channels: There are channels in our cells which control the flow of various ions (e.g. calcium, potassium, sodium, etc.). Some of these are affected by light, and then are involved with triggering further events in the cell or between cells. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP): This is cellular energy produced by mitochondria. One of the more notable findings from many studies is that exposure to red/NIR light increases levels of ATP production. Cyclic AMP: This is involved with opposing inflammatory pathways, among other functions in the cell. Reactive oxygen species (ROS): These are also commonly called “free radicals.” While commonly associated with bad things (e.g. cell damage, oxidation, etc.), they also play vital roles in our bodies as signaling molecules. For example, ROS are produced from physical exercise and signal many of the positive adaptations that our body makes to exercise. Calcium: Red/NIR light can affect calcium levels in the cell, which in turn act as a signal for numerous cellular processes. Nitric oxide (NO): It is known that NO levels rise after red/NIR light exposure. NO is well known by most people for its role in blood vessel dilation, but it also acts in many other signaling pathways. (More on this below.) Nuclear factor kappa B: This is a signaling compound that regulates many genes involved in inflammation and cell survival to stressors. RANKL: A protein involved in bone regeneration/remodeling. Hypoxia-inducible factor: A protein involved in cellular adaptation to low oxygen levels. Akt/GSK3b/b-catenin pathway: This pathway relates to cell survival and apoptosis (programmed cell death). Akt/mTOR/CyclinD1 pathway: Involved in cell growth signaling. ERK/FOXM1: Involved in regulating cell division. PPARy: Involved in the inflammatory response. RUNX2: Involved in bone cell differentiation. Transforming growth factor: Stimulator of collagen production (e.g. in the skin). Pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines: Many pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and mediators have been shown to have their levels altered by red and near-infrared light exposure. Vascular endothelial growth factor: Involved in angiogenesis—the formation of new blood vessels. Hepatocyte growth factor: Involved in liver cell health. Basic fibroblast growth factor and keratinocyte growth factor: Involved in the wound healing process. Heat-shock proteins: Involved in inflammation, wound healing, and cellular survival against many types of stressors (e.g. exercise, sauna/heat stress, etc.). Melatonin:…
Two Key Mechanisms of Red/NIR Light Therapy
Stimulating ATP production in the mitochondria through interacting with a photoreceptor called cytochrome c oxidase. Creating a temporary, low-dose metabolic stress (known as hormesis, which is also a primary mechanism of why exercise works) that ultimately builds up the…
If all of this seems complex, let me simplify: Mitochondria need this little enzyme called cytochrome c oxidase to bind efficiently with oxygen to produce cellular energy (ATP) efficiently, and red and near-infrared light help make that happen.
I should add here that, to some extent, the nuances of all of the exact mechanisms of how red/NIR light affect mitochondria are still debated amongst researchers, but everyone is in agreement that red/NIR light does indeed increase mitochondrial energy production.
similarly to plants and photosynthetic organisms, animals also possess metabolic pathways to derive energy directly from sunlight.”
Who would’ve thought that human cells have the ability to use chlorophyll to capture energy from sunlight?
In essence, what this all boils down to is that red and near-infrared light therapy help mitochondria produce more energy, decrease inflammation, and help build the cell defense systems to increase resiliency.
It is likely that other effects on specific compounds (e.g. BDNF, cAMP, nitric oxide, etc.), on stem cells,44 on hormones,45,46 DNA repair,47 or some other specific effects on gene expression48,49,50 also play a role in mediating many of the positive effects of red/NIR light therapy.
Anti-aging effects in the skin (enhancing collagen synthesis, production, and elastin production for youthful skin and dramatically reducing cellulite) 52 Lowering inflammation Enhancing fat loss53 Enhancing physical performance and muscle recovery afterward54 Boosting testosterone55 Speeding wound healing56 Spurring neurogenesis in the human brain, strengthening synapses, spurring brain cell growth57 Helping prevent cognitive decline58 Reducing waist circumference and liberating fat from cells so it can be burned again59 Enhancing physical performance and muscle recovery afterward60 Enhancing fertility61 Combatting gingivitis and promoting healthy gums62 Enhancing stem cell implantation and proliferation63 Enhancing gland health from the thyroid to the lymphatic system Clearing skin for sufferers of acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis64 Improving eye health65 Fighting chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia66,67,68 Potentially helping the body to fight cancer (in tandem with chemotherapy)69 Removing wrinkles, lines, and veins on the surface of the skin70 Increasing energy Improving the appearance of scars71 Killing pain72 Protecting cells against damage from stress73
The health of every organ and every cell in the body depends on the energy being produced by the mitochondria in those cells. Thus, because red/NIR light therapy work to enhance mitochondrial energy production in essentially every type of cell in the body, it can enhance the cellular processes and cellular health of potentially almost every type of cell in the body.
