Light Therapy - The Power of Fire and Light

The Encyclopedia of Crystals, Herbs, and New Age Elements: An A to Z Guide to New Age Elements and How to Use Them - Adams Media 2016

Light Therapy
The Power of Fire and Light

ORIGINS

Light therapy, also known as phototherapy, is a treatment that consists of exposure to daylight or artificial light. It is often prescribed in cases of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), non-seasonal depression, delayed sleep-phase disorder, and certain skin conditions, including psoriasis, eczema, neonatal jaundice, and even skin cancer.

HISTORY/LORE

Light therapy, once called heliotherapy, is not a new idea. The ancient Egyptians discovered that exposure to the sun could disinfect and prevent disease. The ancient Greeks built structures called solaria for sunbathing, with the purpose of treating skin ailments and increasing health and vitality. The Incas of Peru worshipped the sun god, Inti, and had many ceremonies and rituals based around the sun. In India, the solar deity Surya is important in the Hindu religion, and worship includes a series of “sun salutations” performed at dawn.

USES

Those who suffer from the winter blues may actually have seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a mood disorder caused by lack of exposure to sunlight and characterized by low energy and symptoms of depression, such as sleeping too much. Even if getting outdoors is not an option, you can use an artificial light box indoors to “cheer up” your brain. This treatment may also help sufferers of non-seasonal depression. Those with delayed sleep-phase disorder typically don’t fall asleep until the early hours of the morning, and then they are too tired to wake up for school or work. Light therapy upon awakening has been shown to advance one’s sleep phase; this is often done in combination with light restriction in the evening. While artificial light boxes designed for these conditions filter out UV light, light therapy treatments for certain skin conditions require UV light to be effective. In these cases, the light exposure slows down cell growth and inhibits inflammation that causes conditions like psoriasis and eczema.