Light Therapy Glasses – Light at the end of the tunnel?

Technology has taken us places. It has profoundly impacted our lives across all aspects. The hesitancy that did exist at the initial stages - with regards to its adoption - has also diminished by a significant scale, as more and more people come to terms with the potential of technology to make our lives more simple and convenient.

If we talk about the influence of technology on the healthcare sector, the benefits have been manifold. From facilitative services like tele-consultation and tele-medicine to wearable devices like biosensors and fitness trackers, healthcare has not only become more accessible but also more adaptable - owing to technology.

One such wearable product that has caught the eyes of medical experts is the futuristic light therapy glasses. Light therapy – as the name suggests – is a treatment procedure for various medical conditions, by using light. The treatment is carried out by using devices like light therapy boxes, light therapy lamps, and intriguing light therapy glasses.

Why Light Therapy Glasses Over Other Light Therapy Devices?

Moving past the conventional light therapy boxes, light therapy glasses have found their way into the markets. The dominative advantage that they hold over other light therapy devices is that they are highly portable.

You can go about doing your everyday errands and simultaneously, take your light therapy by putting these glasses on. These glasses make light therapy possible even while brushing your teeth, doing your laundry or even preparing your breakfast. They can also be worn over your normal pair of glasses.

What Are Light Therapy Glasses?

Light therapy glasses cast blue light over the eyes and the surrounding areas. Time and again, we have clarified on blue light and its impacts on our health. Blue light is all around us. The natural source is the sun whereas artificial sources include fluorescent lamps, digital screens, among others.

Blue light - in the right amount - is important for the functioning of our body. Here, the role of blue light therapy glasses comes in. In situations where our circadian rhythm (natural sleep-wake cycle of our body) is misaligned or during winters, when our exposure to blue light naturally gets limited, these glasses can be used to make up for our daily requirements of blue light.

Do Light Therapy Glasses Work?

Let us look into the benefits of light therapy glasses in detail.

• To treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD)

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a condition that occurs seasonally, when there is a lack of availability of light, especially during winters. It is associated with worsening mood, increased sleeping time, lack of will to socialise, etc. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) lists down light therapy as a potential treatment for SAD.

• To deal with insomnia

Insomnia - a common sleep disorder - is a condition wherein one finds it hard to fall asleep. It occurs when our circadian rhythm is misaligned. Using light therapy glasses for sleep - early in the morning - can help deal with this condition.

• To counter morning sleepiness

Not wanting to get out of the bed or feeling dizzy even after gathering the strength to do so - all of us must have experienced this at some point in our lives. This condition is referred to as morning sleepiness, which occurs when the melatonin (hormone facilitating sleep) levels are high.

As pointed by the NCBI, the blue light emitted from light therapy glasses is known to make us more alert and active, which is mainly achieved by blocking the release of melatonin.

• To deal with jet lag

In the modern-day lifestyle, jet travel is one of the most common causes behind the misalignment of our circadian rhythm. Adjusting our sleeping cycle, while constantly switching between different time zones, might get difficult.

Light therapy glasses may be useful here - to align our circadian rhythm.

• For depression in teens

Depression in teens is a frequently occurring medical condition in present times. The following study especially conducted to check whether light therapy glasses can help deal with depression in teens showed positive results. Hence, light therapy glasses for depression may be a viable option.

Are Light Therapy Glasses Safe?

While light therapy glasses are known to offer the above-stated benefits, it is not the only way out. In fact, there are various other ways - both natural and artificial - to deal with the above-stated medical conditions.

To improve your sleep, you can refer to our blog on the tips for quality sleep. It is advisable that if the conditions persist, you consult a sleep physician, who is in the best place to guide you.

When it comes to the all-important mental health, why don’t you adopt good practises such as meditation, reading, or even hitting the gym? Doing so will not only reduce your dependence on light therapy glasses but also make you self-sufficient to deal with your feelings and emotions.

Also, you need to be mindful of the fact that excessive blue light exposure during the fag end of your day - beyond sunset - can disturb your circadian rhythm. This means that using light therapy glasses at such times can actually cause more harm than good. However, if you do have a significant blue light exposure, don’t forget to get your pair of blue light blocking glasses .

To conclude, we would like to state that light therapy glasses definitely have their benefits, but the focus should be on optimising their usage rather than being overdependent on them.