Benefits of Red and Near-Infrared Light Therapy
Another review of the research by Harvard professor Michael Hamblin, PhD has found that red and near-infrared light therapy can: reduce the signs of damage, DNA damage, 77 and aging from UV rays78 reduce wrinkles79 reduce color patches, hyperpigmentation, and skin discoloration80 enhance collagen synthesis and collagen density (research has shown it can enhance production of collagen by 31%)81,82 accelerate repair in the epithelial layer of skin83 combat other skin conditions like acne, keloids, vitiligo, burns, herpes virus sores, and psoriasis84 speed wound healing by enhancing skin tissue repair and growth of skin cells85
Slow Hair Loss and Re-Grow Hair with Red and Near-Infrared Light Therapy
Reduce Cellulite with Red and Near-Infrared Light Therapy
One study found that when red and near-infrared light therapy is combined with massage, it led to an astounding 71% reduction in cellulite!92
Speed Up Wound Healing with Red and Near-Infrared Light Therapy
This was one of the original findings of the NASA research that really put red light therapy on the map. In fact, red and near-infrared light therapy has been found to help close wounds—even those resistant to healing—20% faster and with less scarring.
Combat Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue, and Increase Energy Levels with Red and Near-Infrared Light Therapy
red/NIR light therapy has huge benefits to mitochondrial and brain function, and that it powerfully decreases inflammation.
A 2010 study found that red light therapy helped 38% of study participants reduce their hypothyroid medication dose, with a whopping 17% being able to stop taking the medication altogether!118
Increase Bone Healing with Red and Near-Infrared Light Therapy Studies on
Improve Eye Health with Red and Near-Infrared Light Therapy
Combat Depression and Anxiety with Red and Near-Infrared Light Therapy
A 2009 study took 10 patients with a history of major depression and anxiety (including PTSD and drug abuse) and gave them four weeks of treatments to the forehead with red/NIR light. Remarkably, by the end of the four-week study, 6 out of 10 patients experienced a remission of their depression, and 7 out of 10 patients experienced a remission of their anxiety.”153
Another study found red and near-infrared light therapy also increased executive cognitive function in young healthy adults, providing hope that further studies find that red and near-infrared light therapy may provide a hopeful treatment in the fight against Alzheimer’s
disease, as well as prevention.166
Red light therapy exerts positive effects on tendon disorders by modulating inflammation, improving energy production and increasing growth of tendon cells, while stimulating collagen production—all of which act to improve tendon healing processes.170
In Japan, red and near-infrared light therapy resulted in pregnancy for 22.3% of severely infertile women with 50.1% successful live births.
One caveat for men: Never use any type of red light therapy that gets hot, like red heat lamps, near your testicles, as that could damage fragile Leydig cells. In fact, let me make three things very clear about applying light to the testicles: Avoid heating the testicles, heat damages sperm cells and negatively impacts the Leydig cells. Avoid blue light on the testes (blue light inhibits the production of ATP—thus decreasing, not promoting, mitochondrial health). Avoid any infrared heat lamps and infrared bulbs on the testes—these emit far too much heat to be used. I recommend low dose red light therapy in general, as the testes may be especially sensitive to overdoing sessions. Don’t overdo it—small doses only.
Note: Some people in the red light business and biohacking communities have made claims around the capacity of red light therapy to increase testosterone levels. While I was initially excited about this, upon exploring the research that was cited, I have concluded that the evidence is simply not strong enough to support these claims.
