The Gentle Power of Light Therapy

Light therapy is a quietly growing area within wellness. It uses light at specific wavelengths — usually red or near-infrared — applied gently to the skin, with the aim of supporting the body's natural recovery processes. Increasingly, you'll see it in physiotherapy clinics, in some dental and aesthetic settings, and in home-use devices people use alongside other forms of care.

For me, the discovery was unplanned. My horse had a nasty soft-tissue injury that wasn't settling, despite medication. A friend lent me a home-use light therapy machine and walked me through how to use it. Each week, photographing the wound, I could see the difference. That experience opened up a quieter curiosity about what the modality might offer people too.

How it works, in plain terms

Every cell in the body runs on energy. Red and near-infrared light, applied to the skin, are thought to support the energy-producing parts of cells, which in turn supports the body's natural processes of repair. The light is non-thermal — it doesn't feel hot — and the experience is usually subtle. Some people feel a gentle warmth; others notice nothing during the session and only the effects after.

Where many people find it useful

People come to light therapy for many reasons. Some of the most common:

• Muscle soreness, tiredness and minor injuries
• Joint discomfort and inflammation, including arthritis
• Musculoskeletal conditions like frozen shoulder, tennis elbow and TMJ tension
• Skin concerns — scarring, acne, dermatitis
• General wellbeing — relaxation, easing anxiety, supporting better sleep

It tends to work especially well alongside other approaches rather than in isolation. Physiotherapists often combine it with movement work. Bodyworkers use it as part of a session. Some people use a home device after exercise or at the end of a long day.

What a session can feel like

A typical session is short and quiet. You'll be asked about what you're hoping to support. The light is then applied to the relevant area for a set time, usually a few minutes per location. There's no medication involved, and most people find it a calming experience in itself — a small pocket of stillness in the middle of an ordinary day.

A gentle note on expectations

Light therapy isn't a substitute for medical care, and it isn't a promise of any particular outcome. What many people find is that it sits comfortably alongside the other things they're already doing — and that the consistency of the practice tends to matter more than any single session.

"It tends to work especially well alongside other approaches rather than in isolation."

Light has been one of the body's oldest companions. Working with it intentionally is a quietly modern way of supporting some very old processes.