Using Red Light Therapy for Brain Entrainment

Red light therapy is a natural treatment option that is rapidly growing in popularity. One increasingly common application of red light therapy is using it to help promote brain health and optimize cognitive function. 

Improving brain health and ultimately function is a growing trend in itself. Sometimes known as neurohacking, this trend seeks to “hack” the brain, improving cognition. Brain entrainment is a method used by people interested in neurohacking and is thought to improve brain health by exposing the brain to specific rhythms or patterns.

New advances in red light therapy technology have combined this natural phototherapy with entrainment. Combining these two approaches to neurological health now offers a new approach to brain health that has only recently become available. In this article, we explore how each of these technologies work individually and the potential benefits that combining them may provide.

What is Red Light Therapy?

Red light therapy is a non-invasive therapy that uses red and near-infrared light to irradiate specific areas of your body. People use red light for many different reasons, including:

• Improving brain health and function.
• Increasing the speed of wound healing.
• Promoting high-quality sleep.
• Decreasing pain related to inflammation. 
• Improving the quality and appearance of skin.
• Promoting hair growth or slowing hair loss.
• Promoting muscle function and recovery.

Red light therapy is a newer form of therapy, and new potential uses continue to be uncovered. While red light therapy is still in its infancy as a technology, research supports many potential uses for promoting wellness.

Researchers believe that the effectiveness of red light therapy lies in its ability to stimulate and energize the mitochondria, the powerhouse of cells. Mitochondria contain a molecule called cytochrome C oxidase that plays an important role in energy production and has been shown to be sensitive to red and infrared light. Stimulation of this molecule is thought to enhance cellular metabolism, increase energy production, and promote healing and rejuvenation. Red light therapy is thought to have anti-inflammatory properties that help to protect and restore cells, optimizing their function.

How Red Light Therapy May Improve Cognition

Recent studies have shown that red light therapy may have significant effects on brain health and cognitive functions. The therapy is thought to affect the brain and the cells it is made up of in many different ways. An article published in BBA Clinical explained several different mechanisms through which red light therapy can promote brain health, including:

• Stimulation of cytochrome C oxidase in mitochondria
• Simulation of nitric oxide release, resulting in increased blood flow
• Activation of light-sensitive ion channels in cell membranes
• Signaling of mediators and activation of transcription factors
• The effect of coherent light on brain tissues

Several studies have demonstrated that using red light therapy can improve brain health. A study in the Journal of Neurotrauma found that the use of red light therapy by those with mild traumatic brain injuries led to improved sleep, fewer psychological symptoms, and better ability to perform social, interpersonal, and occupational functions. 

An article published in Frontiers in Pharmacology found red light therapy provided a “positive impact of treatment on the progression and improvement of neurodegenerative processes, management of brain energy metabolism, and regulation of chronic brain inflammation associated with various conditions, including traumatic brain injury.”

Other studies have observed red light therapy offering potential benefits for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease and in stroke recovery. While there is still much research to be done, red light therapy is offering a potentially effective method of promoting brain health. It is important to note that, while it does appear to offer meaningful benefits, it is unlikely to offer an actual cure for brain disease, even though it may help to improve the symptoms these diseases cause.

Understanding Brain Entrainment

Brain entrainment, also known as brainwave synchronization, involves exposing the brain to periodic sensory stimulation, like pulses of light or sound, to induce a specific brainwave state. This technique is based on the brain’s natural tendency to synchronize its brainwave frequencies with the rhythm of external stimuli. Brain entrainment is used to promote various states of consciousness, including relaxation, focus, and deep sleep.

Different frequencies target different brainwave states. For example, theta waves (4-8 Hz) are associated with deep meditation and REM sleep, while beta waves (12-30 Hz) are linked with concentration and alertness. By using specific rhythms, brain entrainment can help individuals achieve their desired mental state more efficiently. This technology has been widely used in meditation, therapy, and personal development practices.

Combining Red Light Therapy and Brain Entrainment

Integrating red light therapy with brain entrainment presents a novel approach to cognitive enhancement and mental well-being. Red light therapy, with its ability to improve cellular health and reduce inflammation, serves as a potent foundation for enhancing brain function. When combined with brain entrainment techniques, red light therapy can amplify the effects of entrainment, leading to more pronounced cognitive benefits.