Combat viral and bacterial infections of the mouth (tonsillitis, herpes, cold sores)197,198,199 Reduce mouth pain200 Facilitate tooth growth/tooth movement and reduce pain for individuals with corrective braces201,202,203 Help diabetics with gum problems and periodontal disease204,205,206 Reduce thrush (yeast in the mouth/candidiasis)207,208 Improve tooth sensitivity209,210 Fight gum disease and gingivitis211,212,213
The studies found increased melatonin in blood circulation following red/NIR light exposure, and studies have also found dramatic benefit to sleep in people with insomnia.291,292,293
Evolutionary side note: It is interesting to think that maybe our bodies are wired to benefit from sitting next to a fire for several hours each night, as many of our ancestors did. Perhaps the red and near-infrared light emitted from the fire actually benefits us at the cellular level, partly because of the impact it can have on melatonin production and sleep enhancement. Some researchers have suggested that many of the health benefits of red/NIR light therapy may have to do with the effect on melatonin levels.298)
Red/NIR light with exercise makes a potent combination. Not only does red/NIR light help you recover faster, it seems to amplify everything that happens with exercise—increased muscle gain, fat loss, performance, strength, and endurance.
The muscles are packed with mitochondria, because ATP is needed for every muscle twitch and movement, no matter how insignificant.
Increase Fat Loss (And Burn Off Stubborn Fat) with Red and Near-Infrared Light Therapy
Some research shows that near-infrared light therapy can dramatically enhance—nearly double—fat loss from exercise, as compared to people doing just the exercise routine without the NIR light therapy.357 In addition, the group using the NIR light therapy in tandem with exercise saw nearly double the improvements in insulin resistance!358
Here’s how to do my Stubborn Fat Protocol: Start when you wake up in the morning in a fasted state. Get your body (and especially the stubborn fat area) warm. A hot shower or sauna is great. Then put on clothes to stay warm, and maybe even use extra clothing on the stubborn fat areas. Do some light warm up exercise (walking, resistance bands, yoga, calisthenics, etc.). Remove clothing from the stubborn fat area and do 3-7 minutes of red/NIR light exposure on the stubborn fat area at 6” away from the light. Do 5-10 minutes of high-intensity interval training (HIIT). There are many variations of how to do this. But to keep it simple, do fast-paced bodyweight exercises like squats, pushups, burpees, jumps, jumping rope, running, or cycling. There various time intervals for workout and rest periods, but a simple and effective way to get started is to do 20-45 second bursts of high-intensity effort with 10-30 seconds of rest between each interval. Go for a long walk for 30-60 minutes. (During this period, keep your body warm, especially the stubborn fat area to keep optimal blood circulation in that area. You can even add a neoprene wrap to the area to create extra heat and blood circulation.) Ideally, wait at least 1 hour before eating. Do this protocol in the mornings during a fat loss phase (i.e. a period when you are actively on a weight loss regimen and losing fat) and you’ll notice that you are slimming down in those stubborn fat areas more than you ever have before!
Now, this isn’t the only potential way that you can use red/NIR light therapy to support fat loss. Some studies have shown that using the light in tandem with exercise (before or after) on the muscles used during the workout (as opposed to on fat areas) leads to increased overall fat loss.
Guide to Red Light Therapy Dosing
Also, please note that dosing in red/NIR light therapy is a tricky and complex issue because of the wide variety of different types of devices (laser units vs. LED panels vs. other devices), a wide range of different doses used in various studies, the overall body surface area treated, the types of treatment (e.g. general light on an area vs. light on acupuncture points), the goals (e.g. performance enhancement vs. fat loss vs. skin anti-aging), and the specific body tissues you’re trying to affect (e.g. the skin requirement is very different than that of deep tissue, and something like the brain, which sits behind the skull, may require much larger doses to deliver a significant amount of light).
If you want an effective light therapy session, you must have an effective dose. That requires: A light that is relatively powerful (i.e. has an ideal “power density”) Ideally, a light that can treat a large area of the body at once An understanding of the optimal duration of time using the light to get the right total dose
Too little of a dose and you get minimal to no effects. Too strong of a dose and you get minimal to no effects.
As mentioned previously, most studies showing benefits of red/NIR light therapy used light outputs of 20-200mW/cm2.
Distance from the light. It’s also important to be aware that this measure of power density decreases dramatically by moving further from the light source.
Wavelengths of the light. Certain devices emit all the
Claimed wattage vs. actual wattage. The claimed wattage of a light differs from the actual power output of the light.
Generally, lights emit a power density about 25-50% lower than the claimed wattage would suggest.
