If you are reading this at 3 AM, chances are you are among 70 million Americans who suffer from some kind of sleep disorder.

Perhaps you are also frustrated by the unfavorable results of sleeping pills, or you seem like lack of sleep is diminishing your lifestyle.

Somewhere in your late-night internet research study, you stumbled upon a red light treatment for sleep, and you are questioning, How does that work?

Before we dive into how getting red light therapy prior to bed can enhance your ability to drop off to sleep, stay asleep, and awaken feeling revitalized and rested the next early morning, we need to first comprehend sleep disorders and their relationship to light.

What are Sleep Disorders and How Do They Affect You?

A sleep condition is a catch-all expression for conditions that prevent appropriate, peaceful sleep.

Lack of sleep is a widespread issue with major consequences, such as auto accidents, impaired cognition, and a host of health concerns including shortened life-spans.

Common Types of Sleep Disorders

Researchers have recognized around 90 distinct kinds of sleep conditions. Here are the most typical ones:

Insomnia is the most commonly reported sleep disorder, impacting 10 percent of Americans. It's defined as having difficulty falling asleep or remaining asleep, even with the opportunity to get a full night's sleep, and not due to compound usage or medication conditions.

Sleep apnea is irregular and frequently disturbed breathing during sleep. It adds to hormone imbalances, the advancement of hypertension, arrhythmias, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, stroke, and diabetes.

Narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia is clinically considerable extreme daytime sleepiness that is not due to circadian sleep condition, sleep-disordered breathing, sleep deprivation, or any recognized medical conditions.

Circadian rhythm conditions are environmentally-related or lifestyle-caused sleep disorders. Jet lag, shift work, competitive work cultures (i.e., keeping up late to work), as well as easy access to TV and the Internet, have actually all been found to adversely affect sleep.

Consequences of Sleep Disorders

The different sleep disorders are somewhat various in the methods they manifest, however most share these common signs:

Excessive and unrestrained daytime drowsiness;

Difficulty dropping off to sleep or remaining asleep;

High incidence of headaches, sleepwalking, or other abnormal sleep habits; Restless legs syndrome;

Clinically significant psychological distress (irritation,, stress, and anxiety);

Social and occupational impairment, including falling asleep at the wheel or on the job.

A periodic sleepless night is not a problem; but if sleep deprivation becomes chronic, the cumulative, long-term results seriously impact an individual's lifestyle.

The general public health effects of sleep conditions are extremely severe as well.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, sleepy driving slows response times, impacts decision-making, and makes for a sidetracked chauffeur.

This is a prevalent problem: one in 25 adult chauffeurs reports going to sleep at the wheel at least once within the previous 30 days.

It's no wonder, then, that drowsy driving is one of the main reasons for traffic deaths.

In 2013, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that drowsy driving resulted in 72,000 accidents, 44,000 injuries, and 800 deaths.

However, the numbers might be higher, with approximately 6,000 yearly traffic deaths arising from drowsy driving.

And it's not just on the road where accidents take place.

Even the Challenger space shuttle disaster resulted from an error in judgment due to sleep deprivation.

Lack of Sleep: The Hidden Cause of Many Health Challenges

Despite a strong link between sleep loss and persistent health conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes, doctors may not always ask patients "Are you getting adequate sleep?" during the health history portion of an examination.

Partially as a result, up to 90 percent of adults struggling with sleep conditions such as sleep apnea go undiagnosed.

This is unfortunate, considering that sleep disorders are so important to correct in order to heal ourselves.

Left unattended, chronic sleep disorders have enormous effect on health and well-being.

Some of the well-known effects include severe automobile accidents, and loss of work efficiency.

Others are chronic issues like weight problems and hypertension.

It stands to reason that if physicians aren't regularly inquiring about a patient's quality of sleep, the origin of these conditions may go unattended.

How Light Affects Your Sleep

Light is a crucial factor in your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep.

However, when it comes to sleep, different wavelengths of light can have opposite impacts on your capacity for sleep.

Our genetics has hardwired our bodies to respond differently to the varying spectrum of light supplied through the day by the changing angle of the sun, and then the light of the moon, stars and firelight at night.

When light hits your eye, it's detected by photosensitive cells in the retina called photoreceptors.

These cells send messages to the hypothalamus, which manages your body's biological rhythm, or body clock, in the suprachiasmatic nucleus.

From there, signals are sent out of the head by the autonomic nervous system, and then they travel back to the center of the head to signal the pineal gland.

The pineal responds to night-time signals like fire light and white light no brighter than that of the full moon by releasing a hormone called melatonin, the hormone of darkness.

Humans are the only species with this circuitous regulatory pathway.

Other species' pineal glands are located at the top of their skulls, so they are designed to receive environmental light signals directly.

The human pineal is sequestered in the center of the skull, so that by the time the cranial sutures close with growth and development, the pineal is protected from direct light exposure.

It is possible that this may allow the human pineal gland to communicate on other frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Otherwise, there would be no adaptive reason for the pineal gland to migrate to a dark location in the center of the head.