Red light therapy won’t typically provide brain entrainment itself. Brain entrainment relies on patterns, while red light is typically constant. Red light therapy can, however, be adjusted to be provided in a pulsing pattern instead of as a constant light source. Controlling the frequency of this pulsation when red light therapy is administered to brain tissue is a way of providing brain entrainment using red light therapy.

This combination works synergistically; while red light therapy prepares the brain by improving cellular health and reducing oxidative stress, brain entrainment techniques can more effectively induce desired brainwave states. Using red light therapy to provide entrainment can result in people seeing the benefits offered by both approaches simultaneously.

Benefits of Red Light Therapy-Based Entrainment for Brain Health

The combination of red light therapy and brain entrainment offers a multifaceted approach to brain health. This combination can lead to enhanced cognitive functions but can also aid in promoting mental wellness and achieving desired brain states during therapy. 

It is very important to keep in mind that using red light therapy to provide brain entrainment is a very new approach, only recently becoming available. While it does hold a high degree of potential to promote neurological health, research is still needed to determine what types of benefits people will actually realize. Here are some key benefits that are expected to result from using red light therapy to provide brain entrainment:

• Improved cognitive performance - Enhanced memory, better focus, and increased creativity are some of the cognitive enhancements anticipated with using this combination therapy.
• Stress reduction - The therapy can promote brain waves like theta waves that are associated with relaxation, potentially leading to improved stress management and relaxation.
• Better sleep quality - By promoting relaxation and regulating sleep patterns, this therapy can lead to more restful sleep.
• Enhanced mood - The therapy may help in balancing neurotransmitters, potentially improving mood and alleviating symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Due to the potential for an increased general sense of mental clarity and vitality, this new type of combination therapy is likely to represent an attractive option for those who are open to new, natural therapies and are seeking holistic cognitive enhancement.

Using Red Light Therapy for Brain Entrainment

Not any red light therapy panel can be used for brain entrainment, and most red light therapy spas will not offer this specialized type of combination therapy. Using red light therapy to provide brain entrainment requires the use of a specialized type of red light therapy source. 

Firstly, it’s essential to use a high-quality red light therapy panel that emits the correct wavelength and intensity of light. This is necessary for any type of red light therapy, whether it is used for brain entrainment or not. Not just any type of red light source will work; it must provide the specific wavelengths of light that are known to stimulate mitochondria.

Secondly, the red light therapy source must be designed to affect the brain tissues. The brain sits within the skull, a bony protective covering that is harder to get light to. You will need to use a red light therapy source that is relatively intense and designed to be placed close to the head. This will increase the ability of the light to penetrate your skull and increase the amount of light that actually reaches your brain tissues.

Lastly, the red light source must be pulsatile, providing a fluctuating intensity that can be set to a specific frequency. This is essential for brain entrainment. Most professional red light therapy panels provide a constant, not a fluctuating, light source. Only sources specially designed for brain entrainment will actually provide this potential benefit.

The Right Source for Red Light Therapy Brain Entrainment

Using red light for brain entrainment is a new and exciting technique, but requires highly specialized equipment. At Mito Red Light, we are pioneering new technologies and applications in red light therapy, providing innovative approaches like red light therapy brain entrainment. 

Our MitoMIND Helmet is specially designed for those wanting to use red light therapy to provide brain entrainment using red light therapy. The MitoMIND Helmet can be set to six different frequencies and provides high-intensity red light directly over the skull, providing the optimal amount of light possible to your brain tissues.

We welcome you to explore the MitoMIND Helmet and review our selection of high-quality products or to contact one of our expert representatives at 1-866-861-6486(MITO).

 

Related Articles:

• Red Light Therapy Benefits Overview
• Can Red Light Therapy Affect Brain Waves?
• Everything You Need to Know About Red Light Therapy and Brain Health

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Mito Red Light devices are not clinically proven to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any medical conditions. Mito Red Light devices are Class II general wellness devices aimed at affecting the body through topical heating and supporting cellular function. The scientific studies referenced in this article are for informational purposes only. To see a list of precautionary warnings and contraindications, click here.