Size of the device/treatment area. One other nuance that’s important
Dose = Power Density x Time
Here’s the equation you need to calculate the dose: mW/cm2 x time (in seconds) x 0.001 = J/cm2 Here’s the critical piece of information you need to know: The dose you want to shoot for is between 3J/cm2—50J/cm2.
FOR SKIN ISSUES: Assuming you have one of the lights I recommend, for skin issues (e.g. anti-aging benefits) and other more superficial (near to the surface) body issues, here are my basic usage suggestions: Somewhere between 1-4 minutes from 12” away. (Note: For skin issues, I recommend going 12” or more away from the device, whereas with deeper tissues, you want to be closer and have higher power density to reach deeper into the tissues.) Or 1.5-5 minutes from 18” away. Or 2-8 minutes from 24” away. FOR DEEP TISSUES: For deeper issues in muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, glands, the brain, organs, etc., you want much higher doses more in the neighborhood of 10-60J. In general, this means that you want higher power devices and you want to be 6-12” from the device (as opposed to further away as with treating the skin) to get optimal doses of light to those deep tissues. The deeper the tissue you’re trying to treat, the closer to your body you want the light to be (i.e. 6” is ideal) and the higher the overall dose you want to do, so that you deliver adequate therapeutic doses to the deeper tissues. Also, for use on the brain, this may require higher doses (or doses on the higher end of the spectrum shared here) because it takes a relatively higher dose for enough light to penetrate through the skull and be delivered to the brain. Here are my general suggestions for treating deep tissues below the skin: Using the light from 6” away for between 2-7 minutes per area is the ideal dose range. Or 5-10 minutes per area from 12” away. (For treating deep tissues, I don’t recommend going further away than 12” away from your body.)
How Often You Should Do Red and Near-Infrared Light Therapy Treatments
Most devices being sold (that you might pay $100-$900 for) are:
Grossly underpowered and simply too low wattage to reach therapeutic power densities of above 50mW/cm2 with large coverage of body areas.
Very small, and thus, only treat a small area of your body.
Get a high-power light that reaches therapeutic power outputs and is big enough to cover a significant portion of your body.
The Red Rush360 and Platinum BIO-300 have consistently higher light output than the Joovv. They can also treat larger areas of the body at once. All three of these lights emit enough power to be highly effective, but do be aware of these differences in light output so that you can adjust the dose accordingly. Longer sessions are ideal with the Joovv while shorter sessions are needed with the Platinum BIO-300 and Red Rush360.
For general use, the light should be about 6-36 inches away from your body. Closer distances (6”-12” away from your body) are ideal for deep tissue treatments as you’ll get a higher dose and much greater depth of penetration. Further distances (12”-36” away from your body) are ideal for treating surface skin issues and anti-aging purposes. Get a high-power light
For deeper issues (e.g. muscle, bone, brain, organs, glands, fat, etc.), we want around 10-40J per area, so optimal treatment times and distances with the lights I recommend are: 2-7 minutes per area (if the light is 6” inches away) 5-10 minutes per area (if the light is 12” away)
Muscle and/or strength gain—The ideal time for this is either right after exercise or 3-6 hours later. Some research has even shown muscle gain benefits while using the light before the workout. Do 3-7 minutes from 6” away on each of the muscle areas you exercised in that session.
Brain performance, mood enhancement (e.g. combatting depression and anxiety), or brain healing—Use the light (ideally a pure near-infrared light or 50-50 mix of NIR and red, since near-infrared penetrates the skull much more effectively than red light) from 6”-12” away.
Sleep enhancement/melatonin production—
Here’s how I recommend using it: Timing is key for this purpose. Do the treatment 1.5-2 hours before bed. I do not suggest doing this closer than 60 minutes to bedtime. Use the light on your spine and the back of your neck area from about 12-18” away for 3-7 minutes
used for circadian rhythm optimization/SAD prevention typically have a huge amount of blue light and little to no red/near-infrared light. Blue in isolation can be harmful to both the eyes and skin, so I always advise using the red/NIR light alongside the bright white/blue light to counteract the blue and give some healing to your cells at the same time.