Studies on 'psychic' communication between people shows that there is a specific time of when overall transpersonal communication goes to zero...

That time is sidereal noon...

That is, when the galactic center of the Milky Way is closest to the zenith of the sky.

Perhaps as cell's in God's body, we are truly galactic and celestial citizens, in communication with God's universal body.

It is also noted that on autopsy the pineal gland is found to be facing either up or down.

Are we seeking the light of truth, or hiding ourselves in the darkness?

Melatonin

Scientists describe melatonin as the chemical that opens the 'sleep gate'; put simply, it assists make your body feel sleepy.

The ups and downs of our circadian rhythm are based on the amount of blue and red light we receive in the natural cosmic environment.

Blue wavelengths of light deliver very high energy photons; Red wavelengths of light are energetically more gentle.

Until a few thousand years ago, there wasn't even a word for blue in various human languages.

One possibility, contemplated in the Electric Universe hypothesis, is that our cosmic environment may have gone through a radical shift to what we see today.

In the past, the earth may have been bathed in a constant red glow inside the photosphere of a red dwarf sun...

In any case, the message from the optic nerve to the biological clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus is color sensitive.

The message that gets sent to the hypothalamus by blue-light photoreceptors is, "Wake up!"

And it doesn't matter what time of day or night this blue light appears...

We're going to get up because our brain is informing us to.

It's worth keeping in mind that the hypothalamus also governs hormone balance, metabolic process, and immune function, indicating these important functions are tied to, and influenced by, our circadian rhythm and light frequencies.

Our integrated sleep/wake cycle makes sense when you consider how human beings lived countless years ago.

Long before light bulbs and iPhones the sun, in all its full spectrum glory was our ancestors dominant light.

Once the sun set, they spent evenings in relative darkness and waning firelight, effectively setting their biological rhythms to sleep mode.

Today, modern-day life tinkers with our body clocks.

We spend a lot of time indoors, bathed in artificial light, night and day, and it is not only brighter at night than our bodies are designed for, and about 1% as bright during the day, but also deficient in red and excess in blue, especially late in the day.

As you can imagine, these routines negatively impact our quality of sleep.

Now, not everybody's body clock is adapted exactly the same.

If you're a night owl, your body clock is a little longer than 24 hours; if you're an early bird, it's a little shorter.

Staying up after 11 PM, you start burning your Wood Element energy essential for the liver and gallbladder, but also the eyes.

That's why we say that 1 hour of sleep before midnight is worth 2 hours after midnight...

However whether you're the last one to bed or the first to rise, direct exposure to light after dark reduces the production of melatonin and thus interferes with sleep.

During the day, natural sunlight is best.

In the evening, it's essential to pick your light sources very carefully, especially if you experience any kind of persistent sleep condition.

Here's how blue light and red light impact your ability to get enough sleep.

Blue Light Keeps You Alert

Blue light is frequently touted only as a culprit, but that's unfair, too.

As part of the regular spectrum of sunshine throughout the day, blue light serves as an advantageous stimulant, increasing alertness, mood, attention, and reaction times.

It is also important for decreasing overactivity in the nervous system, and for activating the parasympathic division of the autonomic nervous system responsible for "rest and digest" functions.

However blue light is not what you want when you're attempting to sleep.

Blue light exposure in the evening has been related to increased awareness.

Research into the adverse impacts of blue light, such as that emitted by computers, mobile phones, and energy-efficient lighting, shows a direct connection between nighttime blue light direct exposure and sleep conditions.

This is because even low levels of blue light shut off the pineal's secretion of melatonin, the key hormone that controls the sleep-wake cycle of every cell in the body.

Blue light is so stimulating that it can substantially shift body clocks, anywhere between 1.5 to 3 hours, similar to the effects of jetlag.

This shift, which is also obvious during seasonal time changes, is linked to increased traffic accident deaths, on top of the already dire drowsy-driving data.

What Color Light Helps You Sleep?

Red Light.

Unlike excess blue light, deep red light doesn't shut down the pineal, and it can help you relax, like watching a campfire...

Its low color temperature has a calming effect on the body, and it's the most favorable wavelength of light for an excellent night's sleep.

Using red light in the evening or at night can help your body shift into its sleep cycle more naturally.

Red Light and Endurance Performance

Light Bulbs to Avoid Before Sleep

Researchers have discovered promising evidence of red light 's advantages for sleep.

One current study took a look at how red-light impacted the sleep quality and subsequent endurance performance of elite female basketball players.

Twenty athletes were divided up and take into either a red light sleep group or a control group.

The red light individuals got 30 minutes of exposure to a red light gadget every day, for 2 weeks.

The control group got no red light treatment.

The red light group revealed significant enhancement in sleep and serum melatonin levels and they demonstrated increased endurance efficiency.

What this indicates for you:

Red light can help you sleep much better, while delivering other physical advantages, such as stimulating energy production in cells, as discovered in this study.

Another peer-reviewed research study showed that red light therapy has the potential to increase physical and mental energy and endurance.

Red Light and Sleep Inertia

Sleep inertia (that hard-to-shake groggy sensation upon awakening) is another common side effect of chronic sleep deprivation and one that red light has actually been shown to ease, according to a research study published by a sleep research study journal.

