Light
therapy has a history that stretches back to the ancient Greco-Roman times,
so it may seem ironic to dub it the next big thing in spa treatments. But
the numbers don't lie; light therapy is already very popular in Europe,
with the Sunspectra™ 9000 from Sybaritic, Inc., (one type of light therapy
apparatus) raking in a quarter of a million dollars in sales last year in
the German market alone. Japan, too, 
has caught the light therapy bug: the
Nikkei rating of top 100 products to watch in the new millennium, published
in the September 1999
issue of Trendy, recently ranked the Sunspectra™ 9000 a "smash hit."
Why are spa owners choosing to install these machines rather than another
wet room, massage table, or aromatherapy station? It helps to know the
many benefits of light treatment. In part, the answer is our natural human
connection to sunlight, which produces essential vitamin D in our bodies.
In studies, vitamin D has been shown to be beneficial in cases of osteoporosis,
arthritis, and some dental conditions. It also helps absorption of nutrients
like calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium in our bodies. Beyond the benefits
of vitamin D, sunlight also regulates the production of melatonin, a substance
produced by the pineal gland in our brains that regulates our sleep cycle.
Lack of sunlight can have detrimental effects on our energy levels, moods,
and sleep cycle. Depression, lethargy, and even aggravated medical conditions,
like asthma and, again, osteoporosis, can result. In a culture that spends
the majority of its time indoors, lack of sunlight may not only be unwelcome,
it can also be unhealthy.
In 1980, Dr. Alfred Lewy and Dr. Thomas Wehr identified a syndrome called
Seasonal Affected Disorder, or SAD, associated with the lack of sunlight
in winter climates. They learned that shining bright light on patients
who suffered from SAD helped to counteract the syndrome. Spa light therapy
is based in part on their research, and a treatment of only about 20 minutes
a week can make a huge difference in a person affected with SAD, according
to light therapy proponents.
But light therapy machines like the Sunspectra™ 9000 are not limited
to bright light for their therapeutic treatments. Color, full spectrum
light, and strobe light, the three modalities of light used in the Sunspectra
system, all have their own individual benefits (all three or any combination
can be used in the treatment).
Light therapy proponents believe that our bodies are sensitive to different
colors of light and that we take what we need from them. In brief, specific
colors provide certain benefits as follows:
Red: Creates energy and strength, heightens sexuality, rejuvenates, adds
vitality, stimulates blood circulation
Orange: Stimulates the lymphatic system,
releases blocked energies within organs
Yellow: Stimulates,
cleanses circulatory system and skin, improves concentration
Green: Heals, balances, purifies
Blue: Relaxes and reduces stress, calms
Violet: Calms metabolic system, controls
appetite, and calms nerves
Full spectrum light is meant to mimic real sunlight with a pure, bright,
white light. Though the light has all the benefits of sunlight, it contains
no harmful UV rays that might harm the skin. This is the treatment most
useful to those who suffer from SAD.
Finally, strobe lighting stimulates nerve endings; it grabs your neurons
and shakes them awake, since neural pathways report only changing stimuli.
There are two types of flickering light therapy: one that involves color
and one that does not. Non-color strobe light therapy is recommended for
more serious conditions and is especially effective for women with severe
PMS, children with learning disabilities, and people with chronic pain.
Studies by Dr. Norman Shealy indicate that hormone levels and certain
neurochemicals actually do change after strobe or flickering light therapy.
Typically, people with these conditions should undergo strobe light therapy
for about 20 minutes per day for the best results.
Color strobe light therapy uses the color ranges described above in varying
degrees and accelerations to bring out deep-seated emotional problems;
the goal is to treat and release these difficulties. Color strobe light
therapy should be supervised by a licensed psychotherapist in order to
achieve the desired results.
Though psychotherapy doesn't usually play a part
in most spa treatments, spas do use light therapy in conjunction with
other, more typical spa therapies. The Sunspectra 9000's Colorbath™
treatment is recommended for use with cellulite reduction, body wraps,
masks, slimming services, stress reduction, thalassotherapy, hydrotherapy,
jet lag, sleep problems, and skin cleansing and detoxification. The
Colorbath™ treatment can be programmed in combination with a dry heat
sauna, therapeutic back heat, cool face air, aromatherapy, and stereo
sound for a pleasing and personalized spa experience for your customer.
This article was provided courtesy
of Sybaritic.