Since this book is intended as a guide for regular people, and because I assume most people don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on their red/NIR light device, I am not discussing all the different laser devices available for purchase. If you wish to purchase a laser device, you can find a guide here: https://www.top5reviewed.com/cold-therapy-lasers/
Brain-specific devices. There is one brain-specific device from a company called VieLight that I do recommend, and is likely the best option for treating the brain. The LED devices I recommend can be used to treat the brain on the forehead, or other areas of your head where you don’t have thick hair, but they are limited by the presence of hair in what parts of
My top choices in medium size devices are as follows: 1. “Red Rush360” by RedTherapy.co.
2. The “BIO-300” by Platinum Therapy Lights
- The Joovv Light “Mini” by Joovv (Joovv is the brand that has been around the longest and has a good reputation overall.)
Best Half Body Red/NIR Light Devices These units generally cost upwards of $700 to $2,500, with a couple great options of large, high power effective lights for under $1,000.
1. The BIO-600 by Platinum Therapy Lights:
The “Joovv Original Light” by Joovv:
3. The “Combo Bodylight 2.0” by Red Light Man:
Full Body Red/NIR Light Therapy Options
My personal favorite setup is simply two of the Red Rush360s or Platinum BIO-300s (or one BIO-600 combined with a BIO-300 or RedRush360).
Sauna + Red/NIR Light Therapy Options
Sunlighten saunas, ClearLight saunas and SunStream saunas all offer excellent lines of top-notch wooden saunas with both far-infrared and near-infrared that are extremely high quality. With this type of premium sauna, you can enjoy all the benefits of both near-infrared therapy and a traditional far-infrared sauna at the same time.
Red Rush360 by Red Therapy Co. - $449 You can get this light at: https://redtherapy.co/products/redrush-360-light For a light this large and powerful (360 watts) to be under $500 is just phenomenal. It’s nearly 3 times the wattage of the comparably sized Joovv, has much higher light output (especially at further distances away), and at the same time, it costs less. It has 120 LEDs (the most of any light around this size). Overall, this light is probably ideal for most people’s needs. Also, because of its extra high-power density, you can use this light from 18”, 24”, or even 36” away and still have high enough light output to do effective treatments—thus allowing you to treat a large area of your body all at once. Basically, this allows it to function like a much larger light. Overall, a wonderful option for almost all purposes. In addition, they just developed EMF-blocking technology for their lights that makes their devices ultra-low EMF. They are the only company on the market to do this. This makes them the clear top choice in my opinion as they have the highest power, lowest cost, and lowest EMFs of any device in this size range. Discount Code: They will give a $25 discount to readers of this book bringing total cost down to $424. Just enter the discount code “energy blueprint” when checking out.
- Platinum Therapy Lights BIO-600 - $789 (Top Choice) You can get this light at: https://platinumtherapylights.com/products/bio-rlt If you are in the market for an extra-large light to essentially treat the entire front or back of your body at once, this is the light for you. If you’re looking to go all out on a larger light without spending a ton of money, this is the way to go. Discount Code: They will give a $40 discount to readers of this book bringing total cost down to $749. Just enter the discount code “energy blueprint” when checking out. 3. Platinum Therapy Lights BIO-300 - $489 (Top Choice) You can get this light at: https://platinumtherapylights.com/products/bio-rlt This light has similar dimensions to the Red Rush360 and is almost as powerful. It’s slightly smaller, but still a wonderful choice relative to all the other competitors. Discount Code: They will give a $40 discount to readers of this book bringing total cost down to $449. Just enter the discount code “energy blueprint” when checking out. 4. Joovv Original - $795-$1,095 You can get this light at: https://joovv.com/products/joovv-light?variant=39356431694 This light has similar power output to the Red Rush360 and Platinum BIO-300 while being larger in size (close to the same dimensions as the BIO-600). It is also considerably more expensive, but overall, it’s a great light that will allow you to treat a large area of your body at once. Discount Code: They will give a $25 discount to readers of this book. Use the discount code “ENERGY BLUEPRINT” when checking out (note: this one is case sensitive, so you need to use all caps). 5. Joovv Mini - $495-$645 You can get this light at: https://joovv.com/products/joovv-light?variant=39356431502 This light has similar dimensions to the Red Rush360 and BIO-300, but has significantly lower light output (especially at further distances away). Overall, it’s not as cost-effective as the above options, but it’s still a very high quality light that can certainly provide therapeutic benefits. Discount Code: They will give a $25 discount to readers of this book. Use the discount code “ENERGY BLUEPRINT” when checking out (note: this one is case sensitive, so you need to use all caps).