In this experiment, participants received red light while they were sleeping and upon waking, through red-light masks and safety glasses. During the 3 weeks of treatment, many individuals reported experiencing more restful sleep and feeling more alert upon waking.

They also performed better on cognitive tests.

What this suggests for you:

If you are a shift employee, first responder, or physician and you are permitted short naps at work, direct exposure to red light can help you feel more alert and focused on the task.

Red Light Therapy for Sleep?

At this point, you are most likely questioning if you should switch out your lightbulbs for red ones, or go with a high-quality LED red light device.

It is worth keeping in mind that most regular red bulbs on the market do not produce red light, they are just tinted red.

And while this does filter out the blue light frequencies, it won't have the same effect as bulbs that emit specific healing frequencies within the red light band.

The perfect place to start is with red nightlights in your bathroom and hallway, so you can see your way to the toilet without turning on any lights, eliminating all exposure to blue frequencies during the night that would otherwise disrupt melatonin secretion often for hours or the whole rest of the night...

In the evening you can wear blue-blocker glasses when looking at screens like television that aren't easily adjusted to remove blue light.

Phones and computers should be set to automatically remove blue light from sunset to sunrise...

For directions for your specific device, go here.

The most powerful healing results are from red LED 'soft laser' lights designed with a wavelength that stimulates the mitochondria.

This is the type of light you should at least use in your bedroom, so the exposed skin of your face, as well as your eyes including the retina can be rejuvenating while you sleep.

This type of light therapy tool, or photobiomodulation device and is an excellent way to recover health, and enhance sleep quality which is so essential to healing the body.

Red Light Sleep Therapy

Light treatment is becoming a popular and effective method to heal many health conditions, including skin problems, persistent discomfort, hair loss, and muscle recovery.

But there's a host of other advantages to enjoy from red light therapy including simply better rest.

Red light therapy uses visible light between 630 nm (nanometers) and 660 nm, which is at the opposite end of the visible light spectrum from hazardous ultraviolet and blue light which interferes with circadian rhythms.

With its much longer wavelength, red light penetrates much deeper into the skin, providing its metabolic benefits to the cells and tissue beneath the skin.

It's been shown to reduce discomfort, slow swelling, and promote healing in broken cells and damaged tissues.

What does this have to do with sleep?

Your physical state impacts your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep.

And much of our best healing takes place once we are deep asleep...

Minimizing discomfort and inflammation, and accelerating the healing process, can help promote great sleep by supporting accelerated self healing on the physical tissue level, in addition to the psychoneuroendocrine regulatory effects.

When you are bathed in a red glow like a fire's embers, sleep comes on easier!

Add NIR to Boost Recovery and Health

While red light offers tremendous health benefits, including better sleep and restful healing, it's made even more profound when used in combination with near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths for specific daytime self-healing therapies.

The NIR range of light that activates the mitochondria starts above 809 nm and these frequencies permeate much deeper into the body tissues than any of the visible spectrum.

Hold a red flashlight against your hand, and you can see the light coming through...

Apply an infrared healing tool to the body, and the photonic energy can penetrate many inches into the tissues, or even penetrate the skull to light up healing in the brain.

We have developed specific healing tools for this purpose, combining both the visible red wavelengths and the invisible NIR wavelengths for maximum clinical efficiency.

One is a hand-held soft laser, which also modulates the light intensity at 172 Hz to attract Spirit Mineral™ activity to the healing process.

Another is a helmet to stimulate head and brain healing, with the capacity to modulate the intensity at frequencies including the alpha rhythm for physical brain healing, the gamma rhythm for memory and cognition, as well as the Dominant Harmonic Frequency of Nature, 172 Hz, to accelerate all aspects of healing and spiritual development.

The Harmony Soft Laser is ideal for stimulation of deep internal organs, such as the kidneys and the liver.

Caution is generally used around the gut, and the thyroid gland, and NIR soft lasers should not be pointed at the open eyes, since the eyes are designed to concentrate light like a magnifying glass...

There are fewer studies on NIR in relation to sleep, but it certainly helps with recovery and total health, which is very supportive for rest and relaxation...

Red Nightlights have Side-Benefits, unlike Sleeping Pills...

Ideally, we need to spend about one-third of our lives asleep.

7 to 8 hours per night is a good range.

Being chronically sleep-deprived has major consequences to health, cognition, productivity, physical and psychological efficiency, and our emotional state.

Why not have red lights come on automatically in the evening as soon as it's dark?

Red light photobiomodulation is emerging as a possible alternative to sleeping pills, in addition to a way to promote cellular healing by decreasing sleep disturbance caused by physical problems and interference with the normal circadian rhythm.

Start reducing your exposure to blue light after dark and get red nightlights to support a better night's sleep without side effects.

Your Next Step...

Now that you understand how light impacts your sleep and what you can do about it, have a look at the high-quality red light devices we have developed for your Self Healing Oasis.

You can start experiencing the benefits in the comfort of your own home, even while you sleep...

Click Here To Learn More