Best Sauna + Near-Infrared Option: Sunlighten “mPulse” saunas, ClearLight “Sanctuary” sauna line, or Sun Stream Saunas (with the NIR LED panel in the sauna) all offer sauna options with both far-infrared and near-infrared. For someone looking to get a sauna as well (which also provides a wide variety of amazing health benefits) and a red/NIR light therapy unit, these are wonderful options.
Contact info for these companies are: Sunlighten: www.sunlighten.com and (877) 292-0020 ClearLight: www.infraredsauna.com and (877) 790-9368 SaunaSpace: www.saunaspace.com and (844) 999-5858 Sun Stream: http://www.infraredsaunacanada.ca/ and (250) 477-2277
Best Brain Device: VieLight Neuro Alpha or Neuro Gamma - $1,749 You can purchase through their website here: https://vielight.com/neuro-alpha-gamma/ Discount code is “energy blueprint” which gets you 10% off, which equates to $175 off the regular price. Note: I recommend the Neuro Alpha over the Gamma.
All electronic devices emit EMFs (electromagnetic fields) and the health effects of EMFs are still debated. By the strictest safety standards from Europe, you don’t want to regularly be exposed to more than 3mG (milligauss).
Just for comparable reference, please note that your cell phone emits much more than this every few seconds, and if it’s in use, emits far more than 3mG (upwards of 50mG and even close to
What I mean is that sitting with your hands on your laptop or having a cellphone on your body for several hours each day (common practices for most people in the Western world) is infinitely more of a concern for your health than a 3- or 15-minute exposure to the red/NIR light done once a day or every other day.
For most people, the optimal frequency is between 3-6x per week. (Daily or every other day.)
Q: Can you split into several small sessions for the same effect? You can potentially do that, but I generally recommend that people stick with no more than one session per day. I suggest doing one longer treatment rather than multiple shorter treatments.
devices do not emit UV light. If you are looking to synthesize vitamin D, you need exposure to either sunlight or a specialty UV lamp. (I suggest the Sperti UVB lamp for this purpose.)
First, the truth is that if you were spending hours every day outdoors with the sun on your skin (like our ancestors did), then you probably don’t need a red/NIR light device.
do this—with the sun, you get the whole spectrum of red, near-infrared, far-infrared, blue, and UV. But with a red/NIR light device, you can get the therapeutic benefits on your skin while avoiding the potentially counterproductive wavelengths entirely.
Does red/NIR light work as a light for treating Seasonal Affective Disorder (i.e. a “SAD light”)? No. SAD lights are used by people who live in places that have poor sunlight in the winter months to avoid/treat Seasonal Affective Disorder. They are meant to keep circadian rhythm strong
some of the potential harms of blue light. Yet with SAD lights, we get high power blue light separate from the red/NIR light that we’d normally get from the sun. So I personally think it’s wise to also include some red/NIR
NIR light—using the red/NIR lights I recommend at a distance of 3-5ft away—while using the SAD light. This is what I advise to members of my Energy Blueprint program (who use SAD lights) to help protect their eyes.
NIR will get through the skull more effectively, so for the brain specifically, near-infrared is going to be superior. Neither near-infrared nor red light will penetrate effectively through hair, so you don’t want to shine it on the hairy parts of your head, but the forehead, back of the neck, and ear areas are all good.
Similar to exercise or doing other healthy things like using a sauna, if you overdo it, you will feel fatigued. That doesn’t mean exercise is bad, or that using a sauna is bad—in fact, research shows they are amazing for health—it means that you overdid it and you need to decrease the dose.
I have both a Red Rush360 and a Platinum BIO600. Both are excellent lights that I highly recommend.
Using these two powerful lights simultaneously, I can basically treat my entire body (or any area I want to treat) in less than 5 minutes. Typically, I use these two lights while lying on the ground and have one on either side of me at 6”-24” away. I either lay on my back or my side, and this way, I can treat both sides of my body at once or the front and back of my body at once. I typically use it for anti-aging purposes on the skin, enhancing the effects of exercise (muscle gain, performance, and recovery), fat loss, preventing hair loss, as well as treating any injuries that I get from living a very active outdoor lifestyle.